writing a resume' .. need to fill in a gap

[Pocket Trips]

I'm writing up a resume and my main problem is I have a 5 year gap between my last 2 really meaningfull jobs.. 3 of those years are filled with going back to college full time but the other 2 are basically crap jobs that I took just to pay the rent till something good came along...

Whats the best way to handle this and not maake myself look like the screw up I basically have been for the past few years?

Should I just not list anything for those 2 years and if asked say I have been travelling ( which is partly true, I did spend about 6 months in texas and Alabama)

I do have about 14 years experience in the field I am looking in so I do have a stable employment record before this time period.

[swede123]

Can you make the argument your schooling took five years, was it at all broken up over the time period? Maybe it will be worth looking through or even buying a resume book that talks about how specifically to address gaps.

Swede

[beta1607]

You took time to travel/volunteer.

[BradleyT]

You worked for yourself as an Internet Consultant.

[durron597]

Employers like seeing that you can be at a stable job, they understand that like is hard etc.

It's certainly better than lying about it or saying you were unemployed or were playing poker.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
You worked for yourself as an Internet Consultant.

[/ QUOTE ]

...while traveling and volunteering.

[MelchyBeau]

can't a credit check reveal these crap jobs you had?

Melch

[TheWorstPlayer]

Just tell the truth. But de-emphasize those crap jobs. Just give them one line, while giving 3-4 for the more meaningful positions you held in the industry.

[InchoateHand]

In conjunction with your schooling you took a two year break from your professional career to reevaluate your priorities. Basically find a simple way to say exactly what you really did, and have the rest of your resume impressive enough that it convinces them of your newly-remembered seriousness. An employer who can't look past a couple blankish years would be a bastard to work for.

[BruinEric]

There are two ways to list a job history in the job world. The first is a resume, where you can massage data SLIGHTLY to emphasize the good things you offer.

The second is an application, typically used at medium to large sized companies. This application often has a place for you to sign stating you are being 100% accurate, etc.

If you are asked by a prospective employer to fill out an application, make the job dates, firm names, etc. totally accurate.

As to your resume, you can polish slightly. Many larger firms will check your background, and the risk is if they find you you've misled them, you will be surely removed from consideration.

The resume is used to get in the door, so you will can polish this and explain any unclear entries (Not false entries!) during the interview process. You WILL be asked about gaps, etc.

One thing you can do to lessen any gaps is to use years and remove month/year from your resume. You worked from June 2002 to Feb 2003 at one job and then Nov 2003 to Aug 2004 at another? List the first job as 2002-2003 and the second as 2003 to 2004.

Sure, experienced HR flacks know something's up when they see this -- but since the red flags might be TRUE in your case, better to keep them guessing that your gaps are shorter.

IMHO, you should list all the jobs on a resume. If the resume looks horribly ugly, you'll need to thing about doing an alternative that deemphasizes the chronological style and moves toward a functional style resume. Be forewarned that many companies expect/demand their applicants to conform to a particular resume style.

Almost all your best job opportunities will come from networking and/or getting your resume and CAREFULLY CUSTOMIZED AND TARGETED COVER LETTER into the decision-maker's hands (i.e. not to resumes@employer on the internet). If you can pique their interest through referrals, personal introduction, or a well-targeted e-mail/letter/call, then the resume is secondary.

This is the case for most of us, but if your resume is ugly, then even more important for you.

Take your inquiry to the monster.com boards and/or read the resume advisor column and back-articles for further worthy advice.