It’s been a turbulent time in the work world for the past couple of years, and if you have been out of work; don’t worry – you have plenty of company. I come across many candidates in my job search coaching who are in between jobs longer than they thought they would be, or those who were unemployed and have yet to find new jobs.
I want to stress that to be misleading about your current state of work or the time since you last worked leaves Employers with a negative sense of your marketability. If you have been out of work for a few months or longer, go ahead and be forthright about it on your resume and web profile(s). The issue is going to come up in any case, so you might as well put it out there from the start.
If you have used the time that you’ve been out of work productively, then you should detail it on your resume. For example, time lines in your “Experience” summary section do not always have to contain formal, employee status, work-paid positions.
Done some freelance work? Put it on there. Volunteered in or out of your field? List it. Attended to some personal/family matters? Don’t over-share, but briefly detail what was going on, and provide the time line.
Don’t embellish, never deceive, but if you did it, show it!