What to do with no work history for 4 years?
Hi HN, I have been unemployed for 4 years, one year voluntary and following caused by illness. What is the best way to cover my lack of employment without discussing the disability that caused it when going for an interview? Looking particularly for mainly entry level jobs. What's the best excuse for the lapse of time not spent working or studying?
36 comments
Increasingly the employment gap doesn’t matter and a lot of employers advise interviewers to not ask. Often the answer is something like care taking, illness, or other semi-protected life event that HR just doesn’t want to unwrap.
I would be honest. There’s no better excuse for not working than you were unable to due to an illness. As mortals we all appreciate this reason. If you are interviewing with someone who doesn’t understand that, do you really want to work for them?
If it’s the nature of the illness that you are uncomfortable disclosing be aware you are entitled to medical privacy. Just tell them it was a serious illness that prevented you from working and if they ask for specifics tell them it is private. Again if they can’t respect that 1) they may be violating local or state laws if not their own policies, 2) do you want to work for them?
I would be honest. There’s no better excuse for not working than you were unable to due to an illness. As mortals we all appreciate this reason. If you are interviewing with someone who doesn’t understand that, do you really want to work for them?
If it’s the nature of the illness that you are uncomfortable disclosing be aware you are entitled to medical privacy. Just tell them it was a serious illness that prevented you from working and if they ask for specifics tell them it is private. Again if they can’t respect that 1) they may be violating local or state laws if not their own policies, 2) do you want to work for them?
In this case, "taking care of a sick relative" is also an accurate statement, and reveals less information.
I would stick with the truth. The truth doesn’t mean the whole truth, but some subset. At minimum you will feel better if you don’t lie, but worst case you get the job and your manager later learns there was no relative. You’ve abused trust and can harm the relationship.
You are allowed to be ill. You don’t have to elaborate on the condition. Just emphasize it was serious enough you were unable to work. Assure them you’re recovered and hence now looking.
But I would avoid the impulse to lie. It doesn’t matter if everyone else is lying around you. Or if corporations lie. Or whatever. There’s literally nothing to be ashamed of or to hide, so why descend to a level beneath yourself to hide something that doesn’t need hiding?
Finally there seems to be a view here that all managers are out to get you or extort you and will lie and cheat to get it done. I’m a hiring manager of hundreds and I genuinely do care about my people as people. When someone is sick I appreciate what that means. You shouldn’t want to work for someone who doesn’t. If the only way to get their job is to lie about something you shouldn’t have to hide, why on earth would you want their job? There are better people out there hiring. Even if it takes a little longer find the RIGHT job not the expedient job.
You are allowed to be ill. You don’t have to elaborate on the condition. Just emphasize it was serious enough you were unable to work. Assure them you’re recovered and hence now looking.
But I would avoid the impulse to lie. It doesn’t matter if everyone else is lying around you. Or if corporations lie. Or whatever. There’s literally nothing to be ashamed of or to hide, so why descend to a level beneath yourself to hide something that doesn’t need hiding?
Finally there seems to be a view here that all managers are out to get you or extort you and will lie and cheat to get it done. I’m a hiring manager of hundreds and I genuinely do care about my people as people. When someone is sick I appreciate what that means. You shouldn’t want to work for someone who doesn’t. If the only way to get their job is to lie about something you shouldn’t have to hide, why on earth would you want their job? There are better people out there hiring. Even if it takes a little longer find the RIGHT job not the expedient job.
It is the truth. Are you not related to yourself? I've said this exact line in a similar situation and I consider my integrity to be fully intact.
No, you are not your own relative.
> a thing having a relation to or connection with or necessary dependence on *another* thing
> a thing having a relation to or connection with or necessary dependence on *another* thing
Fine. A "family member." I'm a member of my family.
But, also: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/relat...
Integrity: still intact.
I hope you enjoyed this little exercise.
But, also: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/relat...
Integrity: still intact.
I hope you enjoyed this little exercise.
truth is subjective and not absolute my dudeness.
I think this answer draws the right balance between truth and vulnerability.
A corporation is not your friend. The interviewer is probably feeding you less benign little lies about the company simultaneously.
A corporation is not your friend. The interviewer is probably feeding you less benign little lies about the company simultaneously.
You must have had some pretty awful managers. I’m sorry. There are better managers out there.
I’ve had both, been in the industry for a while.
The unfortunate thing I’ve discovered about great managers in big companies is that the work (not personal) relationship is temporary. There’s a good chance they get promoted/move on before you do.
Edit: I’ve also been a manager and even with the manager cap on I stand by my advice. I would not fault an interviewee if it turned out “Taking care of family health” really meant “Taking care of my own health”.
To me it’s no different than a company telling candidates how well funded and good the future prospects are, right up until the layoffs.
Ever had a private company recruiter show you a slide deck of how many millions your options will “surely” be worth in a couple years (via their non-GAAP proprietary metrics)?
Same stuff, it’s all a game. Loyalty is owed to individuals, not corporations.
The unfortunate thing I’ve discovered about great managers in big companies is that the work (not personal) relationship is temporary. There’s a good chance they get promoted/move on before you do.
Edit: I’ve also been a manager and even with the manager cap on I stand by my advice. I would not fault an interviewee if it turned out “Taking care of family health” really meant “Taking care of my own health”.
To me it’s no different than a company telling candidates how well funded and good the future prospects are, right up until the layoffs.
Ever had a private company recruiter show you a slide deck of how many millions your options will “surely” be worth in a couple years (via their non-GAAP proprietary metrics)?
Same stuff, it’s all a game. Loyalty is owed to individuals, not corporations.
The awful ones are copious and the better ones are diamonds in the rough.
If you did even one freelance job, say you freelanced. No one will ask exactly how many hours you did.
If they ask you to describe a a project you did, describe some long-ago project. If they press for specifics of a given timespan, say that you take your customer NDAs seriously.
If they ask you to describe a a project you did, describe some long-ago project. If they press for specifics of a given timespan, say that you take your customer NDAs seriously.
Are you looking for a good lie or something? A positive framing of the truth is probably the better option.
> What is the best way to cover my lack of employment without discussing the disability that caused it when going for an interview?
If the interviewers have been trained in the law and this is for US work, they will defer questions around illness to HR just like questions around religion, home ownership, etc. See the Americans with Disabilities act if you haven't already:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Ac...
I don't see how you can talk about the gap without talking about the illness, though.
If the interviewers have been trained in the law and this is for US work, they will defer questions around illness to HR just like questions around religion, home ownership, etc. See the Americans with Disabilities act if you haven't already:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americans_with_Disabilities_Ac...
I don't see how you can talk about the gap without talking about the illness, though.
If I hired someone, and found out that they lied during their interview about anything at all, they'd be fired, period. I could not trust someone who lies during an interview to make ethical decisions in the future. Honesty doesn't have to mean full disclosure. You can be honest while keeping some facts to yourself.
Here's a good example:
I was taking some time off for voluntary reason when I became ill. I was lucky enough to be able to afford treatment and to delay my re-entry to the workforce until I became confident that my health wouldn't be a hindrance.
Just keep it simple and be honest.
I realize that there's a stigma attached to certain types of illnesses or disabilities, and it may seem tempting to make an excuse or cover rather than being honest. However, in addition to the likely inevitability of the deception being discovered, there's a worse possibility:
One young man I know (Calling him Bob, not his name) interviewed with a friend and colleague of mine (calling her Alice), but didn't get the job. I checked in with Alice to find out what happened, thinking that at least I could get Bob some useful feedback. It turns out that Bob had rated well on skills related to the job. However, he'd been so cagey about a six-month work history gap that the interviewing committee thought it likely that he'd worked some job not on his resume and was fired for cause, perhaps for stealing or sexual harassment or "something else big".
Bob was so afraid of the company finding out that he'd been in psych care after a major trauma, that he led them to believe he was a criminal.
Honesty really is the only good policy.
Here's a good example:
I was taking some time off for voluntary reason when I became ill. I was lucky enough to be able to afford treatment and to delay my re-entry to the workforce until I became confident that my health wouldn't be a hindrance.
Just keep it simple and be honest.
I realize that there's a stigma attached to certain types of illnesses or disabilities, and it may seem tempting to make an excuse or cover rather than being honest. However, in addition to the likely inevitability of the deception being discovered, there's a worse possibility:
One young man I know (Calling him Bob, not his name) interviewed with a friend and colleague of mine (calling her Alice), but didn't get the job. I checked in with Alice to find out what happened, thinking that at least I could get Bob some useful feedback. It turns out that Bob had rated well on skills related to the job. However, he'd been so cagey about a six-month work history gap that the interviewing committee thought it likely that he'd worked some job not on his resume and was fired for cause, perhaps for stealing or sexual harassment or "something else big".
Bob was so afraid of the company finding out that he'd been in psych care after a major trauma, that he led them to believe he was a criminal.
Honesty really is the only good policy.
OP has no responsibility to share about their illness. In this case they are perfectly within their right to tell some half truth (wanted to spend time with my family, study x subject, burnout etc) and your company might be in some legal hot water if you fired OP in response to finding out they were ill during that time..
Frankly I think it's unethical, and shows a lack of empathy, to punish someone for hiding an illness from an employer.
Frankly I think it's unethical, and shows a lack of empathy, to punish someone for hiding an illness from an employer.
That's an odd lesson to take away from your anecdote about Bob. What Bob should have done was just told a white lie that wouldn't have raised any red flags or follow up questions, and left it at that.
There will always be a stigma around mental illness, it's human nature, not some social construct, and I would 100% lie to you about something like that and not feel the least bit bad about it.
There will always be a stigma around mental illness, it's human nature, not some social construct, and I would 100% lie to you about something like that and not feel the least bit bad about it.
Your story is really strange and your takeaway is the exact opposite of what it should be.
Alice just jumped to the conclusion that Bob was a criminal? How is that okay? The answer to your story isn't for Bob to reveal potentially embarrassing personal information in a job interview but for Alice not to assume that everyone with a gap in their resume is a criminal.
Alice just jumped to the conclusion that Bob was a criminal? How is that okay? The answer to your story isn't for Bob to reveal potentially embarrassing personal information in a job interview but for Alice not to assume that everyone with a gap in their resume is a criminal.
What do you do when it's work or die?
I was injured (series of small strokes) I have learned to NEVER let employer know you have an ongoing medical issue.
Once they know. You get sympathy for a bit. Then everyone keeps telling how you shouldn't work and should focus on yourself.
Which is crap. Because an invisible injury is nearly impossible to get on Disability.
So work the best you can, or become homeless and die from lack of health care.
I was injured (series of small strokes) I have learned to NEVER let employer know you have an ongoing medical issue.
Once they know. You get sympathy for a bit. Then everyone keeps telling how you shouldn't work and should focus on yourself.
Which is crap. Because an invisible injury is nearly impossible to get on Disability.
So work the best you can, or become homeless and die from lack of health care.
"Taking care of a sick relative" is an accurate statement here that avoids all considerations of stigma.
Vote to ban discussion of gaps during interviews. They serve no purpose but to place candidates in a needlessly vulnerable position.
Say you were working on startups or as a freelancer for 4 years? It's kinda hard to prove otherwise, especially if you did business as a sole trader or what not.
Why even bother? Either you can do the work or you can’t do the work. Talk about relevant experience you have if they ask ( and they will ask what you’ve been working on recently, if my experience as an interviewer of hundreds of swes is worth anything ). Other than that do your best to indicate that you’re enthusiastic about the role and that you’ll make their life easier.
Can you get stuff done, and did you have a reasonable work history before. If so, no problem, just go for it. If you're unsure or low on confidence start working on a new or existing skill, do projects, github, volunteer, teach, blog and you'll get there eventually.
I would just say I went abroad to travel and worked odd jobs here and there. Say you wanted to do it and now that you crossed that item off the list, you are ready to join as their most loyal employee who'll make all the difference.
Apply to returnship programs
https://www.simplyhired.com/search?q=software+engineer+retur...
I don't think "an excuse" is needed, say that you were ill, if someone can't/won't accept that as a valid reason, I wouldn't want to work there anyway
Agree with much of what has already been said, so I will just add: It is an employee's market right now. If you've got the skills, plenty of companies are hungry for your talents.
Better to be honest, just say that you had an illness and you couldn't work. They won't ask you for details and if they do, say that you don't feel comfortable discussing.
Set up a blog (of your past HN comments) and say you were an aspiring writer the entire time. Is this false?
Personal reasons. I'd be weary if they require me to explain more.
You don't need to make an excuse at all! Just tell the truth.
2018-2022 taking time to care for sick relative.
Lie
Nobody owes anyone an “excuse”. You are under no obligation to prove your dedication to capitalism.