Gap on cv

[honkytonkheroe]

I have a gap on my cv of 12 years whilst I had young children. I was also during this time helping out my husband’s business (unpaid), answering phones, making bookings, ordering materials, paying wages etc. I worked many hours and it was very stressful. We then sold the business and I have been working as an administrator for a company for the last 7 years. I am now looking for another job as redundancy is likely. How do I deal with this gap on my cv?

I would demonstrate on your cv the time working for husband's business as what you've mentioned are transferable skills especially in a administrative role . Paying wages , ordering stationary , answering telephone just mention as a volunteer role on cv then go onto more once at interview
Sorry to hear about the redundancy and wishing you luck going forward

So would you put on a cv :

Career break - raising children and working voluntarily for my husband’s business, answering telephones, paying wages etc.

you've had a good job for the last 7 years. So no one will much care about what you did before that. Just say

2006-2012 Career Break

and focus on your more recent skills.

If you were working in your husbands business I wouldn't describe it as a career break at all. I would give the years, give yourself a job title e.g, Administrator, Office Manager and set out a list of the tasks you undertook. You could say it was part time. Work is work, paid or unpaid. Employers want to know that you can e.g. answer a phone, deal with queries, file a VAT return etc.

Thank you very much. That gap has been concerning me a bit!

The trouble with treating it as work is that they may then want a reference, and I have no one to give the reference. The business was sold and now has a new owner. He could not give a reference. If I put that company name and address however, they could write to him.

I would still list the business anyway with what you did, it’s still work that adds to your skills and even if they do apply for a reference to the company, wouldn’t the new owner just say the business has been taken over since then so they can’t provide? And you can say (if asked) that you worked for your husbands business which was sold.

Yes, I’m assuming I’d have plenty of chance to explain before a reference was applied for. Many online forms want you to put in who you worked directly for and who would give you a reference, which causes some problems.

I've worked as both an employee and employer conducting interviews and contacting referees. A company will only contact a company from the list of referees that YOU provide! I've never known a company to contact a company that has been listed on a CV! Generally, we only looked at references from companies within the last 2yrs also.

Are you still with your DH? Despite it being unpaid, it was still work and I'd certainly add it to your CV. Its not a career break, you were working, but unapaid! As your ex-boss, you could give you DH as a referee. Not ideal though. Is there anyone else that worked at the company at the time?

If you have 7yrs of recent work experience, why would they contact even older companies?

If you can, I'd put 2 referees from your most recent company. Your boss and maybe a senior colleague, someone in HR or another senior person. OR, add a 2nd reference from

Yes, I'm still with DH. I don't really know when companies apply for references or who they would contact so thanks for letting me know. I'll list it as employment! I don't suppose they will need a reference from that period from what you say. Thank you.

Sorry, my previous post got rather muddled! IMO, we used to review CV's with various work experience to see what experience people had, then have a seperate list of referees and contact info to be contacted. I'd never have tried to randomly contact a company listed on a CV for a refernce! There isnt normally a contact name, phone number, email anyways in your CV!

Ideally, add 2 referees from your recent, 7yrs work experience, otherwise add someone else senior you work with at your DH's company. I'm sure you will be fine x

Just list the work you did for your husband as 'self employed' they wouldn't expect you to provide a reference from yourself.

Thank you.I have put it as self-employed now.