Thread by @patio11

I think this is substantially correct from the employer's perspective.

From a candidate's perspective, there is no upside to giving an extended explanation of a recent gap on your resume, for the same reason there is no upside to giving an extended explanation for why one left.

https://twitter.com/jennskiezz/status/960740793630601216

This is one of those opportunities to perform professionalism, which will in this instance sound a lot like performing politics:

"I took a quick break to recharge before the next adventure."

"I had some projects I wanted to explore for a bit."

Immediately move on.

Note that this is pretty invariant over any reason for a 6 month gap.

Family member died? Bringing that up doesn't help.
Volunteered for a school? Bringing that up doesn't help.
Worked on a novel? Bringing that up doesn't help.
Failed fast? Bringing that up doesn't help.

As long as I have you on the thread, let me explain about the "Why did you leave your last job?" thing.

No answer to that has ever convinced an employer to extend an offer, but a lot of answers cause employers to Nope out of particular candidates.

If you say e.g. "I had an untenable relationship with my previous boss." then the employer's prior expectation of you having an untenable relationship with your new boss goes WAAAAAAAY, for at least two reasons:

a) As 50% of the people in a failed relationship, knowing nothing about either of you, one would assume you're 50% likely to be primarily at fault, a fact which is not known out about the next candidate they interview.

b) You're transgressing the No Backstabbing rule.

Professional norms in the United States regarding backstabbing are really complicated but broadcasting "My understanding of the backstabbing norm is that you do it openly, without shame, really early when working with someone" is a thing that causes most people to run screaming.

So what should you say about why you left your last job?

I'd just straight-up steal @tqbf here: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9930311

>> I feel like I contributed everything I could contribute to that team and now I'm looking for a new challenge.

A variant of this: if you leave a company which is widely known to be a total #$()show, or an interviewer asks you "I heard your last employer is a total #$()show" to see how you react, understand that the goal in this conversation is not to provide free market intelligence.

"Every place I've ever worked has some things I liked about it and some things I didn't, but that's the past and I'm focused on the future. What's it like working at $FIRM?"