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It is pretty obvious why it matters. You are being compared to people without employment gaps, or gaps that were filled with school or volunteer work. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see which looks better.
Think of it from the perspective of the applicant who doesn't have gaps. Why should you get hired over that person?
This is key.
It is what you DO with your time between jobs! There are ways to be productive, and I think THAT is key.
If you are taking classes or volunteering, creating websites, or whatever, that shows you are a go-getter, and have a positive attitude.
If you put nothing down for your time in between jobs, how do they know you don't sleep in until 10 and plat video games all afternoon? I can see why they would pass someone over.
The problem is that the job market has changed drastically over the past few years. Prior to 2007, it was an employee's market. Back then in many parts of the country, anyone could walk into any business, fill out an application in person, establish a rapport face-to-face with a company and get basic entry level work that usually paid well-above minimum wage. The in-person rapport is what sealed the deal of getting hired. Nowadays, we have millions of laid-off and underemployed people willing to take what ever they can get. Because of this, employers have wised up and realized that they can buy experienced workers for what once were entry level salaries. In a bad economy, companies do not take risks by hiring inexperienced people fresh out-of-school. As a result, entry level jobs have almost disappeared in many, if not most, fields of work.
This is pretty much it.
I've seen advertisements for warehouse forklift drivers for $12 an hour. When 500 people showed up for the 50 or so jobs available the pay was dropped to $9 an hour. Don't like it? Don't worry, someone else will.
That's why I feel extremely fortunate and blessed to go from being unemployed to $60k which is about $15k more than I was making when I was laid off. The reasons behind the raise though are pretty simple... I moved from a place with a low COL and weak economy (Savannah, GA) to one with a higher COL and stronger economy (Seattle, WA)... Personally I haven't seen a difference though. The housing prices are through the roof but my rent is exactly the same as I was paying back east.
At any rate... those unemployed people holding out for the $20 an hour job because the $12 an hour job is below them just might be in trouble... the UI checks aren't going to last forever. Then what will you do?
It is what you DO with your time between jobs! There are ways to be productive, and I think THAT is key.
If you are taking classes or volunteering, creating websites, or whatever, that shows you are a go-getter, and have a positive attitude.
If you put nothing down for your time in between jobs, how do they know you don't sleep in until 10 and plat video games all afternoon? I can see why they would pass someone over.
Exactly; if one cannot fill in the blanks with things they can prove they did, the employer naturally will assume it was not a high priority of the applicant to be productive again. That would lead to an assumption of being a lazy employee, if hired.
Honestly in the interviews Ive had nobody asks what Ive doing with my time.. I usually tell them since Aug I had two short term temp jobs and took a class to brush up on my Excel skills at a place that does it for free... I have secheduled the Power Point classes but something usually comes up a interview, a appt usually not mine Ive been taking a friend to hers for her Fybromalgyia(SP) cause her husband works nights and figured let him sleep when I can do it... Anyways its rare for somebody even to ask what Im up to... Can I honestly tell them next time... " Im bored, Im tired of staying home I like being busy and Im going absolutly flippin nuts with all this time on my hands and I read a 600 page book in 3 days? Probably a bit too honest huh?????
Honestly in the interviews Ive had nobody asks what Ive doing with my time.. I usually tell them since Aug I had two short term temp jobs
You explained why they did not ask. Seriously, if an employment gap bothers any of the several folks usually involved in a hiring decision, most often they do not say it. They just deep six the applicant's chances.
One with a large gap is sometimes there because the company wants to see if the applicant can impress them so much as to overcome the negative of the unexplained gap (the app may have the best education, experience, etc for the spot). Either way, by having to impress so much, shows that applicant is starting the interview process several steps behind other applicants.
I swear the next interview I have I just want to flat out say "Im bored Im tired of sitting home, I like being busy and Im going absolutly flippin nuts and Im tired of it and I read a 600 page book in 3 days so give a chic a break." ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!
In all seriousness though, whats considered a large gap? Years or more than a few months?
I swear the next interview I have I just want to flat out say "Im bored Im tired of sitting home, I like being busy and Im going absolutly flippin nuts and Im tired of it and I read a 600 page book in 3 days so give a chic a break." ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK !!!!!!!
In all seriousness though, whats considered a large gap? Years or more than a few months?
Judging by rates at which they are rehired, 6 months and beyond reduces ones chances significantly, and a year or more does far more harm. NY Times study showed those out less than 6 months as a group, were hired at 4 times the rate of the 12 months and beyond group.
Judging by rates at which they are rehired, 6 months and beyond reduces ones chances significantly, and a year or more does far more harm. NY Times study showed those out less than 6 months as a group, were hired at 4 times the rate of the 12 months and beyond group.
I can believe it.
Someone here mentioned recently that they saw an ad that said no unemployed people need apply.
Has job searching really come to that? I haven't looked for a job in almost a year now so I really have no idea.
Someone here mentioned recently that they saw an ad that said no unemployed people need apply.
Has job searching really come to that? I haven't looked for a job in almost a year now so I really have no idea.
Some ads say it, others requiring current experience indirectly do the same thing.
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