Explaining Gaps on Resume (employment, job application, applying, collect)

[Letscu99]

I know gaps on a resume are considered bad but how do you overcome this? I technically don't have a true gap in employment as I'm in grad school and quit my last job because they refuse to work with my school schedule (it was a job with no room for advancement at a company that'll probably be out of business within the next 3 years-maybe less) and had a part time until I had to move to a new city (pay did not outweigh cost of driving 3-5 days a week) but is there a way to restructure my resume so that grad school looks like experience? I'm trying to change industries and am not quite sure how to go about it.

Also, how do you list a "work from home" job situation? Most applications also want location/phone number of supervisor/etc.? This was a legit work from home job as a part time merchandiser for a greeting card company. I know she'd give me a good reference but feel uncertain about giving her cell phone number-even with permission-for jobs. I can easily explain the situation in an interview but trying to figure out how to fill out a job application is another thing entirely.

[joe from dayton]

In this economy, I don't think gaps are indicative of anything.

I am not sure why you are uncertain about listing your supervisor's information. You are looking for a job and the employer is looking for a way to verify employment and capability, so you need to have a talk with her about receiving phone calls from potential employers.

XYZ Greeting Cards, this date to that date. Immediate Supervisor: Mary Smith, (123) 456-7890

Without knowing anything about your grad school or degree, how do you expect to make it look like experience instead of education? Did you conduct research, participate in internships, do specific classes directly relate to positions you are applying for, etc?

[Letscu99]

Originally Posted by joe from dayton

In this economy, I don't think gaps are indicative of anything.

I am not sure why you are uncertain about listing your supervisor's information. You are looking for a job and the employer is looking for a way to verify employment and capability, so you need to have a talk with her about receiving phone calls from potential employers.

XYZ Greeting Cards, this date to that date. Immediate Supervisor: Mary Smith, (123) 456-7890

Without knowing anything about your grad school or degree, how do you expect to make it look like experience instead of education? Did you conduct research, participate in internships, do specific classes directly relate to positions you are applying for, etc?

I'm uncertain because of the amount of information most places want you to provide about the job before you can move on passed that part of the application. Thanks for the help-I didn't think about listing classes related to the positions I'm apply for, my research is already on the resume. I've heard of some people using their Grad school education as more of a job on their resumes.

[Cleveland_Collector]

Just say you decided to take X amount of time off to finish your graduate degree and that scheduling around it was too difficult for your former employer. It's perfectly acceptable, provided it's true.

[malamute]

If you laid around happy enough to collect unemployment handouts and weren't doing much of anything, then it might be hard to explain them, but getting an education generally won't hurt you at all. I don't think going to grad school is going to be difficult to use to explain a job gap.

[Letscu99]

Okay, thanks! I appreciate all the help.