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After the layoff, I began applying for jobs while also upskilling to close the gap between my experience and the positions available.

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Anonymous

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After the layoff, I began applying for jobs while also upskilling to close the gap between my experience and the positions available. I’ve added this section to my LinkedIn profile to highlight my continued growth. Should I include it in my resume and job applications as well? I am concerned about a gap that is more than 2 years

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  1. Anonymous

    I would. Put it as an education gap and make sure to include any certifications or degrees you received. Call out any skills that are the buzzwords these days (AI, etc).

  2. Anonymous

    I would definitely have an “education and certifications” section on your resume. On mine, I don’t list every single course I have taken, I just say “Continuing education in [various topics]. Please see LinkedIn for a complete list.” Obviously if something is a key certification I would list that specifically, but this way I can show off even the smaller, less relevant stuff and make sure that anything I was working on between the time I send my resume and the time I might be interviewed also gets attention.

  3. SPQ

    There is merit to including it on your resume and applications... as to how to represent it, I am sure the community has some advice.

    If the upskilling was through a college or university program, it is easier to place that in a chronological resume. Consider it a sabbatical--Just add the time frame in, name the academic institution, and relevant coursework.

    You may even be able to represent it this way if you received various certifications, recognized by a professional industry association.

    However, if your upskilling was LinkedInLearning, Coursera, webinars, books, or whitepapers, you may want to pivot to a functional resume. As for online job applications that require specific date ranges, that will require some mavericking from the suggestions in this community.

  4. Anonymous

    Yes, add to resume. On LI use the Career Break feature and explain what you've been doing. Include everything, not just the studying. Caregiving, travel, etc. Ditto on resume - HR doesn't like gaps.

  5. Anonymous

    Yes!

  6. Anonymous

    Yes for sure. Anything that highlights continued education for career growth is a bonus. Good luck in your search.

  7. Anonymous

    Yes, definitely—add it to your cover letter if applicable. I believe that in the LinkedIn dropdown menu, referring to your status, there is a "Professional Development" option, where you can enter your start date and end date with "present." I'd also suggest listing the same on your resume to reflect what your LinkedIn profile says. Hiring Managers tend to compare your profile with your resume to ensure timelines and jobs are synced up. Given the current job market, companies and hiring managers understand or overlook longer periods of unemployment. I would suggest listing some of the sites where you've taken courses, like Coursera or Google Skills, rather than focusing on specific courses. Also, try to take courses that offer certifications to showcase on your LinkedIn profile. I'd suggest keeping it focused on your self-education & upskilling. Companies aren't interested in what you've done in your personal life. Good luck!

  8. Anonymous

    Look at using a functional resume instead of chronological.

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