Work gaps six months in length or longer should not be ignored; forget about creating a “functional” resume that obscures your professional timeline. Recruiters and hiring agents are trained to pick up on these discrepancies and will just assume you did nothing during this period. The best approach is to get proactive, not defensive. The best "OFFENSE" is a good defense.

Create a brief “CAREER SUMMARY” at the start of the resume which touches on the gap. If you recently left the workforce to pursue a degree, you could develop an opening summary such as:

Multifaceted professional with a strong background in healthcare administration, combined with a recent graduate degree in Human Resources. Interested in meshing the two in a Human Resources and Benefits Coordinator or similar capacity for a healthcare-related business or hospital system.

Insert a 1-2 line “CAREER NOTE” within the “Professional Experience” section of the resume which explains the gap. Consider adding any volunteer work, freelance projects or part-time gigs you did during this time. If the gap was family or life circumstance-related, explain in a brief and concise manner.

If the reason for the gap was obtaining a new degree, place the education section near the top of the resume. This visually makes it clear that the gap was tied into your decision to return to school.

Time gaps do NOT need to be a liability in securing gainful employment.