Resume gaps
Confidently turn career breaks into strengths
Table of contents
Every career path has twists – what's decisive is how you tell your story.
Overview of gap types
Typical scenarios, strategies and example phrasings.
Unemployment
Very common • 3-12 months
- Strategy: Emphasize honesty + further training
- Example: "Career reorientation after restructuring"
Illness
Common • Variable duration
- Strategy: Mention discreetly, highlight recovery
- Example: "Health-related break, fully recovered"
Parental leave
Very common • 1-3 years
- Strategy: Value the life phase and learning moments
- Example: "Family time with continuous professional development"
Study & further education
Common • 6-36 months
- Strategy: Frame as an investment in the future
- Example: "Full-time MBA for career development"
Sabbatical / Travel
Occasional • 3-12 months
- Strategy: Emphasize personal development & engagement
- Example: "Round-the-world trip with volunteer work"
Care & caregiving
Occasional • Variable duration
- Strategy: Highlight responsibility and empathy
- Example: "Caring for a family member"
78%
haben mindestens eine Lücke
Karrierewege verlaufen selten linear – normalisieren Sie Pausen.
3 Monate
gelten als unkritisch
Kurzpausen müssen oft nicht erklärt werden.
92%
HR akzeptiert begründete Lücken
Transparenz + Strategie schlagen Verschweigen.
Criticality Matrix
When is an explanation required?
1-3 Monate
Unkritisch – muss nicht erwähnt werden
3-6 Monate
Kurz begründen, Fokus auf Aktivitäten
6-12 Monate
Klare Story + belegbare Maßnahmen nötig
12+ Monate
Detaillierte Strategie inkl. Mehrwert erforderlich
Presentation strategies
Ehrlichkeit + Lernen
Lücke offen benennen und Wachstum betonen.
- Suitable for longer breaks
- Example: Further training after company closure
Funktionales Layout
Skills statt Chronologie in den Vordergrund.
- For multiple short gaps
- Skill-based resume
Zeitspannen bündeln
Jahresangaben statt einzelner Monate.
- For gaps up to 3 months
- Example: "2023-2024"
Positive Umformulierung
Auszeiten als bewusste Entscheidung darstellen.
- Self-chosen breaks
- Wording: "Reorientation" instead of "Unemployment"
Positive Wendungen
Schwache Formulierungen in starke Aussagen verwandeln.
Restrukturierung
❌ "War arbeitslos nach Kündigung"
- ✅ "Berufliche Neuorientierung mit Weiterbildung in digitalen Technologien"
Gesundheit
❌ "Krankheitsbedingte Auszeit"
- ✅ "Nach Genesung motiviert für neue Herausforderungen"
Familienphase
❌ "Zu Hause bei den Kindern"
- ✅ "Familienphase mit begleitender Online-Weiterbildung"
Make value visible
Womit punkten?
- Further training & certificates
- Volunteering & engagement
- Personal projects / freelance
- Enhanced soft skills (organization, empathy)
Preventive measures
Avoid gaps or actively fill them.
Während der Jobsuche
- Freelance projects & consulting
- Online courses and certifications
- Voluntary activities
- Networking events & conferences
- Personal projects or blog
- Short-term internships
Langfristige Planung
- Continuous further training
- Maintain a professional network
- Keep CV & LinkedIn up to date
- Expand industry contacts
- Build financial reserves
Emergency plan for unexpected gaps
3-Phasen-Modell
- Act immediately: inform the employment agency, activate your network
- After 2 weeks: establish a learning routine, create an application plan
- After 1 month: parallelize activities (applications, projects, learning)