Spill! (You know you want to…)

So back in April, my colleague over at The Work Buzz discussed things job seekers should leave off of their resumes, including gaps in work history. Transferring the advice of career coach and author Catherine Jewell, blogger Kate Lorenz wrote that job seekers should eliminate gaps in work history and replace them with short, truthful statements (such as “homemaker sabbatical” to explain a five-year work hiatus).

….But my question is, when job seekers don’t know to do this (or even if they do) does having a gap in work history automatically put the candidate at a disadvantage in the eyes of the interviewer?

Surely, as the job market opens up, and as most companies begin rehiring at a faster rate, hiring managers and recruiters are likely to see a lot of resumes with gaps in work history.

What we want to know is: What’s the best way for job seekers to explain gaps in work history – from the cover letter…to the resume…to the interview? Or can they?

Especially now, do job seekers still carry a stigma when it comes to having gaps in their work history? (And if so, how can they eliminate it?) Talk to us, or better yet…

Share your success stories! Ever hire a candidate despite having a significant gap in work history – only to have him or her prove himself as a top performer?

(P.S. Got something to say, but don’t want to leave it as a comment? Feel free to email me your stories instead!)