Gaps in a resume were once taboo – interviewees had sweaty palms as they sat across the table from a hiring manager inquiring to why they weren’t employed. Regardless of the reason for a job seeker, there were often extra questions or concerns coming from the recruiters scanning the resume.
Today, gaps are not as important. Recruitment teams today are much more understanding about people taking time from work to help family, manage burnout, or prepare your family for a military move.
But are background investigators just as sympathetic?
One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber asks because they are interviewing for a background investigator job:
I will be going through a background investigation for a Background Investigator job and I have a question about gaps in my history. I haven’t worked since 2019 as I have stayed home and taken care of my family as my wife recovers from complications from brain surgery.
Will not having held a job or gone to school for 3+ years keep me from getting a clearance? I hear that gaps are frowned upon.
How to Explain Job History Gaps to an Investigator
Being “frowned upon” certainly depends on your investigator’s personality, but across the board, you will need to have documentation for situations that could be scrutinized. One clearance holder on the thread noted that during their last interview with an investigator, they had to explain how they had supported their family after a mass company downsizing and being laid off. Things like unemployment benefit deposit history can serve as documentation or evidence.
An investigator also notes that applicants should be prepared to provide names of individuals that can verify periods of unemployment for gaps in your job history.
As always, be honest in filling out your forms to avoid a personal conduct adjudicative guideline denial. And use the comments section on the SF-86 to further explain situations that aren’t straightforward. It can be tempting to conceal gaps, but lying will put you in a situation far worse. Background investigators are skilled at spotting inconsistencies and other red flags. If you lie, it’s likely you’ll be found out eventually.
