None at all? So you're saying that just because I look for employment gaps, there's NO opportunity working for the companies I have worked for? That's pretty extreme, and not very logical, is it?

I handle opinion just fine. You can do whatever you want with your life, man. Doesn't matter to me. If you want to tell people that they ought to turn down jobs simply because an employer is wary of employment gaps, that's fine too. I simply state that if someone wants to maximize their chances of getting an IT job, they should minimize gaps. Not saying you can't get a job with them... or that your career will be DOOOOOMED!!! forever if you have them... I'm saying ONLY that you can increase your chances of getting employed if you don't have them. That's all; nothing more than that.

In truth, it is not me who has problems with opinions... I simply state a helpful fact, and some of you guys either take things personally or to an irrational extreme.

I'm glad that you haven't experienced anything negative with employment gaps. Truly, I am. But it is clear that not everyone with employment gaps has had those same positive outcomes, so that is why I give the advice I do. It's not an attack on you or the way you do things. It's just helpful advice to those who haven't gotten their careers started yet (or who are having trouble getting their careers back on track).

BM, other people have differing opinions to yours... that's life. Some employers don't like gaps, some do. Some IT guys (and gals) will work take any job... some won't. As I have mentioned before, I respect your opinion; however, sometimes the way it comes over is that you always know best. At the end of the day, it's a point of view. Everyone is entitled to express their point of view without having it kicked back in their face.

/END

My personal feeling is - although I appreciate that the debate will probably steamroller over my softly spoke words - that gaps on a CV are sometimes unavoidable, especially in these troubled times.

And if we're going to dismiss any applicant with a gap on his or her CV, then the road to recovery is going to be a long and slow one. Employers are going to miss out on a lot of talent for no terribly good reason.

If I see a gap on a CV, the most important thing for me is what that person did during that time. If they were looking for work, volunteering at their local church, teaching disabled kids to play football, studying for their A+ and writing a novel - then that would tell me more about the applicant than I could ever find out from looking at their employment history.

I tend to avoid the issue by not putting months on my CV. Mainly because I can't remember them, but also becasue a job that ended in 2008 and another that started in 2009 could have no gap, or it could have an 11 month gap.

Thread has been threadjacked

But that's what I was trying to tell you Michael, he is skillfull, certified and has a very good CV (with lots of prior Project Management experience), he interviews very well (he was the guy who interviewed me so he can do both sides) and is a thoroughly nice guy (but no walk over). So in his case he was 'unlucky' not to get a job sooner, it had nothing to do with him, his cv or his skills.

As far as logic is concerned, I believe it's a mix of both skill and luck in getting a job, because let's face it, you can be the most skilled and likeable person on the planet but all it takes is one person to not like you and you won't get that job, or it could be that a budget get's pulled or they decide that actually paying contract rates is more expensive and they decide to hire internally instead, that's not down to you, that's down to luck.

As far as I am concerned I do consider it both luck and skill (and CV) that get's me my positions, I don't purely rely on ME (and my skills, personality etc) because that's just not logical. Lets face it, if it was all down to the individual there would be no reason for believing in anything other than oneself, no reason to believe in a higher authority or Karma and I do believe in Karma and the Karmic Boomerang.

That is a very valid point and a great bit of advice for anyone doing there CV.

Repped for that Jonny

On the subject of this debate, It seems to me like you guys need to deflate your Ego occasionally, I respect both of your opinions and will always read each post with just as much detail as the other.

I'm glad you guys have different opinions on these subjects, people who take in your opinions are able to look at a CV from many different angles according to your opinions, just don't cross swords next time and keep it as a constructive argument and lets not start telling each other how we couldn't care less about what "he" does with his time or life, I'm sure you do... just not to the extent to get worked up about it, curiousity more be the reason

On a previous Thread Rookie asked a question but the rest of the thread looked like everyone had to many E-Numbers which GBL kindly informed everyone that this happens in the IT workforce (I get to eat sugary sweets all day I can't wait ) as a result Ryan closed the thread very rightly so and I repped him for that.

I personally have a very mixed thought on this subject I will be more of a reader than a writer on this one and just take in all the information but I don't enjoy reading posts when it slowly turns into a heated debate between 2 members so I felt like getting my thoughts across

Everyone needs to take it down a notch in terms of chopping each others heads off for having a different outlook on the topic at hand but not to the point that everyone is high on e-numbers

Now where have my Haribo sweets gone

This is a reason why certain older members havent been around as much as they used to be. Threads are being hijacked and going completely off topic. Whatever happened to helping people trying to get into IT or those already in the field getting sound advice?

Some of the older posters should know better AND

Shame how a newbie on this forum has come in and told it how it is.

Think about it folks!

I wouldn't say this thread has been hijacked at all. This thread was putting some information out there, and said information has lead to discussions. I really don't see the issue.

Me neither.
At the end of the day, we're discussing a news article and not hijacking a thread from an OP.

agreed. I would say this is completely on topic. Heated, sure, but on topic. The news post was about being unemployed whilst looking for IT work. We're discussing the ins and outs of it.

But it's seemingly gone past 'discussion'. It is a battle of opinions, of wills.

I could understand the 'I don't put the gaps on my CV' or 'I do put the gaps on CV' because it will or will not hurt; however, there seems to be an attitude of 'I'm right, and you're wrong'.

That is so just not correct.

Everyone's opinion is valid and, in this scenario, re what jobs someone would take, whether gaps in CVs would hurt or not, it is purely opinion. There is no right or wrong... in my humble opinion.

We should all remember that other people's views do count.

Simon's opinion/view is based on experience, as is Michael's. Great! Two differing viewpoints. End of... the reader can make of it what they will; however, to carry on the discussion past that is, plainly, then divisive.

Couldn't have said it better

Repped

Which is why I have now stopped adding more (well, obviously excluding this post).

Have you never seen a discussion involving BM before :P

Thats probably more practical with a long service history to draw from. Another possible solution would be to list those periods as "Unemployed" in some manner, and detail a short description of what you did during that period. If you explained the gap on your cv, then it could head off those employers who wouldn't even bother interviewing someone with gaps.

Gaps happen, context of those gaps is probably more important than the length. Huge gaps every few months rings more alarm bells than a single gap once for instance.

SimonD,

Who told you that you could not sign on because you're a company director?

http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/contractor_claim_job_seekers_allowance_ltd_company.aspx

Thanks for that

You know... I expected much better out of this forum community. Most of you guys don't seem to want debate. You don't want discussion. You don't want logic. You simply want to throw your opinion out there, flawed or not, faulty or not, and you don't want to discuss the merits. You don't want anything you say to be challenged. You want your opinion to be right (or "just as valid") without anyone else exposing logical flaws in your argument. And when someone does, you want to hide behind the "...but all opinions are equal!" flag.

It is quite clear that there are quite a few on this forum who don't want me here. Do you guys want my input? Cause if you do, I'm in. But if you guys want to ridicule and scoff at those who want to have free and open discussion and debate, trying to peer pressure myself and others into not standing up and challenging ANYTHING that someone brings up, then I am dismayed to see what this forum has become.

Your advice and opinions have helped me loads since I joined CF so I for one don't want you to stop giving opinions I just think that everyone looks at things differently and as though your opinion has experience backing it and a great deal of logic someone elses opinion may be right for them. Some people may mis-read your opinion and think thats its attack against them. When really your giving good advice but your straight to the point.