If you were a hiring manager and saw a gap in someone's resume between the last job they had and now, when would a gap start to be a concern for you?

[Anonymous]

Concerning just meaning you would think "hmm, I definitely have to ask them about this"

6-12 months

A year or two

Three or four years

Five plus years

[WindAtMyBack]

Any gap at all can potentially be a problem. Some managers won't hire someone who is not currently employed. Personally, I might ask about anything over 3-6 months. That wouldn't be a negative on it's own, but I would want to know why. The longer the gap, the more likely it is to become a negative.

For some jobs, a couple of years could be a deal breaker.

[Jersey2]

I have hired a lot of people for 6 figure jobs. It depends. I first want competence. So I will test for that and very few people have the skill sets for a bigger job. That narrows the field quite a bit. I will ask about a gap but skills trump most nonsense consisting of gaps. Maybe they didn’t get along with their last boss. Maybe the boss was the problem. Maybe there was a layoff and I get a good employee who has been trained and given the chance to gather good experience. Again, most people suck at their job or are a boring average. It’s all about competence… for me at least.

[FateofOphelia]

What if you were just job hunting during the gap?

[Jersey2]

@FateofOphelia I do t understand that question. Can you re-phrase”

[Jersey2]

If I understand right, job hunting during the gap is fine. You left one job and went to find a new one. The questions will be why you left. I have gaps, I took packages worth a lot due to job elimination. It was fine in interviews.

[Nikki1989]

Any gap can signal a potential problem with the applicant.

[AI Opinion]

As a hiring manager, I would begin to inquire about a gap if it extends beyond six months. It's essential to understand the reasons behind it. Whether for personal growth, health, or other commitments, knowing the context helps. Open-ended questions can reveal how the individual has stayed engaged, developed new skills, or kept up with industry trends during that time. This approach aligns with understanding an applicant's adaptability and resilience.

[ArrowheadSW]

I would ask about any gap over a month, but depending on how long it was I may or may not take it too seriously. Depends on the person and the circumstances. It also depends on the type of job.

[Anpu23]

After say 8 months I would ask what the story was. Unemployment usually lasts 6 months so its not unusual to see a 6 month gap, especially if theyd been at their previous position for a few years. Someone loses their job, rides Unemployment for 6 months then starts seriously looking is pretty common.

[Ariesman81]

Consecutive short term employment is much more of a 🚩. A gap for a man is suspicious and would probably warrant followup questioning.

[Anonymous]

Gap of five years would be a concern, because less than that is ok, maybe the person went to college.