Try These Job Interview Replies To Explain Career Gaps For Health, Parenting And More

Let’s be honest: career gaps happen. Research has found that 84 percent of millennials across the globe expect to take a career break at one point in their professional journey, and sometimes it’s a forced one. Whether it’s time off to care for family, prioritize your mental health, travel, pursue further education, or simply reevaluate your path, this is a very common transition for women.

Yet, explaining that gap on a resume or in an interview can feel daunting, especially for women navigating societal pressure to constantly achieve. The 2025 Career Gaps Report found that although 44% of workers feel employers are more accepting of career gaps post-pandemic, 64% avoid disclosing career gaps during their job search, 38% worry gaps will hurt their job prospects, and 22% believe taking personal or medical leave puts them at risk of layoffs.

Explaining a career gap is often necessary and vital, and this is where dynamic, honest storytelling comes in. Here are a few tips for how to explain a career gap and conduct your job search with confidence.

A 2022 LinkedIn survey found that 22 percent of women participants indicated they often take time away from work for parental leave. Communicating the skills you used for household management, scheduling, school fundraising, volunteering, or other projects you took on along with parenting duties is key.

“You could tell the interviewer, ‘I took time off to care for our children but I was able to keep my skills fresh while volunteering for the kids’ sports league, developing fundraising goals and helping the team successfully achieve fundraising quotas to provide financial assistance for those who needed it,’” writes career coach Marlo Lyons. 

You can also lean into current events and talk about how you’d apply your  unique knowledge, training, perspective or approach to solving a company problem, innovating a process, or contributing to the bottom line. Many employers prioritize problem-solving skills when choosing candidates, so this is a great way to stand out.

Here is where being concise but honest is key.

“Prepare a straightforward explanation that you’re comfortable sharing. Mention how proud you are that you were able to overcome your health problems and then move the conversation swiftly into the present day by discussing the relevant skills you have to offer this company,” writes recruiter Sjoerd Gehring.

Experts also recommend that you are sure to specifically mention you are fully prepared to re-enter the workforce and that you’ve found health management solutions and support.

Also, remember that in most cases it’s illegal to pry into health issues or questions about someone’s disability—invisible or visible—until you’ve been offered a job, and even then, there are nuances and restrictions. 

If you returned for an advanced degree or to get training for a career pivot, talk about the assignments you worked on, your experience with your thesis, or your internship. Focus on impact and applicable skills, experts recommend. Specify new program knowledge or systems training that makes you a competitive candidate.

An example response, per The Muse, would be, “I wanted to expand my career options by completing some training/getting a qualification in x. Now that I’ve achieved my educational goals, I’m looking forward to using my qualifications to benefit the company I work for. This role is the perfect way for me to do that because…”

Bonus tip: Lean heavily into your network, especially former colleagues and managers who simply love you and the work that you’ve done with them in the past. Recommendations and co-signs can also boost your chances despite the career gap.

Unfortunately, hiring systems and outdated narratives can make it feel like you have to justify your life, including career gaps. You don’t. You simply need to be prepared to talk about your unique skills and talent and the value add of those things with clarity and confidence. Be strategic and truly own your narrative—without shame or apprehension—to get the gig.