Do not hide a gap behind vague year-only dates; that reads as evasion and invites suspicion. Name it in one plain line and, where you can, show what you did with the time: study, freelance work, caregiving, or upskilling all count. Keep the explanation short and forward-looking, then let your relevant achievements carry the rest. For graduates and career-changers especially: fresh graduate CV guide.
Employment Gap
An employment gap is a period on your CV with no formal job, whether from redundancy, relocation, caregiving, study, or illness. Gulf recruiters notice gaps because CVs are scanned fast, but a gap is not disqualifying; how you frame it, briefly and honestly, decides whether it becomes a question.
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Adil Dahmani
Adil Dahmani is the founder of Yalliq, the AI career copilot for Arabic-speaking professionals across MENA.