Millions of people remain unemployed \u2014 and many may be concerned about how to answer questions about their unemployment. The team at Glassdoor asked a team of experts how best to tackle this question at you next interview.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe silver lining of Covid-19 is that many prospective employers are more open minded and less dismissive of employment gaps,\u201d said Dawid Wiacek, career coach and founder of Career Fixer. Even so, \u201cmany of my coaching clients come to me deeply worried their employment gaps will be seen in a negative light and hurt their chances in a competitive job market,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Unemployment bias is very real, albeit illegal, a problem, and concerns that potential employers could discriminate against job seekers because of a gap in employment history can hurt people.<\/p>\n
Some unemployed job seekers may worry about the impression their unemployment gives off, and have concerns prospective employers could see them as lazy or unemployable; others may fear the reasons they\u2019ve been unemployed could hinder their chance of landing a new job. And nearly all seem to worry about how they\u2019ll answer interviewers\u2019 questions about unemployment.<\/p>\n
Those fears can keep unemployed job seekers from being as aggressive as they should be in their job searches. \u201cMy clients will usually waste precious time and mental energy worrying how unemployment might hurt their chances,\u201d and won\u2019t apply to jobs because of it, says Wiacek.<\/p>\n
But, \u201cif you have made it to the interview stage, the company clearly hopes that you can be the right fit for them,\u201d said Maria Niedzwiecka, career coach and director of Career Rebels. Instead of letting fear stop them, career experts advise unemployed job seekers to set their worries aside \u2014 and then follow these tips for answering interviewers\u2019 questions about unemployment.<\/p>\n
Prepare to answer interviewers\u2019 questions about your unemployment<\/strong><\/p>\n Preparation is the key to interview success \u2014 including when it comes to answering questions about your unemployment. \u201cMost concerns are caused by job seekers being unprepared about how to answer tough questions related to their unemployment,\u201d said Niedzwiecka. And the less you prepare, the more likely you are \u201cto be worried about the interviewers\u2019 reaction,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Before you go to an interview, \u201cmap out your strategy on how you are going to tackle the tough questions,\u201d Niedzwiecka said, advising you to brainstorm all the ways you can answer questions about your unemployment.<\/p>\n \u201cSelect the best approach and write your answers down on paper,\u201d she said. \u201cPolish your response until you are comfortable with it.\u201d Then ask a friend to read your answers and practice a mock interview with you. Not only will practicing build your confidence, \u201cyou will get valuable feedback and test your answers before facing the interviewers.”<\/p>\n Be honest about being jobless<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cJust because someone asks about your unemployment doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019re automatically concerned,\u201d said Akhila Satish, executive coach and CEO of Meseekna. So, be honest, she added.<\/p>\n For example, if you lost your job, \u201cemphasize what you\u2019ve learned as a result and how you plan on being invaluable to your next company,\u201d she said. Alternatively, if you chose to leave your last position, \u201cbe clear about your expectations for your next position and what you\u2019re looking for in order to thrive at a new company,\u201d Satish said.<\/p>\n \u201cYour interviewers will appreciate the candor, and respect that you\u2019re not just trying to find another job just to pay the bills.\u201d<\/p>\n Whatever you do, don\u2019t appear uncomfortable about your unemployment, warned Joshua Daniel, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance. \u201cBy deliberately hiding details, shifting in your seat, changing your nonverbal posture, or oversharing,\u201d you could draw more attention to the question than it deserves \u2014 and make interviewers worry that you\u2019ve got something to hide.<\/p>\n Be concise when speaking about your unemployment<\/strong><\/p>\n While you should be honest about your unemployment, you shouldn\u2019t divulge too many details.<\/p>\n \u201cThe interviewer is less likely to have further questions when you provide a specific reason for explaining your transition,\u201d said Niedzwiecka. For example, you can explain that you enjoyed working for the company and received positive feedback, but you were ultimately let go after a company restructure, she says. Just \u201climit yourself to one or two sentences,\u201d Niedzwiecka said.<\/p>\n By keeping your answer short and sweet, you can \u201cdirect interviewers\u2019 attention to the positive impact you have made,\u201d she said, advising that you also \u201cselect an accomplishment that is most relevant to the job you are applying for\u201d so that you can share your value with the new company.<\/p>\n By contrast, sharing too many details about your unemployment can divert the focus away from the skills you\u2019d bring to a new job, said Daniel. Keeping your answer short may feel counterintuitive, \u201cbut less is sometimes more with any question that may be seen as a liability.\u201d<\/p>\n Share how you\u2019ve used your time<\/strong><\/p>\n Just because you were unemployed doesn\u2019t mean you didn\u2019t hone existing skills or learn new ones that could make you an asset to a potential employer \u2014 and when you\u2019re asked about your unemployment, you should take the opportunity to highlight these skills, career experts say.<\/p>\n \u201cShow how you provided value to the world. Show how you filled up your day,\u201d said Wiacek.<\/p>\n Satish added that your skills don\u2019t have to be directly related to work. \u201cBehaviors like spending time with your family, learning a new skill or hobby, or taking a class online are all valid ways to spend your time, and they show that you\u2019re not someone that takes your free time for granted \u2014 even if you enjoy the occasional Netflix binge every once and a while,\u201d she said. \u201cEven sharing titbits like that you learned a new instrument \u2026 will help you stand out during the interview.\u201d<\/p>\n You might also consider sharing the sacrifices you made, too. For example, if you took time off to care for a child or elderly relative, you might say, \u201cWhile I loved taking six months off to care for my infant or ill parent, and I kept busy throughout the whole time, I do admit that I miss the camaraderie of office life and I\u2019m looking forward to returning to work soon,” Wiacek said.<\/p>\n Address controversy head-on<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes, the reason for your unemployment might be unpleasant: perhaps you were fired, or had an ethical disagreement with your boss that caused you to quit. In this case, it\u2019s still best to be honest but brief, career experts advise. Even conflict and controversy can be made positive.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there is a controversial reason for your departure, acknowledge your role in it, discuss what you learned, and talk about what will go better the next time, neutralizing the issue at hand,\u201d advises Nancy McSharry Jensen, CEO of The Swing Shift.<\/p>\n Then, she said, \u201ctalk about what you want to do next. For example, \u2018Looking to the future, I want to use my marketing and customer service skills with a company like yours that shares my values.\u2019 Spend a little time thinking where do you want to go and what do you want to do, and then tell them \u2014 they need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n However, you should take great care not to disparage your previous employer. You should \u201cbe honest in your answers but avoid saying anything negative about your previous job, team, or company,\u201d said Niedzwiecka.<\/p>\n \u201cInterviewers are continuously evaluating your experience with your employer and whether you\u2019re critical of it. This goes for how you view your decision to leave \u2014 or the company\u2019s decision to terminate your employment.\u201d By taking stock of your attitude toward your previous employer, interviewers try to predict how you\u2019d behave with them.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if your previous employer was the reason you quit or lost your job, negatively talking about your past is an immediate red flag,\u201d said Satish.<\/p>\n \u201cNo company wants to risk hiring someone that could eventually tarnish their name.\u201d She recommends focusing on the positive: Zero in \u201con the qualities that the new position has that you may not have found in previous jobs, such as a collaborative work environment or a client list that aligns more with your interests,\u201d she says. Interviewers may \u201crealize on their own that your last job wasn\u2019t the right fit, and be impressed that you kept your responses classy, mature, and focused on their company.\u201d<\/p>\n Project confidence<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Niedzwiecka, \u201cconfidence in an interview, especially when you are unemployed, is essential”. But confidence doesn\u2019t always come naturally when faced with questions about your employment gaps, she also recognizes. And that\u2019s what practice and preparation are so crucial.<\/p>\n Practice being confident when answering questions about your unemployment. Satish said it\u2019s important to find a balance that projects confidence but not defensiveness.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople that are too overly confident might come off as unwilling to adapt and learn in a new position, which could be a red flag for your interviewers,\u201d she warns. To show your confidence and adaptability, ask yourself a series of questions to identify the skills and attributes you possess that will make you attractive to a potential employer, and practice talking about these things, said Niedzwiecka.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n
\n