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How to explain gaps in your CV

By Stephen Reed · Published 4 November 2026 · Updated 4 November 2026 · 2 min read

Gaps in a work history are common. People take time out to care for family, study, travel, recover from illness, change career or look for work in a tough market. Careers advice is clear that gaps are normal. The thing to avoid is leaving a gap unexplained, so the reader has to guess.

In this article 7 sections
  1. Keep it short and factual
  2. Say what you did or kept up
  3. Use years if it helps
  4. Move the story to your cover letter
  5. Be ready at interview
  6. Which gaps get noticed
  7. Sources

Keep it short and factual

A brief line is usually enough. Put it in your work history, in date order, like any other entry. For example:

You do not need to apologise or give long explanations, and you do not have to share private medical details. "Career break for health reasons" is enough if you want to mention it at all, and you can choose not to.

Say what you did or kept up

If you used the time well, say so. Volunteering, courses, freelance work, caring responsibilities and personal projects can all show skills. Even a short line such as "Completed an online project management course" shows you kept your skills current.

Use years if it helps

If you only have gaps of a few months, listing years and not exact months can make your history easier to read. Be consistent, and be ready to give months at interview if asked. Do not alter dates to hide a gap, since employers can check.

Move the story to your cover letter

You can add context in your cover letter when the CV line is not enough. That keeps the CV tidy and gives you space to say what you learned and why you are ready to work now.

Be ready at interview

If you are asked about a gap, give a calm, short and honest answer, then move on to what you can offer. Practising two or three sentences beforehand helps.

Which gaps get noticed

There is no fixed rule, but a year or more with nothing listed is the kind of gap a reader is likely to wonder about, and shorter gaps rarely need comment. Our free CV check points out periods of a year or more that have no dates covered.

Sources

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