Don’t let Covid irregularities on your CV get in the way of finding your next role.

There is a recurring theme on candidate’s CVs at the moment, which would have sparked alarm bells before Covid, but now shows resilience. Confused? We’re talking about gaps in job history or a flurry of short term roles over a two year period post March 2020.

Founder of Zest4Talent, Michelle Crocker, recently interviewed a credible candidate, who has enviable educational qualifications, a solid career history in engineering sales and product management, worked internationally for well known brands until 2020 and then came along COVID! At that point, he decided to take some time out to concentrate on his other creative passions, painting and poetry, which allowed him the time to volunteer for the NHS and administer Covid vaccines. Having had the opportunity to nurture his personal passions AND give something back to the community he is ready to restart his career.

As recruiters we can take a lot from his CV. Prior to Covid, we would have called it “jumpy”. Any career break or multiple 3 month job stints would have caused alarm but now we cherish and champion these candidates. Recruiters now, more than ever before, need to be open minded, appreciate the diversity of and in people’s lives and the twists and turns that they have had to take, especially over the Covid period. We listen to stories of empowerment and growth and sometimes stories of hardship and struggle. Every story is different and this unplanned Covid curve ball has added to skill sets, enhanced empathy, lateral thinking, resilience and appreciation.

Post-Covid advice

Candidates ( job seekers ) – Don’t apologize for the gaps in your CV. Be proud of your new skills and agility – sing it out loud. Be open and honest and HUMAN. We will listen. We will coach. We will interview and look for your core strengths and what you can offer an employer. In short, we will use your CV for reference but it doesn’t start and end with your CV. You are far more than that!!

Employers – Be agile in your approach. See beyond the CV and listen to the candidate profile that any good recruiter will give you. Expect some movement over the last 3 years – this may not be typical or within the control of the prospective candidate. Appreciate the volunteering, the creativity, the extra energy gained by the ‘forced’ but needed time out for some. More often than not you will see a more rounded individual – an employee who appreciates their worth and the added skills and experiences they have gained along the way. That’s the employee you want.

Zest4Talent is a specialist sales and marketing recruitment agency providing bespoke recruitment solutions across all business sectors.