When reviewing resumes, there's one item that makes hiring managers hesitate, even if they're not quite sure why: a career gap.
Many qualified candidates go through a stage in their career when they take time off between jobs, and the reason isn't always that they were unable to find work. Even still, hiring managers and interviewers often assume gaps are due to forced unemployment and fail to ask about them in any detail. In doing so, they forfeit opportunities to see candidates from a unique angle that could shed light into what motivates them and how ambitious they might be once on the job.
The next time you're considering candidates whose resumes list a gap of more than a couple of months between jobs, here are some questions you should consider asking:
- Did you enjoy the gap? This question can tell you a lot about candidates, no matter which way they answer. For example, a potential hire might say she particularly enjoyed not having a schedule during her time off, or she could tell you how thrilled she was to have more time to develop certain skills or learn more about a passion. While the first answer might indicate someone who is not ready to come back to a full time job, the latter suggests you could have the chance to hire someone who is motivated and committed to self-improvement.
- What did you do during the gap? Again, there is no particular "right answer" to this question, but it is nonetheless important for gathering context. Even if your candidate didn't hold a job for a full year, finding out that he was putting his skills to use in a volunteer setting during that time is worth finding out. If he spent most of his time at home, asking this question will give your candidate a chance to tell you about any specific skills he set out on improving or professional qualifications he pursued.
- What are your long-term career goals? Ultimately, the answers to the above questions are made more useful when presented alongside the answer to this question. If candidates report having lofty goals that require substantial professional development, yet they did not pursue this education during their time off, that can tell you they do not set realistic expectations or are not as motivated as they might tell themselves.
While these questions alone may not give you a full picture of your candidates' potential future at your company, they can certainly help demystify career gaps. For help identifying top-performing candidates in your industry, consider working with executive recruitment firms like YES Partners.
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