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Stressful Interview Questions

Here are 15 interview questions that were created to test how you handle stressful situations at work and also how calmly you can handle difficult interview questions.

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Question 6 of 15

Looking at your resume, I see multiple gaps between employments, what were you doing during those gaps?

"I had a gap from 2009-2010 while I was 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 so that my knowledge did not become redundant."

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How to Answer: Looking at your resume, I see multiple gaps between employments, what were you doing during those gaps?

  • 6. Looking at your resume, I see multiple gaps between employments, what were you doing during those gaps?

      How to Answer

      The interviewer would like an explanation for the gaps in your resume. There are many reasons for having a gap in your resume, and it's best, to be honest about what you were doing. Keep your answer short and sweet, and ensure the interviewer that you did not allow your industry knowledge to become stale, or redundant, during that time.

      Answer Example

      "I had a gap from 2009-2010 while I was 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 so that my knowledge did not become redundant."

      Admin

      "Thank you for addressing this with me. There is a gap where I took some time to further my education. During that time, I completed my Bachelor of Business Administration."

      Manager

      "I was on short-term medical leave from 2011-2012 after suffering major injuries in a car accident. I recovered very well and kept in contact with my team during that time, but unfortunately, my job was not waiting for me once I was cleared to return to work."

      Marketing

      "There are two gaps in my resume. One, after going through a lay off when my company went through a merger. The second gap was when I relocated to Denver. I found it challenging to find a new role, but I did some freelance work to pay my bills."

      Retail

      "Most of the roles on my resume are seasonal. I worked part-time during the school year and then took summers to travel. This pattern gave me an immense amount of international experience. I have been to Thailand Spain and Greece. Now that I have completed my degree, I will be staying put."

      Sales

      "I went on paternity leave for sixteen weeks after my son was born. My employer at the time did not understand my need to take paternity, so I lost my job. It took me a few months to find gainful employment again since software sales is a very tough market to gain employment in."

      Teacher

      "After graduating with my Bachelor's of Education, I worked a variety of substitute teaching roles but could not find anything in my district permanent, or long term. Although I was active, it does not show well on my resume."

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