Last week I talked about freezing in interviews.
But there’s one question that makes people freeze more than any other:
“Can you walk me through this gap on your resume?”
The gap.
The thing you’ve been dreading.
Maybe you were laid off, and it took longer than expected to find something.
Maybe you took time off for health or family reasons.
Maybe you left a toxic environment at a company that wasn’t the right fit.
Whatever the reason, you’re worried about how to explain it without sounding:
→ Unemployable
→ Out of touch
→ Like you’ve lost momentum
Here’s what I want you to know:
Gaps happen.
Especially these days.
And hiring managers understand that life isn’t a straight line.
The issue isn’t the gap itself.
It’s how you talk about it.
How you think about it.
If you sound apologetic or defensive, they’ll read it as a red flag.
If you’re matter-of-fact and forward-focused, they’ll move on.
Here’s the framework:
Acknowledge it briefly.
“I was laid off when the company restructured, with hundreds of people impacted. I took some time to be strategic about my next move.”
Shift to what you did during that time.
“I used that time to update my skills, network strategically, and clarify what I wanted next.”
Bring it back to them.
“Which is why I’m excited about this role! It’s exactly the kind of challenge I’ve been positioning for.”
Short. Confident. Forward-focused.
That’s it.
If you’ve been avoiding applying because you’re worried about your gap…
Stop letting that hold you back.
👉 Let’s figure out how to frame it.