How to Re-Enter the Workforce After a Career Break

We hear the question often from our candidates: “Will the gap on my resumé prevent me from landing my next role?”  

Here’s the thing to keep in mind: life happens. Everyone has gaps, whether due to job loss or taking time off to heal, study, travel or care for family members. In fact, a 2022 survey by LinkedIn found that nearly two-thirds of professionals say they’ve taken a career break. So, if you have a gap, the key is being able to confidently describe how you used it to develop personally or professionally. After all, another recent Canadian survey found that most hiring managers (92 %) consider career gaps acceptable when there are good reasons.

So, if you’re stepping back into the job market after time away, here’s how to do it with intention, clarity and confidence.

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Re-thinking “the gap”

Let’s start with the right mindset: your resumé gap is a chapter in your career story, not a missing page. Whether you stepped away by choice or chance, the good news is that employers increasingly get it, especially during today’s challenging labour market.  

Now it’s up to you to frame your gap in a way that adds credibility and positions you as the person they want to hire. Ask yourself: What did I learn? How did I grow? What kept me sharp? Maybe you led a household budget, took an online course, mentored someone, travelled and learned new skills or simply reflected on what you want next. All of that is usable.

So, regardless of why you have a gap, what matters is how you tell your story.

Three confidence-builders to anchor you

Before we dig into practical tips, let’s cover a few mindset moves to help you stand tall:

• Write down what you’ve gained. List everything you did during your break, formal or informal, even if it wasn’t “work” in the traditional sense. You might include things like this: managed schedules, negotiated contracts, handled remote learning tech, volunteered, researched emerging trends, started a side project etc. These are all transferable skills.

• Update your toolkit. Job seekers who brush up on one or two relevant skills (software, methodology, industry language) or build new ones often find their next role quicker. Ongoing learning shows potential employers that you’ve stayed current.

• Tap your network. Re-entering the workforce is partly about reconnecting: reach out to former colleagues, attend an industry event, ask for a coffee chat. A foot in the door helps and can even lead to an unexpected opportunity.

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A quick success story

When her role as Marketing Lead at a B2B tech start-up was eliminated after an acquisition, Sarah Duquette decided not to rush into the next thing. Instead, she treated the pause as a chance to reset and grow, using the time to invest in herself. She took courses, read voraciously and even took on a few freelance projects to stay connected to her craft.

When the opportunity came along, she joined the Altis team as a contract Marketing Specialist, where she immediately put her refreshed skills and perspective to work. That time away, she says, taught her resilience, adaptability and emotional intelligence skills — qualities that continue to shape her career growth today as our now-permanent Senior Marketing Specialist.

Her story shows that stepping away doesn’t mean falling behind; it can be the start of your next chapter.

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How to explain a gap on your resumé and cover letter

Here are some practical ways to present your career gap and showcase your value:

On your resumé

Option 1: Under “Professional Experience” list your last full-time role, then the gap period (e.g., “Career Break: February 2022 – June 2023.” Under it, include a short line to give context, such as:  

• “Personal project and volunteering while focusing on professional development in [field].”

• “Took time to [X] while staying current in [Y] and volunteering in [Z].”

Option 2: Rather than hiding the gap, add a short “Selected Achievements & Development” section to highlight how you made good use of your time away. Here are a few examples:

• Completed [online course] in [skill]

• Volunteered with [organization], managing social media campaigns that increased engagement by 15%

• Led a travel-planning initiative to [X] destinations, sharpening logistics and organization skills while learning about new cultures and histories

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In your cover letter (optional)

If you’d rather not address the gap directly on your resumé, use your cover letter to briefly explain it. Open with a sentence that makes it positive, for example:  

• “During a planned career pause to care for my family, I also maintained my digital marketing skills and refreshed my certifications. I am now excited to bring that renewed focus and adaptability back to a competitive, full-time role.”

• “After taking time away to manage a family transition, I remained engaged with [industry] through [activity] and am now eager to channel that refreshed energy and new perspective into a growth-oriented role.”

Use accomplishment-oriented bullet points for recent work and the gap period. So instead of writing “Caretaker for child/family,” try:  

• “Organized household budget and schedule for a five-person family, negotiated contracts (daycare, home services), managed remote-learning logistics and digital platforms.”

‍Pro tip: When describing past roles, always try to highlight relevant results (e.g., “Implemented social media strategy that increased followers by 40% over 12 months”). Even if the job is from a few years back, linking those results with something you’ve done recently helps reinforce your momentum.  

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What to say during the interview

When the question comes up (and it will), you don’t need a long story. Without hesitation, briefly mention the gap, focusing on what you accomplished and learned during that time.

Examples:

• “I stepped away from the workforce in July 2024 to [explain reason – e.g., care for a family member / travel and upskill]. During that time, I kept my skills current by doing [X] and volunteering in [Y], and now I’m fully ready to return to a full-time role. I believe what I learned [e.g., resilience, better prioritization, self-motivation etc.] will help me contribute to your team right away by [mention how].”

• “During my time away from the workforce, I stayed engaged with industry trends by reading [insert relevant publication] and actively building my skills through online learning. For example, I took courses such as [X]. Now, I’m excited to bring these refreshed skills and a renewed sense of energy to this role.”

• “My career break gave me the opportunity to develop new perspectives and build skills in resilience and adaptability. I’m now ready to re-join the workforce with a fresh outlook and a strong commitment to contributing effectively.”

Key points: Be concise, confident and forward-looking. Then bring it back to the role — what you bring and how you’ll deliver.

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Bonus strategies to accelerate your re-entry

• Update your skills: Even a free online certification or short course shows that you’re staying engaged and value continuous learning.

• Volunteer or freelance: Short-term projects can build momentum and help keep your network current.

• Consider temporary/contract roles as a bridge back in: They can ease you in, build recent references and refresh your track record.

• Keep a “2-minute pitch” ready: Practise articulating your time away + what you learned + what you want next, so you sound natural, not defensive. Keep it short.

• Stay visible: Update your LinkedIn (tip: make sure it matches all dates/entries on your resumé), note your break in your “About” summary (briefly) and post/comment content related to your field. Visibility helps build credibility.

• Aim for roles where your past track record + new mindset align: You may not land a role exactly like the one what you left, but you will likely choose something that leverages what you bring and helps you grow.

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FAQ: Re-entering the workforce after a career break

Q: Should I explain my career gap on my resumé or cover letter?
A: If the gap is recent, address it briefly in your cover letter and highlight what you learned or achieved during that time.

Q: How long is too long of a career break?
A: Most employers care more about your current readiness and skills than the length of your absence. That said, expect questions about any gap that is six months or longer.  

Q: What’s the best way to rebuild confidence before job interviews?
A: Start small: take a short course, practise mock interviews, reconnect with peers and remind yourself that your experience holds value when framed correctly.

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Next steps & resources

The fact that you’re reading this shows you’re ready to get back out there, and we’re here to support your job search journey.  

The first critical step is to adjust your mindset. Your career break is not a disadvantage; it’s a strength.

If you’ve taken time away from the workforce, it’s time to own the gap rather than hide it. Hiring managers are often more interested in your readiness now, how you’ve used the time wisely and how you’ll contribute to their team.

If you’re ready to rewrite a gap with confidence, we’ve gathered a few resources to help you get started.

• Explore Ace Your Job Search: The Essential Resource List for more practical tips, tools and templates to organize your search.

• Check out The Ultimate Guide to Career Pivots to help you navigate your next chapter and confidently reposition your skills for today’s job market.

• When you're ready, browse our latest open roles and take that first step back into the workforce with clarity and confidence.

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