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 MBA
Jungle | Q&MBA
Q: How do I deal with an unusual gap in my resumé-such
as taking time off to travel or being laid off from an unsuccessful
start-up?
A: That year you spent in the Rockies testing products
for cheapcampinggear.com-seems a bit foggy now, doesn't it?
Sure, The Industry Standard said it was going to be the next
eBay-and you swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. At the time
your career path was a testament to your adventuresome spirit
and youthful optimism, but how do you explain it now, as you
sit in your spiffy new suit hoping to impress a recruiter
who's looking for a stable employee?
With the economy struggling, companies are returning to conservative
viewpoints on new hires. "Especially when the market
tightens, companies are more likely to look for people with
experience and a proven track record instead of someone who
has jumped around and has lots of gaps," says Laurie
Boockvar, associate director at Columbia Business School's
Office of MBA Career Services.
Your best strategy for explaining employment-history hiccups
depends, of course, on the reason for the gap; taking time
off to care for a sick relative is different from ditching
an I-banking job to start an online gambling business. Regardless
of the reason, avoid acting as if you have something to hide.
"Overall you need to be nondefensive and open,"
advises Boockvar. "You need to have woven this into the
overall story so that it makes sense-or if it doesn't, explain
it and move on. Don't dwell on it." Account for substantial
time off in the "additional information" section
at the end of your resumé.
For students who took extensive sabbaticals to travel or
for other opportunities, one tip is to interview at businesses
whose culture is tolerant of such ventures. Smaller firms,
nonprofits, media companies, and organizations with an entrepreneurial
spirit might be more accepting. Jobs in which risk taking
is essential-such as trading-might also be a good fit.
Even more traditional employers might be amenable to an odd
gap in one's resumé. Susan Levine, manager of marketing
recruiting at Bain & Company, says her firm seeks well-rounded
employees with varied experiences. Taking time to see the
world or to be with family is "perfectly acceptable,
within reason," she says. "People have so many different
circumstances; I don't think that the consulting field looks
negatively on people taking time off for opportunities."
If you were involved in several failed start-ups, put a positive
spin on the experience: Relate the skills you acquired to
the job for which you are interviewing. Perhaps you learned
how to manage up, or the right way to perform due diligence
on an acquisition. "I think it's accepted as fact that
there was this big Internet bubble and it burst, and it's
nothing to be ashamed about," Boockvar says. "Your
attitude is most important. I think you also need to rely
on people being understanding. Not everyone has been able
to have a linear career path and move steadily without life
interrupting."
Levine, too, notes that experience from a start-up-even a
dot-bomb-is valuable to a company. As downsizing becomes more
frequent, involuntary unemployment is losing its stigma. In
any case, don't be too hard on yourself; the fact that you're
in business school is likely to overshadow a layoff from a
previous job, says Boockvar.
Printed with the permission of MBA Jungle (www.mbajungle.com).
Have a question you'd like to see answered in Q&MBA? E-mail
us at editors@mbajungle.com.
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