Gap in Work History Due to Medical Disability

When a gap in work history comes up in an interview, your interviewer is concerned that you may have lost your capacity to work hard, your skills are now dated, and/or you have some major personal issues that could interfere with future performance.

Honesty is the best policy. When your interviewer asks about it, keep your answer truthful, short, and simple. Good interviewers are trained to look for gaps in a resume and want to know the real reasons you vacated the job positions written on that paper.

"I decided to be home in order to attend to a family medical issue. Fortunately, that situation is fully resolved, and I am excited to get back to work"

The interviewer wants to make sure that you didn’t leave your previous jobs because of personality issues, poor performance, or work-related ethical issues. There are a number of valid reasons to have resume gaps. It can be voluntary or not, but whatever the reason is, you should be prepared to present it briefly yet positively.

Discuss with your interviewer the things that you’ve been doing in between to keep yourself informed and updated. Tell him or her about the things that kept you busy while you weren’t working. Volunteer work, freelance projects, pursuing graduate school, and taking continuing education courses are great examples.

For additional tips on navigating the interview with a medical disability visit: