I know y’all have covered how to explain work gaps for caring for someone but how do I explain a gap that I took for my mental health? I quit my job last April because I realized a) the industry I was in was the wrong fit and b) I was burned out and spiraling towards a depressive episode. I had enough savings to swing most of the year off and was fortunate enough to do some intermittent work for my family’s business, but that only accounts for about 4-5 months of on and off work of the year I took off. How do I explain the rest of the time off without talking about my mental health? I’m much better now and I don’t feel that my mental health struggles are anyone else’s business. Any advice would be so helpful, thank you.
I'll let you in on a little secret, my lamb: prospective employers are not legally entitled to your personal health information. You feel that your mental health struggles aren't their business... and you're right.
Don't bring up the resume gap unless they do. When/if they ask about it, say "I had to take time off from my career for medical reasons." If they press the issue, even if it's out of innocent curiosity, laugh a little and say "I'm not comfortable sharing my medical history in a job interview!" so they understand how out of line they are.
Here's more advice:
10 Questions You Should Never Be Asked in a Job Interview
Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them with the Confidence of a Mediocre White Dude
Beware These 5 (Perfectly Legal) Discriminatory Hiring Practices
