The reality of employment gaps in 2026
Employment gaps are more common than ever: redundancy waves in tech and financial services in 2023-24, caring responsibilities, mental health breaks, postgraduate study, travel, and long Covid all create gaps on CVs. The overwhelming majority of hiring managers accept reasonable explanations for gaps and are not automatically put off by them. What they are assessing is not whether the gap happened, but whether you are honest about it, whether you used the time in any meaningful way, and whether you are ready and motivated to return to work now. The candidates who struggle with employment gap questions are not those who had gaps — they are those who try to hide or minimise them, which creates the impression of evasiveness.
Different types of gaps and what to say
Redundancy: "I was made redundant as part of a restructuring in [month/year]. I have used the time to [upskill / look after my mental health / care for a family member / search thoroughly for the right role rather than taking anything]. I am now in a strong position to bring both my previous experience and what I have learned during this time into a new role." No apology needed. Redundancy is not failure. Caring responsibilities: "I took time out to care for [a child / a family member with a serious illness]. That responsibility has now changed and I am ready to return to full-time work. During that period I kept my skills current by [online courses / freelance projects / keeping up with the industry]." Caring for family is a perfectly legitimate reason and you are not obliged to provide more detail than you choose to. Mental health or burnout: "I took some time away from work to address a health issue, which is now resolved. I am feeling well and energised about returning." You do not need to specify the nature of the health issue. Keep it brief, factual, and forward-looking.
Answering "What did you do during the gap?"
The second question after the gap explanation is almost always "and what did you do during that time?" If you have anything to say, say it: an online course, freelance or consultancy work, volunteering, travel, a personal project, caring for a family member. You do not need to have been productive every day. But if you did something relevant to your professional development, mention it. If you genuinely just took a break, be honest: "I took time to rest and recover, and I have now completed [a refresher course] so I am current with [technology/regulation/practice]. I am ready to hit the ground running." The willingness to upskill before re-entering the market signals self-awareness and motivation.
Preparing your answer
The best employment gap explanation is honest, brief, and forward-looking. Honest: do not claim to have been freelancing if you were not, because follow-up questions will expose it. Brief: one to two sentences on what happened, one sentence on what you did during the gap, one sentence on why you are ready now. Forward-looking: the interviewer wants to hire someone for the future, not interrogate the past. End your answer with something about your excitement for the role. "I am particularly interested in this role because..." pulls the conversation forward and signals that the gap is in the past, not the present.