Navigating a Resume / Employment Gap Caused by a Mental Health Absence
How to Explain Career Gaps in Employment Due to Mental Illness
Taking a career break for mental health is a profoundly personal decision that can lead to positive change and growth. For many, understanding how to explain an employment gap due to mental illness is an essential step in re-entering the workforce. Whether the gap stems from personal reasons or health issues, it’s crucial to approach this topic with transparency and strategic planning. Gaps in a CV due to mental illness, such as a career break due to health issues or family illness, can be effectively explained in a way that highlights resilience and personal development. By focusing on the skills gained and experiences during the break, individuals can turn these periods into stories of strength and adaptability.
Explaining a mental health gap in a resume or during an interview doesn’t have to be daunting. It’s important to prepare by understanding the best ways to address these gaps, whether it involves a detailed explanation of career break reasons or a brief mention of employment gaps due to personal reasons. Employers today are increasingly aware of the importance of mental health, and addressing these gaps with honesty can demonstrate maturity and readiness for new challenges. Highlighting how this time contributed to personal well-being and professional readiness can turn what might seem like an employment gap into a testament to one’s commitment to growth and recovery.
Mental health affects how an individual handles stress, makes choices, manages relationships, and maintains their physical well-being. Up to 10.7% of the world’s population has at least one mental health disorder, making it highly likely that multiple staff members of nearly every company or institution struggle with mental health conditions.
When someone is dealing with new or ongoing mental health complications, it can easily take a toll on their work performance. In any career, it’s imperative to focus, control emotions, and produce quality results. However, a mental health break is often the best choice for everyone involved when this becomes difficult. This can cause a small or significant gap in your resume, which will likely need to be addressed with a future employer. Luckily, writing a stellar resume and acing an interview while presenting your absence with integrity is possible.
Take a Career Break Due to Mental Health
Taking a career break due to mental health can be a crucial step in regaining your well-being and balance. It’s not uncommon to need a career break for mental health reasons, whether it’s due to burnout, stress, or other health issues. This time away from work allows you to focus on healing and self-care, providing the necessary space to address any underlying issues. If you’re considering a career break due to medical reasons, it’s important to communicate openly with your employer about your need for career break leave. This can help ensure that your transition is smooth and your position is secure upon your return.
Addressing a career break due to health reasons on your resume can be challenging, but it’s essential to be honest and strategic. If you’re wondering, “Can I take a career break?” the answer is yes, and many have successfully navigated career gaps in their resumes. Highlight the skills and growth you’ve achieved during your break, and focus on how this time has prepared you for future opportunities. Emphasize your resilience and readiness to return to the workforce, turning what may seem like a setback into a testament to your commitment to personal and professional health.
Work Challenges Caused by Mental Health Conditions
Anyone experiencing a mental health condition is not alone. In fact, 59% of employees across all organizational levels in 2019 were impacted by negative mental health, which increased to 76% in just two years. Unaddressed mental health conditions can lead to lower productivity, work satisfaction, employee retention, and dropping workplace performance rates.
It can also lead to a variety of struggles for individual employees. The most common conditions, such as anxiety and depression, make essential work functions far more difficult. Challenges such as difficulties with concentration, constant fatigue, frequent work absences, conflicts with coworkers, and burnout are common.
“While virtually no one would blame a friend or family member for taking time off a very stressful job for their mental health, there’s absolutely a stigma in the professional world for doing so. When I work with our patients to challenge these mindsets and prejudices, I remind them that their experience, no matter how traumatic, has offered them perspective and tenacity that few will ever have – and that’s an asset to any employer,” says Jaime Blaustein, co-founder and CEO of Sylvia Brafman, and the driving force behind our career launch program.
Great Ways to Impress an Employer After an Absence
Up to 82% of employees diagnosed with a mental health condition do not tell their employers.
Most workers fear social repercussions such as judgment, shame, or losing promotions or their jobs.
By addressing the gap in a resume positively and professionally, there is an opportunity to shed the stigma and grab the desired position. The most important thing to consider when crafting a resume after an absence is showing some beneficial ways the time was used. Was it used for self-improvement and skill development? If so, that can signal to an employer that the experience was helpful for building character and can potentially benefit the company as well.
Here are some of the essential features of a high-quality resume and candidate after a mental health absence:
Communicate Transparently
Legally, interviewees can share as little or as much about their gap as they would like. Although, it’s best to remember to remain professional. There is no need to go into extensive detail about personal information. No matter how much is shared, it’s necessary to be open and honest. It’s empowering to own the situation. By skirting the truth, the narrative surrounding an absence can be misinterpreted.
Simply clarifying why the decision to take a break was made and how it ended up being a constructive experience is enough.
Focus on the Right Things
While communicating transparently, ensure that the gap is framed in the most positive manner. Use verbiage that shows optimistic steps. Whether taking classes, boosting work qualifications, learning a new skill, becoming part of an organization, or specialized mental health treatments, emphasize how the break was well-spent. By highlighting the constructive aspects of the gap and showing how it relates to the role at hand, it’s possible to turn it into an attractive feature for future employers.
Some employers worry that individuals with resume gaps may be behind on the latest industry trends. Therefore, it’s also a great idea to show off any knowledge about the newest developments in the field, whether from attending a conference, reading new research, or speaking with a mentor.
Offer References
Another tip is to introduce the interviewer to your personal growth by means of quality references. Choose recent testimonials that speak about your growth since the last job post. Adding mental health professionals or supervisors from activities during the gap may be possible as further evidence of mental and emotional stability and improvement.
Show Your Improvement
Don’t stop after discussing what happened, show how the absence has visibly led to greater self-awareness. For example, in the cover letter, it may be a good idea to include any new techniques learned for managing strong emotions and a plan for when difficult moments arise. Add recent challenges that have been overcome by using these methods. Fully illustrate any progress by giving concrete examples of the new strategies’ effectiveness.
Employers are more likely to hire resilient candidates who have shown they have overcome adversity. The goal is to demonstrate that the gap didn’t hold anything back but rather improved the individual’s candidacy.
Overcoming Stigma in the Workplace
According to the State of Workforce Mental Health Report, over one-third of employees said work-related stress and burnout were some of the most significant reasons their mental health suffered. Unfortunately, many of these employees will be too ashamed to ask for help, or their workplace culture may not foster open communication to make that happen. The stigma surrounding mental health can dissipate by showing up to an interview and submitting a resume that presents the positive aspects of owning and overcoming a difficult situation.
It is illegal in the United States to discriminate based on mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression disorder, anxiety disorder, and more. Some companies also provide additional mental health resources to help workers keep and excel at their position.
Workplaces that encourage empathy and offer mental health resources like counseling, flexible work hours, and retreats are more likely to have a happier and more productive workforce. Take advantage of these resources if they are available and consider asking for them if necessary. Even one individual committed to better mental well-being can encourage a more supportive work culture in the future.
How to Explain Gaps in Resume or Employment Due to Mental Illness
Explaining gaps in employment due to mental illness can be challenging, but it’s important to approach it with honesty and confidence. When crafting your resume, address any employment gaps on your resume by briefly mentioning the time taken for personal health reasons or family illness. Highlight any skills or experiences gained during this period. For example, you might explain gaps in employment due to illness by mentioning voluntary work, online courses, or personal projects. This approach helps to show that the gap was a period of growth and learning rather than a setback.
During interviews, be prepared for questions about gaps in your employment. When asked, keep your explanation simple and focus on how you used this time to improve or maintain your well-being. Share how this experience has better equipped you for the role, emphasizing resilience and adaptability. Addressing resume gaps confidently can help demonstrate your commitment to personal development, turning what might seem like a disadvantage into a strength. Remember, an employment gap on a resume isn’t the end of your career journey but a chapter that adds depth to your professional story.
How SBHMC Can Help
The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center, situated in Tamarac, Broward County near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is dedicated to providing top-notch treatment for a wide range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD. Our team of experienced professionals creates customized care plans tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient, ensuring they receive compassionate and effective treatment.
We accept insurance from Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare (UHC), Carelon, Magellan, NYSHIP, and more. For those without insurance, we offer private pay options and can discuss the costs associated with various treatments, such as therapy, IOP, residential treatment, private rehab, and both short-term and long-term rehab. Whether you’re seeking information on “Aetna mental health coverage,” “Blue Cross Blue Shield mental health coverage,” “Cigna mental health coverage,” or “UHC mental health coverage,” our knowledgeable team is here to assist you. Contact us today to explore your options and take the first step toward better mental health.
During and after your treatment at the Sylvia Brafman mental health center, you will meet with our cofounder and CEO Jaime Blaustein to talk about career prospects and important next steps in finding and keeping a fulfilling and motivating job. We encourage you to learn more about our career launch program.
Resources:
- https://www.talkspace.com/blog/9-tips-managing-gaps-resume-due-mental-illness/
- https://www.thewmhi.com/mental-health-statistics/
- https://hbr.org/2021/10/its-a-new-era-for-mental-health-at-work
- https://www.lyrahealth.com/2023-state-of-workforce-mental-health-report/
- https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/depression-ptsd-other-mental-health-conditions-workplace-your-legal-rights
