A common question/ fear among many job applicants is how to explain gaps in their employment history. During your consultations with WoodGreen, we will work with you to determine and personalize your explanation for any gaps in your employment history.

A few tips to keep in mind:

• Avoid giving an emotionally charged answer
• Be ready with a truthful explanation without going into too much detail.

• • Due to the loss of employment in the [xxx] industry, I decided to:

• • Reassess my career goals and try something different
  • Take some time to develop my [xxx] skills
  • Go back to school
  • I was taking care of family responsibilities. That’s all settled now, so I am looking forward to getting back to work.

Between all the job sites, resume rules, and rewriting cover letters, it’s hard not to get crushed by the process when you don’t get any interviews or employer interest.

The WoodGreen team will coach you on what works and what to avoid. We’ll help you make sense of the job market, search process and laser focus your efforts

One of the major reasons why applicants are not called in for interviews is having a weak resume.

Recruiters who have a lot of resumes coming to them may only take a few seconds initially to scan through a resume and decide if it’s worth a more in-depth read.

Here are some tips for building a strong resume and getting noticed quickly:

• Resume appearance: Your resume should be error-free, include white space and be written with commonly used fonts. Also, it should only be 1-2 pages long.
• Include a Profile Summary: A good profile summary starts with a strong descriptive character trait: “hardworking.” This is followed by a job title/ life role & finally a summary of your skills, your core values and knowledge that you have. For example: “Hardworking [strong character trait] customer service professional [job title/life role] with a strong work ethic [core skill/value] and an in-depth understanding of workplace health and safety protocols.

• Use Keywords: Keywords are important. By carefully analyzing the job posting & highlighting keywords, you’ll be in a much better position to use the same keywords the company used and increase your chances of passing the ATS screening process. ​You also want to make sure that you’re not just focusing on including keywords, but that you’re integrating those keywords into your unique career story.
• Showcase Skills: Finally, if you claim to have certain skills, show in your work experience or under education how & where you use those skills or how & where you develop those skills.​

It’s common for you to feel discouraged through this job search process. It can be a tough process, and in fact, searching for a job is often the hardest job! Here are some tips for staying optimistic and motivated through the process.

• Don’t stress: Try not to stress out over all the parts of the job search process that are outside of your control. Simply focus on each step and take it one day at a time.
• Stay Confident: It’s common to lose confidence when things aren’t going your way. Remind yourself of your accomplishments and the reasons why you are special. List out your skills and the unique experiences/ expertise you can offer prospective employers and focus on this at the centre of your thoughts.
• It’s not personal: Always remember it’s not personal. At different stages, everyone goes through similar feelings of fear, stress, gets rejected for a role or no response after a great interview. Work on becoming mentally tough. Then, the obstacles, setbacks and hurdles will be tackled in stride and not taken personally.
• Think of What’s Next: While you search for a job, explore other options. Maximize the time at home to think about how you can be the best version of yourself. If you’re unable to find a job in your chosen field, start contemplating a career pivot or reinvent yourself.

Use your time productively while you are unemployed and looking for a job.

Some ways to keep busy include volunteering, taking courses, getting certifications or freelancing, building your professional network and attending virtual events.

These experiences can be highlighted on your résumé and you can speak to them in future interviews.

By filling the employment gap, you also demonstrate to recruiters that you are proactive and resilient.

For some people, your career is closely linked to your identity, so you may feel like searching for a job is like searching for a piece of yourself—and until that piece is in place, you can feel unsettled.

A few tips we recommend to job seekers who come to us are:

• Create a schedule and boundaries for your job search to add a sense of control to your life. This can sustain your motivation and keep you thinking positively. For example, you might set aside one hour each morning specifically to work on updating your resume or set a goal to attend three networking events per month.
• If you feel unmotivated and burnt out, pace yourself. You could take a break from interviewing or job searching altogether
• Know your triggers. If you know the situations or people that trigger your frustration, you can anticipate your reaction and create emotional buffers to help you cope better. For instance, if you often feel stressed out when you don’t hear back from an interviewer, you can ask your interviewer directly when you can expect to hear back.