It's something of a myth that recruiters are always looking for the 'best' candidate for a position. Instead, employers will often choose the safest candidate, picking a solid, experienced applicant over a very talented maverick.

Hiring and training a new member of staff is often a costly process for a business, and companies don't want to invest in an unreliable new starter who could suddenly disappear.

Why are CV gaps a problem?

Recruiters dislike uncertainty, and gaps in a candidate's job history are a common source of this uncertainty. If you send a CV or complete a job application with gaps, the recruiter is forced to guess at what you were doing during the missing time. They might ask questions like:

➜ Was this candidate hired and fired from a job they haven't listed?

➜ Did they get the dates wrong?

➜ Was this candidate in legal trouble?

➜ Maybe even in prison?

➜ Were they dealing with health or family issues that could resurface?

The key point isn't that any of the above explanations are deal-breakers. It would actually be unlawful for a recruiter to discriminate against a candidate on the basis of some of the above reasons. The issue is the uncertainty.

When writing your CV, you should try to give as complete a picture as you can. Recruiters value honesty and transparency, and, as this article demonstrates, there are ways you can present time off work to actually make your application stand out from the crowd.

What counts as a gap?

Gaps of only a few weeks, or gaps that occurred years ago, aren't usually going to be an issue. If you have had a recent gap in your work history of several months or years, however, you should address the time off.

You don't need to reveal private details or anything you are uncomfortable sharing. The goal is to:

Resolve any uncertainty in a recruiter's mind by explaining what you were doing during the gap, and put a positive spin on the skills or experience you gained during your time off.

3 ways to turn an employment gap into a strength

A candidate with a CV that just lists out job titles and qualifications won't be that memorable. Whatever the cause of your time off, a gap gives you something more individual to write about.

These sections offer suggestions for reframing your time off in a more positive way.

1. Know your rights In the UK, several major pieces of legislation protect the rights of workers and applicants, including the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) and the Equality Act 2010.

Chris Salmon, Director of Quittance Legal Services said, “Under the Equality Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against an employee or job candidate on the basis of a disability. The Act’s definition of disability is quite broad, including any physical or mental impairment that has had a long-term, significant impact on someone’s life. If you took time off due to a long-lasting injury or illness, a potential employer cannot require you to disclose the details of this illness.”

By law, employers must also make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled workers and applicants. If you do have ongoing symptoms, or require additional time off to attend physio or other treatments, your employer should accommodate you where possible.

Although it is lawful for an employer to ask about convictions, it is unlawful for an applicant to be denied a job offer on the basis of a spent conviction.

Whether you want to disclose details of the reason for your time off or not, a little research will help you feel more confident of your legal position. This confidence will help you to decide how much to say at each stage of the process.

2. Focus on your skills and experience If you were recovering from a serious injury or dealing with a long-term illness, you could simply present this information on your CV in the same format as your employment history.

For example:

"October 2018 to May 2019 – Recovering from a serious injury"

Taking this approach will address the risk of uncertainty, but it doesn't tell a prospective employer anything about what you were doing during your recovery. If you add a sentence or two about what skills you learnt during your recovery, this will help to make your application more memorable and present you as a more rounded, self-motivated person.

For example:

"October 2018 to May 2019 – Personal development

Following a serious injury, I was unable to work for several months. As part of my rehabilitation, I learned to swim and in April 2019 I took part in a sponsored swimming event for charity."

3. Prepare answers to difficult questions There are many resources available online to help you prepare for the standard questions you are likely to be asked during an interview, like "What are your biggest strengths?" and "Why should we hire you?". If you have taken a long period of time off work, you could also face questions about the gap.

Recruiters are mindful of their legal responsibilities, and should steer clear of questions that could be seen as invasive or discriminatory, but you should still be prepared to talk about your time off work. As with the CV advice above, focus on the skills and experience you gained during your time off.

Don't worry if you don't think you have anything to show for the time off – recruiters will appreciate how difficult and all-consuming circumstances like a long illness, or caring for a relative can be. The fact that you have faced such a challenge is already evidence of your determination and strength of character.

Communicate clearly and confidently

If you are reluctant to discuss something, such as a traumatic event that led to your time off work, you can also contact the recruiter or the company's HR representative before the interview. Explain, confidentially, that for personal reasons you do not wish to discuss the issue.

Remember, you are under no obligation to answer every question the interviewer asks. If a question comes up that you don't feel comfortable answering, you are within your rights to say so.

This is article was written by Chris Salmon, Director of Quittance Legal Services.