“Nature abhors a vacuum” is a phrase attributed to Aristotle that basically tells us that an empty space is unstable and will always be filled by something else. And when it comes to job search, that “something else” can include a lot of questions and quick judgments. Luckily a freelance work section on your resume might be able to help.
And this especially applies to helping fill a long gap since your last job. A way too long time gap can create an unfavorable impression with employers. Or at least not help sell yourself to them. What have you been up to in all this time? Watching Judge Judy or reruns of Law & Order? Playing video games?
An employer prefers less gap and more positive action. But even if you aggressively look for work, you can’t always control how long that gap lasts no matter how skilled you are. So you need to find ways to help them see you as person who, if they do hire you, does not just wait for others to do for you but instead finds a way to make things happen.
Using a freelance resume section
Since you want to present yourself as a doer not a slacker, besides your actual job search efforts, you can try to create freelance work experiences for yourself to fill in the gaps. Ideally these would somehow relate to your career and / or the next job you want.
A friend of mine, an unemployed writer, has been helping a former coworker with some freelance work. Even though it’s not full-time or even his personal contract, that totally counts as freelance work for his resume — or at least cover letter.
Now, I’m not telling you to make things up since fake jobs can come back to bite you. But you can pull together a freelance section that includes part-time or even fulltime temporary work that you’ve been getting for yourself. Most helpful would be jobs in your field or in related fields that includes transferable skills.
So in addition to doing your best to reach your primary goal — a full-time job you truly want, you can also look to create consulting / freelance work if at all possible. While I know this won’t work for everyone’s situation, it’s good to at least think of it as an option as the months with no good offer pass you by.
NOTE: Freelance / consulting sections can also be used for prior periods if you have a prolonged gap. Or you can fill that time with education or some special project you were involved in even if unpaid. Maybe not ideal, but better than Aristotle’s aforementioned vacuum. You don’t want to try to explain doing nothing in an interview when you get one.
Pros & cons of freelance (gap) work
On the plus side, “for now” work has benefits:
- Helping to fill in an overly long resume gap … and maybe helping you stay sane.
- Keeping busy in a way that reinforces your work skills helps you remember you have value to the work world, even with rejections coming at you. That positive energy boost shows in interviews as well as when networking.
- And of course, earning money from freelance or consulting work in the meantime is no small thing. Especially once you’ve used up your unemployment benefits.
- An added benefit can be the networking opportunities or chances to hear of jobs in your field that just sitting at home won’t get you.
- Finding / being made aware of interesting opportunities in different directions than your original search (which is taking so long). Possibly even a full-blown career change.
⇒ EXTRA: Will Volunteering During Job Search Get You a Job?
On the con side:
- As mentioned before, this won’t work for everyone. You may not do the kind of work that lends itself to part-time or full-time work that would help your job search.
- Some employers or screening systems may not see this as helpful, even if work type does fit their open position.
- Time spent on freelance work may divert you from your job search and networking. You have to be sure you can balance your time and energy.
- Your temporary job(s) may affect you psychologically by pulling you further away from your preferred career. You’ll need to be able to feel proud of yourself and keep your goal in mind to stay positive and energized by the effort.
- Not only might the resume section be a turnoff, but as they say “it’s a small world” and for some careers and small-minded people, this could affect your reputation if word gets around — which in some fields it does.
- If the freelance work you choose in some way establishes a less-than-positive social media presence for you, that could put a major hurt on your job search chances.
Using freelance resume sections
If you do decide this would work for you, you might add a short paragraph to your resume with something like Freelance Work or Freelance / Consulting header. Include dates and a summary of jobs / work experience during this time. Also make sure to use some key words / phrases that point to the job you want.
If a long enough time has elapsed, you can even create a freelance work section with header and then some short bulleted accomplishments. If you think company names would help, include those too. Otherwise just the most employer beneficial things you made happen that relate to the new job.
So what if it’s only been a few months?
If you’ve only been unemployed for a short while, I probably wouldn’t add this section to your resume. But if you’ve had a really strong freelance or consulting job a new employer would consider relevant, but all means put it on your resume.
How long is a short while? You’ll have to decide that for yourself. And you need to consider whether you actually have anything meaty enough to help your chances.
NOTE: At the very least, any new skills that enhance your marketability can be added to your LinkedIn profile!
The cover letter alternative
As I said, a resume freelance work section may not be for everyone. But if you’ve created good experiences for yourself since your last job — or done something like a project, education, or even possibly caretaking, your cover letter is the place to use that to help explain a long gap.
Still, make sure to lead with / emphasize your work strengths & prior full-time job experience that match the job description. You can add a sentence about the other but don’t go on and on about it. That’s for the interview if they ask for more.
⇒ EXTRA: Sample Cover Letter: Match Cover Letters to EACH Job!
More posts to help
10 Steps To Match Your Resume to the Job
12 Bits of “Insider” Info For Beginning a New Job Search
I Don’t Meet Job Requirements. Should I Still Try?
8 Most Frustrating Parts of Job Search (Tips to Help)
Resume Employment Gaps? How To Get That Job!
What Is an Unlisted Job?
Why Finding a Good Job Feels Harder Than Ever
Job Search Sucks. Can Hidden Job Market Help?
What Are Informational Interviews?
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