Quote: (03-28-2015 02:09 AM)ms224 Wrote:
I got laid off 2 years ago
I've been trying to do some side work and pursue my own thing but it hasn't really gone anywhere (engineering).
I'm at a point where I need to go get a job.
Anyways, gaps of more then a year seem very suspect to people.
What are the things HR departments want to hear to gloss over this fact?
To me it sounds like you've been working for yourself the past two years, though not all that successfully. You just need to formalize that experience a bit and you'll be better off.
What kind of engineering? You should set up an LLC and voila - you've just become a consultant. That, and if you don't have one already, get a cheap web site, a related email and some business cards to go with your new found consultancy. Finally, make sure you have an updated profile on Linkedin, since that's the first place the HR twat's going to go to find a reason to reject your resume.
Are there any certs or professional development you have been doing in the meantime? Don't forget to highlight that too.
Two years is a pretty big gap but it doesn't sound like you've been doing nothing at all. Just need to stay relevant and take away their reasons to reject you.