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Ask HN: How much have gaps in your work-history affected your getting hired?

by Fraterkes on 5/14/25, 10:25 PM with 2 comments

I do some volunteer work, and a lot of my collegues are people who temporarily can't do a "real" job because of some medical issue. Many of them are very worried about gaps in their resume. Has stuff like that affected you? Do you just lie during interviews?

  • by JohnFen on 5/15/25, 12:48 PM

    I don't think that it's possible to really know. I've never had a potential employer tell me why they chose not to hire me. That said, I don't think they've had a significant impact.

    But I don't leave time unaccounted for, either. I include the gap times in my resume by explaining what I have done during them that would relate to the position (hobby projects, volunteering, etc.) My resume is a report of my experience, but that doesn't have to be limited to experience that I've been paid for.

  • by bdangubic on 5/15/25, 1:12 AM

    if a company has a problem with "gaps" in your resume run for the hills, it is most definitely not the place you ever want to be at