How to explain employment gap...

[StrictlyStrictly]

The past 8 years I've not been employed, I've been doing property rennovation with my DH, this has provided an income.

I'm really wanting to get back to work as I want to get out the house and never pick up a paint brush again and be around people! I have been applying for lots of part time jobs (admin/reception type) but not having any luck at all.

What's the best way of explaining the employment gap on my CV, is this really off putting for employers?

I would list the period of time doing that as "Property developer (self employed)".

If you got any relevant skills from it like managing a property budget, coordinating teams of contractors, filing your own tax returns etc then discuss that.

But it's not a gap, you were a self employed property developer/ renovator?

Ps if you got an income from it I assumed you don't mean simply doing up your own home, but rather developing properties that you were selling on at a profit?

Self employment is still work. It's not an employment gap if you were doing it for a decent amount of hours a week at an income of at least minimum wage p/h.

@DeepaBeesKit

I would list the period of time doing that as "Property developer (self employed)".

If you got any relevant skills from it like managing a property budget, coordinating teams of contractors, filing your own tax returns etc then discuss that.

This. It's a job as income creating

Were you actually self-employed or just tinkering with paint and fabric samples for your / your friend's houses?

@VladmirsPoutine

Were you actually self-employed or just tinkering with paint and fabric samples for your / your friend's houses?

Not self-employed with my own company as such or anything like that, I just purchased doer-upper properties and learned a lot of DIY (surprised myself I was half decent) then I found tenants for them, so that's the income. All declared and I sort my accounts and tax etc.

It takes very little of my time with only minimal repairs every now and then for the houses so I've got a lot of time free and feeling very isolated!

Just having zero luck with job applications and I was concerned this is putting employers off, as I haven't been in traditional employment this must go against me?

Well list that as what you were doing? You don't need to be officially self-employed or employed by someone else to list it on your CV.

If you were doing accounts and tax returns, then you were a self employed sole trader. You don't need a 'company' as such.

Do you have other referees you can list, any voluntary positions? That's where you might struggle if you weren't formally working for anyone other than yourself. You might be able to get a character reference from an accountant, but you might struggle to get anyone to verify your relevant skills and experience.

You’ve been self employed, and you will have skills from this which are transferable. It also shows drive and resilience to work for yourself and be successful enough to derive an income from it.
Maybe people think you’re too used to working for yourself?

Freelance design consultant.

As a potential employer, I would be very interested to know what tasks you actually performed while doing what you described. It could actually be better in some ways compared to having been an employee. PPs suggestions about a job title are probably relevant but I would definitely augment that by talking about what you actually did, such as negotiating purchases, negotiating tenancy agreements, managing tenant check-in and checkout, as well as deciding on renovation works to be done and actually doing them from A to Z. There are quite a lot of transferrable skills involved in doing all or even some of that!

If you've been doing this successfully, then you will have transferable skills, such as project management, basic accounting, negotiation etc.

As PPs say, you don't have to be searchable through Companies House or anything - just 'self-employed' or 'freelance' property developer / design consultant / construction manager or whatever is fine.

I hire, and I advise people with formal employment gaps (assuming they've not been in prison!) to construct a skills-focused CV, rather a role-driven one (although not 'full-time mummy' / 'CEO of my house' or shit like that).

You were a property developer. You can call it that - although I suspect that the gap won’t be because people aren’t sure what you did, but because if they think/know you have enough money to buy, develop & let properties, they might not trust that you’ll be around long as an employee?

If you’re looking for admin jobs, play up the admin side of what you did - and explain why you’re looking for work now in a way that’s reassuring about your long term plans in any cover letters and interviews.

The problem for me would be that you couldn't be very good at the buy,tart up & let out game, the general model is to leverage these to finance the next one and before you know it you're a cash buyer. Being successful at this would negate the need to look for a job

@Watchingyou2sleezes

The problem for me would be that you couldn't be very good at the buy,tart up & let out game, the general model is to leverage these to finance the next one and before you know it you're a cash buyer. Being successful at this would negate the need to look for a job

I'm lucky enough to be financially secure with a healthy income from the houses now, and I don't need to work; but I really want to be back in an enjoyable part-time position to be out the house and have colleagues again!

Thanks very much for all the great advice. I'll play up my transferable skills and I'll mention the volunteering I've been doing for the past few years too (it's a WFH volunteer position so still stuck in the house...).

OP
I suspect you are not highlighting all the skills you used while you were property developing.
How do you keep your books? Are there software packages you use?
As others said- project management skills
Budgeting
Etc etc