Were you in jail?

I often see resumes that show significant employment gaps. Usually, when I speak to the candidate, it's revealed that he or she only wanted to include past employment relative to the position they are seeking. While I certainly understand keeping the reader focused on relevant experience, this approach almost inevitably causes the reader to believe you haven't been working or worse yet, you were in jail.

A bit sarcastic? Well, maybe. In 2009, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that Non-Hispanic Blacks made up 39.4% of the prison and jail population. Hispanics of all races made up 16.9%. That said, a gap in employment is likely to be viewed as if the candidate doesn't want me to know something, so it must not be good.

To avoid such stereotyping, list all employment in the most recent 10 year period. What if some of the positions weren't relevant to the job I'm seeking? That's easy. Nine times out of ten, there is some part of every job that is relevant. Say for example, you've worked as an commercial architect but for last few years you've been a short-order cook. As an architect, you determined client needs and applied building principles to develop a solution. As a short-order cook you recognized client demand (most popular orders), determined kitchen/pantry needs (food & equipment) and developed a solution (new menu item, adequate stock of ingredients).

Keep in mind, recruiters see many resumes on a daily basis. With the average view being 10 seconds or less, you need to connect the dots for the recruiter. Never leave your future solely to the thoughts of a recruiter. Make the connection for them. You'll be happy you did.