How to explain a 14-month gap on my CV (I was caring for my mother)
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#1 I have a gap from 2023 to 2024 when I was my mother's full-time carer. Do airlines reject for gaps? Should I hide it or explain it? Etihad application is next week.
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#2 Don't hide it, unexplained gaps are what get flagged, explained ones are fine. One line under the dates: "2023-2024: full-time carer for a family member." Recruiters are human, and caring for someone shows exactly the qualities they hire for.
At the interview, if asked, keep it to two sentences and pivot to what you learned (patience, organisation, dealing with medical staff).
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#3 Agree. I had a 9-month gap for the same reason and it came up once at Qatar's final interview. I answered honestly, they nodded, we moved on. Airlines care about patterns of job-hopping, not one caring gap.