How best to explain gaps in work history during interview.

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Hello all,

Since I graduated nursing school in 2006, I have had three jobs. Due to my husband's career we have had to move a few times. We are finally in the area that, hopefully, we will stay. My last job was as a school nurse. The area that I am in now has not had any openings for a school nurse. I was hoping that I could still find a nontraditional nursing position (such as with an insurance company or research), health department, clinic, school system, or something in a behavioral psych unit. I really do not want to go back to bedside nursing. As it happens, my job search has lengthened to 9 months. I am attempting to rework my resume and coverletter today. I got to thinking also today that if I do get an interview somewhere I will undoubtedly be asked about this gap in my work history.

Has anyone had long gaps in your work history that wasn't due to staying home to take care of children? If so did you get asked about it in your interview? This last 9 month gap has me so worried that I am never going to get an interview, and even if I do get an interview I won't have a good answer as to why I have such a long span since my last job.

Do you think that a nurse manager or human resources will toss my resume aside because of gaps in work history? If I get an interview, do you think there is a way to explain my gap without the nurse manager thinking that I should have just taken a job in Med/Surg to be working?

I will appreciate any advice. Thank you.

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Just say you "relocated" or "moved due to spouse's job". Keep it simple and truthful.

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"Moved frequently due to husband's job" seems like a perfectly reasonable explanation to me. Also, employers are familiar with how difficult job-hunting is these days, and how it can take quite a while. (Be sure to impress upon the interviewers that you are expecting to stay in your current area, as you indicated in your post -- you don't want to mistakenly leave them with the impression that you could be moving on again before long.)

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Thank you both for the advice!

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