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Be productive in between jobsShow employers you've stayed productive between jobsBy CYNTHIA WRIGHT, Knight Ridder Tribune A gap in employment causes stress and fear in job seekers. You're feeling vulnerable, and anything out of place on your résumé only intensifies your stress and fear. But life happens. So do layoffs, babies, sick relatives and many other things that can result in résumé gaps. No matter how responsible you are, it's possible to find yourself out of work during your career. But don't let a gap in your employment history hurt you during your job search. Just because you aren't working doesn't mean you can't keep busy. Keeping busy means staying involved in your profession. It's a lot easier to re-enter the workforce if you keep your skills sharp and your job knowledge up to date. Some suggestions • Contract or consulting assignments. If you're between jobs, supplement your income and knowledge by taking short-term assignments. Sometimes these assignments can turn into permanent positions. • Take a class in your field. • Volunteer with an organization or become a mentor • Read trade journals and attend seminars. • Write an article for sites like 123oye.com in your area of expertise. • Maintain your network of industry contacts. A friend of mine was laid off. When we spoke, he didn't seem very upset, and I wondered why. He told me that he kept track of all of his colleagues who got laid off from his former company and where they went afterward. One of them went to a telecommunications company. Because my friend kept in touch with his colleague, he has a second interview and a shot at an excellent opportunity. If you've spent your employment gap doing freelance work, consulting or mentoring, be sure to include that on your résumé. Include the name of the organization, responsibilities, dates and city and state. In other words, treat it as you would a regular job. If your résumé has a large gap, you may want to consider a functional résumé instead of a chronological résumé. (A functional résumé lists the companies you worked for, followed by your accomplishments. A chronological résumé lists your jobs and responsibilities in the order they occurred.) Be careful. A functional résumé is a potential red flag to employers because it suggests that the job seeker may have something to hide. Also, recruiters and hiring managers prefer chronological résumés because they're easy to read and list your responsibilities as they apply to each position. A functional résumé doesn't. Should the subject of your employment gap come up during an interview, briefly explain what happened. And remember, the company was impressed enough with your background (gaps and all) to bring you in for an interview.
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