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Since last March, COVID-19 has had an incredible impact on the economy, and as a result, many peoples’ careers. Americans lost an estimated 22 million jobs. Whole sectors of the economy shut down. For those with children, there was the additional burden of virtual school and lost childcare. Many contracted the virus or had to take care of someone who did. People moved out of the cities and from state to state. If you were out of work, how should you deal with "the Covid gap" on your resume and LinkedIn profile?
The COVID downturn is unlike any other economic downturn. How you describe your experience on your resume and LinkedIn profile is essential. Still, whatever your circumstances, due to the overriding impact of COVID, what you did will be viewed with a much higher degree of empathy than during a general layoff.
Account for the time straightforwardly and honestly in the cover letter. If there was a gap, there is no reason to dwell on it, but it is acceptable in this case to point out how you spent the time.
Use the gap as an opportunity to highlight how you manage adversity. If you were a full-time parent in charge of virtual school, put that down. If you took care of someone with COVID, put that down. If you volunteered, put that down. Whatever you've done in the last 15 months was your job. Pat yourself on the back and sing your praises.
Be concise and action-oriented. Use metrics where you can. For example, if you were a half-teacher, estimate the number of hours per week and list the platforms you have to master (Google Classroom, anyone?). When you start to think of your time in those ways, you will discover you accomplished a great deal more than you thought. Now is the time to give yourself the credit you deserve.
Beyond the unemployed, COVID has changed the way people see their jobs and futures. Whether working remote or in an "essential job," an unpredictable tectonic shift has rumbled through the American workforce if the gap has convinced you to move your professional life in a new direction, detail anything and everything you've done to advance it.
It is common for people to have reasonable gaps in their professional lives and note those experiences on resumes and LinkedIn profiles. There is nothing out of the ordinary about it. Please keep it simple and follow the general guidelines for explaining a gap in a resume.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
