Navigating Career Gaps: Why Am I Struggling to Get Interviews After a Year in Business?

Hi all, I have 11-plus years of experience, out of which 6-plus years are in procurement. A year ago, I decided to pursue my passion in the food industry. I discussed this with my manager, gave a three-month notice, and started my own business. However, I haven't seen the growth I anticipated, so I am now looking to return to a job.

It has been four months, and I have been applying with limited to no response. I left my previous company on good terms and even extended my notice period beyond what was required.

Career Gap Concerns

My first question is: how do companies typically react to a one-year gap in your career? I have the contract I signed for the year to explain my absence.

Job Search Challenges

At my previous job, I had to terminate an employee in my team due to unethical behavior. Surprisingly, he found a new job within four months and is still employed there.

My second question is: why am I not receiving interview opportunities even after finding a perfect match and reaching out to the employer? Why is there no response? Could I be blacklisted for some reason? If so, wasn't the person I fired a more suitable candidate for being blacklisted?

Thank you.

Getting a job is a matter of time. Many factors depend on how you or your CV is perceived by employers. When your prospective employer finds value in your CV, you will get the job.

You are unnecessarily linking your job search with your former junior whom you had to remove. These two are independent issues.

Are you from India? If yes, please send me your CV. Let me share it with my friends. Are you open to taking a job abroad?

Do not lose heart; keep on applying. You will get the job.

All the best!

Regards,
Dinesh Divekar

A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence. Keep trying and you shall succeed. With 11 years of experience, you have already proven your skills and ability. Remember your achievements and you can do it one more time. Stay positive!!

Thank you.

Understanding the Challenges of Entrepreneurship

For any entrepreneur, this scenario is common. When we are in a job, we often think, "Yes, we can do it as we know the outer shell." However, once we start our own business, underlying issues surface that we may not be aware of, or we might encounter miscalculations on our part or due to outside circumstances.

One main reason is that when we are in salaried jobs, we are inside a box, and when we transition out, we are outside the job box. We tend to spend to maintain our previous job level, not realizing that later on, we will not have a monthly income as we did in a job. Therefore, a minimum of two years is required to settle into our own business. We may lose patience due to financial challenges, but remember, a new job will come, so don't worry. By that time, you will be very competent in your business.

Consider joining forces with an identical partner to move forward, or choose a job that aligns with your current satisfaction levels.

Regards.

Dear EB, I would like to comment on your situation as follows:

Focus on Your Own Path

Do not link your situation to your junior whom you had to fire. Do not bother about whether he should be blacklisted. Think about yourself and how you would like to move on from here.

Understanding Gaps in Employment

Different companies react to gaps in service differently. However, in today's dynamic world, it is not a stigma. I have seen many people venture into entrepreneurship and then return to a job.

Approaching Job Search Strategically

Getting a job is a matter of time, and you have to treat job search as a project. It depends on how you write your CV, how you use your network to find a suitable job, how you research the companies you would like to work for, how you position yourself in front of potential employers, how you present yourself in the interview, and how you present your learning as an entrepreneur during the interview, etc.

You will have to make intensive and focused efforts to find a job, and you will get it. Maintain positive expectations and confidence. Do not allow any thoughts of doubt or hopelessness to enter your mind.

All the best!

Regards, Indu Wadhwa

Hi Indu, Thanks. I do not want to blacklist anyone. When I fired that person, I tried to save him first. Also, he still comes to me for directions. But my point is - Is my one-year gap so much looked into that I am not even called for an interview? I asked for feedback from a consultant on why the company does not even consider me for an interview. The answer was jumping profile. I have worked in three companies for the last 11 years. Two years in the first and then four and a half in the other two, which is better than people changing jobs every two years.

Then I decided that I should follow my passion: food. I hope that shouldn't be a problem?

That gave people around me an opportunity to make money in the purchasing department, apart from the CTC, which I never considered an option.

I have now started believing:
1. I was not smart enough to survive the job.
2. My resume is not good enough - send me your email IDs, and I will send you my resume. Any suggestions are welcome.
3. I am blacklisted, which I don't think considering my relations to the peers.

I am getting more desperate for a job the more I am being ignored. I am at a stage where I have utilized all the savings that I had.

Regards,
EB

Firstly, I would like to say, please don't underestimate yourself. Things happen in life. You will definitely get a good job soon. Be positive.

Experience and Career Gap

I have 9 years of experience in sales and a gap of 3 years. I am currently working with an IT company as an HR executive. My CV also shows the same inconsistency in jobs. It's never too late to make a strong CV from now on.

All the best...

As said by many, firing an unethical worker and not getting interview calls are unrelated issues. Many times, incompetent, failed, or unethical people get "ahead" in life—each of us walks his or her own path.

Factors Affecting Interview Calls

Your getting interview calls depends upon:

- Are you applying to the "right" positions to begin with? Within procurement itself, there are many variations.
- Does your CV/cover letter, within the first few lines, clearly establish your suitability (in your mind at least) for the position you have applied for?
- Competition—something you may have no idea about.
- Your ability in the cover letter itself to convince the reader you are looking for a stable career and are out of your entrepreneurial phase.

You say you found the perfect match, contacted the employer, and yet did not get a response. Perhaps you can simply call them up and ask for frank feedback, as well as ask them to keep you in mind for future suitable openings.

Try to keep yourself updated in your field—even if it means working or advising people for free. We live in fast-changing times, and a year could be a long time to stay away from the field you are trying to get back to.

Be flexible regarding salary, designation, and location, etc. Although for large companies, these are already well-structured, for smaller ones they may play a role. As already said, if you are finding a good match, you could even offer a trial "free" work period.

Get or update your network and references, particularly people for whom you worked.

Just some thoughts. Hereunder could provide some more:

How to explain Career Gap and establish suitability for the job? - from My Top Job - Helping Top Talent to reach the Top!