How to Explain an Employment Gap on Your Cover Letter

If you have gaps on your resume, your cover letter is the ideal place to explain them by going into more detail about your work history.

Writing a cover letter with an employment gap is not that different from writing a regular cover letter. It should still focus on highlighting your greatest strengths and the qualities that make you a good candidate.

Cover letter explaining an employment gap

When you write your cover letter, keep your employment gap explanation brief so as not to make it the primary focus.

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This candidate chooses to address their employment gap lower down in their cover letter, ensuring that the first thing the hiring manager sees is their professional accomplishments, not that they were unemployed for an extended period of time.

1. Focus on the positive

When addressing employment gaps on your cover letter it’s important to emphasize the positive aspects of your experience.

Highlight any skills you developed during the gap, such as volunteering, freelancing, or personal projects. Focus on what you learned or how you stayed productive during your time off to help shift the narrative away from the gap itself.

Keeping the tone upbeat and professional can demonstrate your proactive attitude to potential employers.

2. Avoid going into too much detail

While you want to be upfront about employment gaps, there’s no need to explain them in great detail.

Over-explaining can come across as defensive, so keep the conversation centered around your qualifications and readiness to contribute to the role you’re applying for.

Here are a few examples of what should not be included in a cover letter:

• Specifics about personal health issues
• Why you weren’t able to find a job sooner
• Reasons why you were fired from a previous job

Here are some examples of how to explain your employment gap:

@resumegenius Don’t stress, employers are usually understanding of employment gaps! You’re human, be honest and you’ll be fine! #careertiktok #careeradvice #employmentgap #worktok#greenscreenvideo ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

3. Only bring attention to employment gaps when necessary

If the gap in your employment history is brief or occurred a long time ago, it might not require any explanation at all.

In some cases, gaps can blend into your overall work history, especially if they’re short or surrounded by substantial work experience.

However, if the gap is significant or recent, it’s a good idea to acknowledge it briefly and steer the conversation back to your qualifications and eagerness to contribute to the company.

Employment gaps like these typically won’t raise questions:

• You have an employment gap that’s several years old
• You’re a fresh graduate and weren’t able to find a job immediately
• You’ve been unemployed for less than six months, which is a normal amount of time to be job searching

Hiring managers may still ask you to explain employment gaps on your resume during an interview, but under the above circumstances an employment gap isn’t usually considered out of the ordinary.

4. Express enthusiasm and interest

When discussing an employment gap, it’s important to balance your explanation with enthusiasm for the new opportunity.

Express genuine interest in the role and demonstrate how your previous experiences and skills align with the position.

Showing excitement about the future, instead of focusing on the past, helps reassure employers that you’re motivated and ready to hit the ground running.

Acceptable reasons for an employment gap

There are many acceptable reasons for an employment gap that employers tend to understand, such as:

• personal health issues
• caring for a family member
• starting a family
• pursuing further education
• traveling for personal growth
• relocation
• taking time off for parental leave
• pursuing independent projects or freelancing

Be honest about the reason for your employment gap without over-explaining, and always redirect the focus to how you’ve stayed active and prepared for the next step in your career.

Here are six examples of how to mention an employment gap in your cover letter

Frequently asked questions about mentioning an employment gap on your cover letter

We’ve answered some of your questions about how to address an employment gap in your cover letter.

Is the time between jobs considered an employment gap?

Yes, any period of unemployment between jobs can be considered an employment gap, but it’s typically only a concern if it’s several months long.

How much of a gap is acceptable in a resume?

Gaps of a few months are usually acceptable, especially if you have a valid reason. Gaps under six months may not need explanation.

I have multiple employment gaps under 6 months long, do I need to address them?

No, gaps under six months generally don’t require explanation unless they are frequent or recent.

What do I say if my employment gap is still in progress?

Mention that you are actively seeking new opportunities and highlight any productive activities during the gap, such as skill-building or freelancing.