How To Talk About Your COVID Layoff

Human Resources
Written By Matthew Burzon, SHRM-SCP

It’s almost January and you’re on a mission to get a new job.

There’s just one problem: that huge hole in your resume from when you were laid off because of COVID.

As a recruiter for 8+ years, I know that gaps in one’s resume don’t look great. But 2020 was an exception. The sheer number of people who were laid off and furloughed make it highly likely that a hiring manager will be talking to quite a few folks in this position. There’s no stigma.

However, you may want to be ready to fill in the gaps about what you were doing with all your free time. Homeschooling your kids or supervising remote learning? Fair enough. 

Or perhaps you took the time to do some volunteering, help out an aging family member, start a blog or get that Etsy store you’ve always envisioned off the ground. Everyone loves a good side hustle.

However you spent unexpected downtime in 2020, find a way to tell the story to hiring managers so they understand a few important things about you: You’re ambitious. You're creative. And you’re committed.

Matthew Burzon, SHRM-SCP

As the Founder and President of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆, my mission is to transform the recruitment process for businesses seeking exceptional talent.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆™ is a B2B and B2C e-commerce platform offering on-demand recruitment and placement solutions and is the parent company to 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙆𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙣 𝙃𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. Source and Recruit is also the Founding Sponsor of 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙪𝙢, a free community platform created to promote and support the professional development of recruiting professionals throughout the US and beyond.


Our team utilizes AI-driven strategies and in-depth market analysis to deliver bespoke recruitment solutions, ensuring a seamless fit between candidates and company culture. We've cultivated a robust multi-brand e-commerce platform that connects organizations with top-tier professionals and supports informed hiring decision making.

Our approach to talent acquisition is rooted in modern recruitment techniques and a deep understanding of diverse sourcing, candidate engagement, and AI-driven personalized recruitment email marketing. We are truly a prototypical 21st century artificial intelligence-empowered recruitment agency enabling businesses to overcome the hiring challenges of today's competitive landscape.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewburzon/
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