Answer an application's employment-gap question in a few lines

About this exercise

An online application asks you to explain any employment gap over 6 months, and the box is small. Write under 60 words, plain text, first person. Give the exact dates and the reason as 'family caregiving' with no medical details, mention what you did to stay current, and end by saying you're ready to return full time. No apologies or defensive lines like 'I know this looks bad'. Write a prompt that gets that answer.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

• Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 60 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part: "3 sentences, each under 16 words."
• Over-sharing the reason. Given your notes, the AI will happily mention your mom's diagnosis, which is private. Try: Say it: "Call it family caregiving. No medical details."
• Using the resume date. Your notes have two end dates. The AI may copy February from the resume. Try: Add: "The gap is March 2023 to January 2024."
• Forgetting what you did. The AI explains the gap but skips the work that shows you stayed sharp. Try: Add: "Mention the ProAdvisor certification and freelance bookkeeping."
• Sounding guilty. AI gap answers often start "I understand this gap may raise questions", which invites doubt. Try: Add: "No apologies or defensive lines. End: ready to return full time."

What a strong prompt includes

• Sets a word limit
• Keeps it private
• Uses the right dates
• Shows what you did
• Bans apologies

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