If you have a gap on your resume...

[Deleted]

I think if your last job lists a location far away, it will be pretty obvious you moved. I wouldn't address it on the resume, and likely not in the cover letter beyond perhaps a "I'm new to the area and..." sort of a line.

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 12:01:35 GMT -5 swizz said:

Aug 13, 2015 12:00:12 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

I think if your last job lists a location far away, it will be pretty obvious you moved. I wouldn't address it on the resume, and likely not in the cover letter beyond perhaps a "I'm new to the area and..." sort of a line.

I'm potentially not looking for a job in the new area...

Then I'd just let it be.  Or you could say "As I'm returning to X," or "I'm moving to X, and"

Hope things are okay. 

[dcn]

I've always just addressed it in an interview. It's pretty obvious that I moved, and I just said that I took time off to spend at home with Ds.

[anna7602]

Aug 13, 2015 12:02:54 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Aug 13, 2015 12:01:35 GMT -5 swizz said:

I'm potentially not looking for a job in the new area...

Then I'd just let it be.  Or you could say "As I'm returning to X," or "I'm moving to X, and"

Hope things are okay. 

This is what I did when I was moving back from Paris and was applying for jobs in my old industry (as opposed to what I'd been doing freelance for 4 years by that point). 

Also, don't you have that bows business? You could stress the skills you've been using for that, so it's not really a gap, just a less traditional career path. 

[anna7602]

Aug 13, 2015 12:08:00 GMT -5 @peggyolson said:

Address it on your resume (looking for a job opportunity in ___ location due to relocation happening in Month Year) and job application. Reason for leaving previous job - relocation. A lot of places don't read cover letters.

I know you work in HR/recruiting, but I have never listed my reason for leaving a job nor seen a reason listed on any resume I've ever reviewed. 

[drloretta]

I wouldn't address it in writing. It's an 18-month gap, and it's obvious you moved, so I doubt they'd blink an eye.

[ECB]

If you're looking in an area where you don't live, yes, I'd say something in the cover letter about how you will be relocating. Just to erase any confusion they may have.

But past that, i wouldn't explain the gaps or move in the cover letter. They'll either figure it out or they'll ask you in an interview.

[halfpint]

I think if you're not applying for jobs in your area, include a cover letter, and just say you're looking for something in xx area starting whenever. Otherwise recruiters/hiring managers don't know if you're looking for relocation assistance, you're planning to move anyway, or you just plain didn't realize the position was not local to you (which stupidly happens more often than you would think). I don't know that I'd address the gap - most applications will likely ask "reason for leaving", and you can indicate relocation.

I rarely read cover letters, but it drives me crazy when there's a strong case for one (like, why the heck are you applying for this job? You're 2000 miles away? Or, you haven't been working since 2010, what's up?), and it's not included.

In my opinion, your gap isn't long enough to address in detail yet, at least not up front. If you stay out of the workforce for another year or two, I think you'll want to elaborate a little more. Most companies I've interviewed with have been really respectful of my decision to stay home, and it wasn't an issue. I just made sure to emphasize how excited I was to return to the workforce.

Something else I've done on my resume is to only use years, not months. It helps to disguise where I do have a few short windows.

[Deleted]

Aug 13, 2015 12:21:34 GMT -5 swizz said:

Aug 13, 2015 12:16:46 GMT -5 drloretta said:

I wouldn't address it in writing. It's an 18-month gap, and it's obvious you moved, so I doubt they'd blink an eye.

We're potentially moving back. There would be no evidence of a move as I wouldn't put an out of state address on my resume.

I would let it be. In the gap you can mention the Cora's business. In the interview you can discuss relocating for a job opportunity/SAHM, both of which are totally fine. 

ALSO - here is a sneaky trick because recruiters often dismiss people with out of state addresses. Either use your parent's address or leave it off your resume altogether.