How should I address a 1-year break from work due to mental health?
I have a first class Computer Science degree. I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6 months then decided to quit because my mental health was in a very bad state.
Now after about a year gap, I am starting to think about applying to dev jobs again.
Should I mention my job on my CV, or omit it? How should I reply if the interviewer asks questions about my gap?
interviewing job-search software-development graduate
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
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add a comment |
I have a first class Computer Science degree. I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6 months then decided to quit because my mental health was in a very bad state.
Now after about a year gap, I am starting to think about applying to dev jobs again.
Should I mention my job on my CV, or omit it? How should I reply if the interviewer asks questions about my gap?
interviewing job-search software-development graduate
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
5
"I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6months then decided to quit; because my mental health was in a very very bad state." - you'll want to be able to explain to prospective employers how you regained your mental health and why you won't need another 1 year break in 6 months.
– Joe Strazzere
7 hours ago
Can't you just say you went travelling or something?
– solarflare
1 hour ago
add a comment |
I have a first class Computer Science degree. I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6 months then decided to quit because my mental health was in a very bad state.
Now after about a year gap, I am starting to think about applying to dev jobs again.
Should I mention my job on my CV, or omit it? How should I reply if the interviewer asks questions about my gap?
interviewing job-search software-development graduate
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I have a first class Computer Science degree. I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6 months then decided to quit because my mental health was in a very bad state.
Now after about a year gap, I am starting to think about applying to dev jobs again.
Should I mention my job on my CV, or omit it? How should I reply if the interviewer asks questions about my gap?
interviewing job-search software-development graduate
interviewing job-search software-development graduate
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
edited 14 mins ago
Dukeling
9,57632549
9,57632549
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
asked 7 hours ago
anonanon
41
41
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
anon is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
5
"I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6months then decided to quit; because my mental health was in a very very bad state." - you'll want to be able to explain to prospective employers how you regained your mental health and why you won't need another 1 year break in 6 months.
– Joe Strazzere
7 hours ago
Can't you just say you went travelling or something?
– solarflare
1 hour ago
add a comment |
5
"I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6months then decided to quit; because my mental health was in a very very bad state." - you'll want to be able to explain to prospective employers how you regained your mental health and why you won't need another 1 year break in 6 months.
– Joe Strazzere
7 hours ago
Can't you just say you went travelling or something?
– solarflare
1 hour ago
5
5
"I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6months then decided to quit; because my mental health was in a very very bad state." - you'll want to be able to explain to prospective employers how you regained your mental health and why you won't need another 1 year break in 6 months.
– Joe Strazzere
7 hours ago
"I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6months then decided to quit; because my mental health was in a very very bad state." - you'll want to be able to explain to prospective employers how you regained your mental health and why you won't need another 1 year break in 6 months.
– Joe Strazzere
7 hours ago
Can't you just say you went travelling or something?
– solarflare
1 hour ago
Can't you just say you went travelling or something?
– solarflare
1 hour ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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You need a good explanation for the gap, but “I was seriously ill” is a good explanation.
As an interviewer I would not ask for details if someone told me that, partly because it’s none of my business and partly because it’s getting close to some legally-best-avoided topics. If an interviewer does ask (which is unlikely), you can politely decline by saying something like “I’d prefer not to go into detail about my illness; I’m fully recovered now” (assuming that’s true).
I recommend that you aren’t completely open about what kind of illness it was, because unfortunately there is still a stigma against mental illness among many people, and because your medical history is none of their business.
Don’t be tempted to fake the dates in your resume to avoid the issue; I would totally hire someone who was off work for 6 months because they were ill, but there is no way I would hire someone who lied to me on their CV.
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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votes
You need a good explanation for the gap, but “I was seriously ill” is a good explanation.
As an interviewer I would not ask for details if someone told me that, partly because it’s none of my business and partly because it’s getting close to some legally-best-avoided topics. If an interviewer does ask (which is unlikely), you can politely decline by saying something like “I’d prefer not to go into detail about my illness; I’m fully recovered now” (assuming that’s true).
I recommend that you aren’t completely open about what kind of illness it was, because unfortunately there is still a stigma against mental illness among many people, and because your medical history is none of their business.
Don’t be tempted to fake the dates in your resume to avoid the issue; I would totally hire someone who was off work for 6 months because they were ill, but there is no way I would hire someone who lied to me on their CV.
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
add a comment |
You need a good explanation for the gap, but “I was seriously ill” is a good explanation.
As an interviewer I would not ask for details if someone told me that, partly because it’s none of my business and partly because it’s getting close to some legally-best-avoided topics. If an interviewer does ask (which is unlikely), you can politely decline by saying something like “I’d prefer not to go into detail about my illness; I’m fully recovered now” (assuming that’s true).
I recommend that you aren’t completely open about what kind of illness it was, because unfortunately there is still a stigma against mental illness among many people, and because your medical history is none of their business.
Don’t be tempted to fake the dates in your resume to avoid the issue; I would totally hire someone who was off work for 6 months because they were ill, but there is no way I would hire someone who lied to me on their CV.
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
add a comment |
You need a good explanation for the gap, but “I was seriously ill” is a good explanation.
As an interviewer I would not ask for details if someone told me that, partly because it’s none of my business and partly because it’s getting close to some legally-best-avoided topics. If an interviewer does ask (which is unlikely), you can politely decline by saying something like “I’d prefer not to go into detail about my illness; I’m fully recovered now” (assuming that’s true).
I recommend that you aren’t completely open about what kind of illness it was, because unfortunately there is still a stigma against mental illness among many people, and because your medical history is none of their business.
Don’t be tempted to fake the dates in your resume to avoid the issue; I would totally hire someone who was off work for 6 months because they were ill, but there is no way I would hire someone who lied to me on their CV.
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
You need a good explanation for the gap, but “I was seriously ill” is a good explanation.
As an interviewer I would not ask for details if someone told me that, partly because it’s none of my business and partly because it’s getting close to some legally-best-avoided topics. If an interviewer does ask (which is unlikely), you can politely decline by saying something like “I’d prefer not to go into detail about my illness; I’m fully recovered now” (assuming that’s true).
I recommend that you aren’t completely open about what kind of illness it was, because unfortunately there is still a stigma against mental illness among many people, and because your medical history is none of their business.
Don’t be tempted to fake the dates in your resume to avoid the issue; I would totally hire someone who was off work for 6 months because they were ill, but there is no way I would hire someone who lied to me on their CV.
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
answered 6 hours ago
A EA E
5,50121726
5,50121726
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
add a comment |
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
Yeah, it shouldn't matter to any future employer whether you had mental health issues or, say, cancer. So long as you're ready to return to work, that's all they need to know.
– Matthew Barber
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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5
"I worked at a prestigious fin-tech company for 6months then decided to quit; because my mental health was in a very very bad state." - you'll want to be able to explain to prospective employers how you regained your mental health and why you won't need another 1 year break in 6 months.
– Joe Strazzere
7 hours ago
Can't you just say you went travelling or something?
– solarflare
1 hour ago