Chapter 18 | How to handle career gaps, career changes, and non-linear paths

Many people worry that their career history is ‘messy’, but it is usually far more workable than they think.

Career gaps; a gap can often be dealt with simply, where relevant, you can refer to:

family responsibilities

study

health recovery

relocation

consultancy

volunteering

personal development

freelance work

Career changes; if you are changing direction, your CV should not pretend you have already done the exact

target role if you have not, instead, it should:

• position the move clearly

• surface transferable strengths

• align language where truthful

• show why the move makes sense

For example, someone moving from education into L&D might surface:

• facilitation

• coaching

• curriculum design

• stakeholder engagement

• performance development

• delivery of structured learning

Portfolio careers and consultancy; make sure the CV explains the shape of your work, so it does not look fragmented, use a clear umbrella heading if needed.