Looking at your resume, I see multiple gaps in your employment history. Can you contextually fill in those gaps for me?

What You Need to Know
1st Answer Example
2nd Answer Example
Mechanical Engineer Example
Manufacturing Engineer Example

Any time there are gaps in your work history, you should prepare for this question. You want to communicate the context for this clearly and succinctly. Rambling on about your personal history at this time will cast doubts on your reliability as a potential employee. So be brief and to the point while remaining unapologetic and confident.

"I had a gap from 2009 to 2010 while on maternity leave and then another for six months in 2015 while I cared for an ailing parent. During that time, I was vigilant in keeping up to date on the market trends and breakthroughs so that my aerospace engineering knowledge did not become outdated."

"I took a medical hiatus between 2008 and 2009 under doctor's orders. I am fully recovered and have had zero health concerns since."

"I was laid-off from GE during one of their largest downsizing events. I was a contractor and upper management decided to cut all contractors. It was out of the blue and I spent a few months looking for work. A few years after that, my former boss reached out to offer me a position at GE again. I had to turn it down, but I believe that showed he knew my worth and would have kept me if given the choice."

"There was a small gap in my resume when I was laid off by a previous company. Even while I was searching for another full time job for several months, I spent that time learning new skills and mastering old ones by performing freelance/contract engineering work. This helped me immensely when I was finally able to get a new job several months later."