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Patrick64
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24 May 2015, 10:38 am

I had been going with vocational rehabilitation services to help me on my resume, and I had struggled with getting into a stable job. Image

I had a job gap back in 2012 due to some serious mental health issues. One employer asked to explain the job gap I had back in 2012. I couldn't think of anything reasonable. Long story, I moved to Texas and back after one month, then struggled to look for a job then. I was looking for an Desktop support job where I would ideally fix computers, but I struggled with keeping up with IT, and then my career path has been going down over time at my resume.

I'm not good at making up stories, and putting in fake jobs, so I just feel stuck right now. I need help.



Chris71186
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24 May 2015, 11:41 am

formatting is everything with resumes. Attached is a url to the resume template I typically use [let me know if there is any problems with the link]. It tends to impress employers and has landed me quite a few jobs. Feel free to take a few notes.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XqLdILUq_xE6Vv7DP3maK80aKe0i479xvKnoEAsiJbs/edit?usp=sharing



Chris71186
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24 May 2015, 12:17 pm

Patrick64 wrote:

I'm not good at making up stories, and putting in fake jobs, so I just feel stuck right now. I need help.


you don't have to make up stories and you don't have to place fake jobs in there as well. Employers can ask questions but we are not required to give detailed answers. The trick to answering questions like the one you got is to be vague. I would say something to the effect of "there were circumstances that prevented me from working at the time". I would also make it clear that those circumstances are no longer present anymore. If he asks you to explain the circumstances just tell them "it's personal". You are not lying, but you are not disclosing information that would cause concern either.

This might seem unfair on your end, but I think it's unfair for employers to assume that there is a negative reason why there was a gap in employment. It's about playing the game, the more you know about these slime balls the better you can beat them at their own game.



screen_name
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24 May 2015, 12:58 pm

Fix the misspelled word.

Did you take the phone numbers out to post here? If not, you really need a phone number and contact person for each job.

Job gap - "I had some temporary health issues. The problem is resolved now."

Are you adding custom cover letters for each one? (You should)


_________________
So you know who just said that:
I am female, I am married
I have two children (one AS and one NT)
I have been diagnosed with Aspergers and MERLD
I have significant chronic medical conditions as well


aspinnaker
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24 May 2015, 10:30 pm

Chris71186 wrote:
Patrick64 wrote:

I'm not good at making up stories, and putting in fake jobs, so I just feel stuck right now. I need help.


you don't have to make up stories and you don't have to place fake jobs in there as well. Employers can ask questions but we are not required to give detailed answers. The trick to answering questions like the one you got is to be vague. I would say something to the effect of "there were circumstances that prevented me from working at the time". I would also make it clear that those circumstances are no longer present anymore. If he asks you to explain the circumstances just tell them "it's personal". You are not lying, but you are not disclosing information that would cause concern either.

This might seem unfair on your end, but I think it's unfair for employers to assume that there is a negative reason why there was a gap in employment. It's about playing the game, the more you know about these slime balls the better you can beat them at their own game.



This is what I recommend that you do as well, with the added consideration that it's the delivery here that is essential. How much the interviewer will think this is an issue depends on how you reply. If you sound defensive or troubled, they are going to think its an issue. If you sincerely reply that you had personal reasons why you couldn't work at the time, but they no longer exist (evidence: your hitherto two years employment), they will likely take it as a non-issue.

You also need to convince yourself that its not an issue as well though. When you think about this situation, do you feel tense, anxious, or want to avoid a potential question about this? If you do, then your interviewer is going to sense it.



SocOfAutism
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26 May 2015, 8:21 am

I used to be a hiring manager. I now study autism and symbolic interactionism, which is the nuances of social interaction. Then, I didn't know anything about autism and was so overworked and stressed out I made snap decisions just like most other managers. This is what I would do if I were you and I were having an interview with someone like I was then:

For the mental health break: Say you were "ill" or "sick" or "had a health problem" which has "since resolved" or say it was a "temporary illness" like another poster said. Do NOT say it was a mental or emotional problem. That's no one's business. They will not ask you further questions about the illness.

If you feel uncomfortable about your social skills, tell them right off the bat that you are "nervous" that you "really want the job" and that you're "excited about the company."

Do some research about the company so it seems like you genuinely want to work there. Even if it's pushing a broom and there's no way to get excited about it, find something about the job or company that you like and tell them about it. People are more likely to hire someone who seems to actually want the particular job in question as opposed to just any job they can get.



roteiro
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01 Jun 2015, 1:47 pm

Hi there, my friend! I guess, you should tryout someresumes writing service like craft resumes. I used it too for my job search, and they made everything really professionally.