Free resource
A CV after a career break
By Nancy Osazee, Founder
Put the break in the timeline so the dates make sense. One line is enough: the dates and a plain description. Then return to the roles and the skills.
Parents, carers, people who were ill, and people who travelled can use the same shape. You choose how much to say. You do not have to disclose a child or a diagnosis to explain a date range.
Written by Nancy Osazee, Founder of CareerPilot. This is a practical note, not advice about your own visa, contract, or legal case. Read the official page linked on this sheet before you rely on a figure.
How to place the break on the CV
- Keep the dates continuous. The reader should see what you did from the last job to now, including the break.
- One line for the break. '2021–2025: career break for caring. Treasurer of a school PTA from 2023.'
- Add any live skill. If you kept a skill current, give it a bullet. If you did not, do not invent a project.
- Lead the profile with the role you want. The break is explained. It is not the headline.
What counts as something you did
A committee, a freelance invoice, a course you finished, a care plan you ran, a renovation you managed. If the break was rest and you did none of these, the one line still stands on its own.
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On CareerPilot
Pick an advert and match two skills you can still show. The break line stays one line.
Questions
Will a gap make the CV look unfinished?
A missing date looks unfinished. A labelled break looks deliberate.
Should I hide the break by stretching the previous job?
No. The dates should be true.
Do I talk about my children in the interview?
Only if you want to. The work examples are what the interviewer can score.
Sources
Last checked 10 October 2026.