I was laid off in March 2024 right at the beginning of a health issue where I could not walk, drive or even sit up in a chair due to extreme hip pain.

19 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 10,2025 at 9:14PM UTC

   I'm sorry you had to endure such pain. I totally get where you're coming from. Thankfully my knee issues were resolved for the most part during Covid, but it's a known fact I can't really do a lot of stairs. It hasn't slowed me down.

   But you answered your own question. You were laid off. And it's been difficult finding the right fit. You can say that their job looks like a very close fit to what you've hoped to find. And then state your skills, how you fit it, and how your skills can add value to the position and company. We all have something physical that could be an unconscious bias. Don't offer them one then there will not be one.

2. AnonymousFebruary 11,2025 at 1:45PM UTC

   Please DO NOT disclose your health issue during your interview(s) unless/until you need to inform them of a need for accommodations (provided you need any). You were laid off. Companies do that all the time. If you need handicapped parking or accommodations for mobility aids, those discussions usually come into play later in the interview process.

3. AnonymousFebruary 12,2025 at 1:38PM UTC

   Do NOT explain the job gap.. you do NOT need to write the exact date you got layed off. I would not draw attention to it. All my CV have ongoing as my last job date. Give as little details as possible. Focus on the job skills and experience

4. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 13,2025 at 12:32AM UTC

   Can you please clarify? I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here.

   You wrote: " I would not draw attention to it."

   If I'm reading the OP's post correctly, she's talking about her last position. How do you not draw attention to your most recent position? It would presumably be some, if not all, of your most applicable experience.

   You wrote: "All my CV have ongoing as my last job date."

   One of the first questions I ask is "are you still at ABC company". If you just left recently, that's one thing for not having an end date - but she hasn't worked at that company in almost a year. If she doesn't address it, that means she either hasn't updated her resume in almost a year or she's purposely lying. How is that better than just putting an end date on that position?

   Even if I didn't ask that question, it would still come up during the background check when we verify employment dates. If she was caught lying then, it would be grounds to have an offer rescinded.

5. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 8:50PM UTC

   Wow ,, really ?? You think you are entitled to medical information before hiring the person ?? You think layoffs are something YOU need to be informed off right off the bat ??? Let me tell you something , last interview the father of my kids was asked , WHERE did u interview??? That’s SOO illegal and inappropriate,,, HR people are out of their minds.

6. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 14,2025 at 2:17AM UTC

   Where, specifically, did I ask for any medical information?

   My hiring managers ask me about gaps on resumes. I don't hold gaps against jobseekers but I need to be able to answer those questions when asked.

   You wrote: "last interview the father of my kids was asked , WHERE did u interview???"

   I don't understand why someone would ask that question, but as far as I know, it's not illegal.

7. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 8:59PM UTC

   Just another point you seem to have forgotten , HR lies to candidates ALL the time , we interview and don’t even get a call or e mail. HR has ZERO transparency, yet they demande to know everything about a person as if they own them …. I just had HR complain about a new girl not telling them she had a weak hand ,,, she is a receptionist for Christ’s sake. So please. Try not to lick the company’s boots TOO much . And just be a human with critical thinking skills.

8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 14,2025 at 2:20AM UTC

   Sorry not one bit sorry. I will never agree that telling a jobseeker to lie on a resume is the right thing to do.

   Especially for something as small as a job gap - why would you encourage jobseekers to lie about something that could get an offer rescinded.

9. AnonymousFebruary 12,2025 at 5:46PM UTC

   You should never have to explain your personal medical situation. The response is I took a sabbatical for personal reasons and now am seeking a role where I can plant my career for the next X plus years. End of story.

10. maria roseFebruary 12,2025 at 6:55PM UTC

    As the other commenters pointed out, the only explanation for the gap was a form of personal life leave that needs no details . But I would suggest that in your job search for work employment you should evaluate the workplace situation to avoid placing yourself in work environment that would aggravate your now chronic physical condition as there are plenty of other opportunities available to work that will not endanger your physical condition. You, the OP, know what circumstances that may cause your hip pain , so simply don’t look for employment opportunities in that kind of environment.

11. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 13,2025 at 12:22AM UTC

    Will you need an accommodation?

    If not, I have a different take than the comments below. In either situation, I would recommend you put the end date on the position.

    You can put something like:
    March, 2024 to February, 2025 - Medical leave, rehab completed

    If you were laid off near the end of March, 2024, you could put April 2024.

    As I mentioned below, if you don't put an end date, it looks like you either haven't updated your resume in almost a year - not a good look for someone in an active jobsearch - or you're lying.

    I don't care about the gory details of people's job gaps but my hiring managers are going to ask me what you've been doing so I need to have an answer.

    I would ask you something along the lines of "so you were out on medical leave" or "so you had a medical issue".

    All you need to respond is some variation of "yes - I had a medical issue - I've completed my rehab and I'm ready to go".

    A sabbatical is a specific thing. If you say you were on sabbatical, you open yourself up to the "so tell me what you did on your sabbatical" question.

    I find that the sooner things like this are addressed, the less of an issue they are. And a short, simple explanation should be plenty. Hiring managers have medical issues too - I have one that just came back from having a knee replacement.

12. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 3:44PM UTC

    Joan, I fully agree with you, but I would like to add to the "sabbatical" topic. I would include this on a resume focusing on the purpose of the sabbatical (travel for research, writing a book, continuing education/degrees, etc.). I would also state "Sabbatical for [reason]" as the job title with "Personal Sabbatical" as the company. I would also include bullet points showing the leave's results (articles written, book titles, degrees/certificates/coursework, etc.).

13. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 14,2025 at 2:11AM UTC

    Agreed IF you actually take a sabbatical - I mentioned it because someone below suggested that the OP list her not-a-sabbatical as a sabbatical.

    By lying and listing it as a sabbatical, she could open herself up to questions about all those things you mentioned.

14. AnonymousFebruary 14,2025 at 2:37PM UTC

    I agree. If you were laid off you were laid off. I would be honest about that. And I'm not sure I would even mention your medical issue at all unless you have accommodation needs as others have commented. It's nobody's business but yours.

15. AnonymousFebruary 14,2025 at 9:50PM UTC

    That is why I included the enhanced explanations to distinguish a sabbatical for research or personal/professional development from spending six months at the beach. It should be as crucial to what you can contribute to the job as any other point on your resume. If an employer sees "Sabbatical" on the resume without explanation, they cannot know how legitimate it is.

16. Amy HanleyFebruary 14,2025 at 4:49PM UTC

    Gaps on your resume no longer hold the significance they used to. “Layoff” is fine.

17. AnonymousFebruary 15,2025 at 1:53PM UTC

    You just summed it up your explanation.

18. Dawn CrossFebruary 16,2025 at 2:38PM UTC

    Question - “there is a gap in your work history, can you explain that?”

    Answer - “I was laid off from a position due to reorganization of the workforce. I decided this was an opportune time to explore different options and develop skills that would benefit me. I feel this development would be an asset to (company name).”

19. AnonymousFebruary 17,2025 at 2:17PM UTC

    With this current job market, gaps are going to become more of a common thing. Don't ever disclose your medical issue unless you need accommodations. This job market holds more applicants than job openings. Don't give them anything to eliminate you. Yes, I hear everyone out there that say that is discrimination and it is illegal. It is a fact of life. They discriminate now and will continue to discriminate even more in the future.

    Focus on what skills you improved on while out that would make you a viable candidate. You could also state you took the time to be a caregiver. It is not lying. We are all caregivers to ourselves. everyday you provide selfcare.

    Best wishes in your job hunt.