How to Include Gap Year Work on a Resume

For those who've taken a gap year to work, how did you highlight this experience on your resume? I want to make sure it stands out positively when I'm applying to colleges.

To incorporate work experience from a gap year into your resume, communication of your accomplishments and responsibilities is crucial. An effective resume explains where you've used your time, what skills you've developed, and what experiences you've gained.

1. Placement: Include your gap year in the "Experience" section of your resume, treating it as any other job.

2. Details: Provide the employer's name, your role, and the dates of your employment. If it spans over several months or it was a full-year commitment, you could choose to represent that by just mentioning the year (e.g. "2023-2024").

3. Descriptions: When describing your role, avoid merely listing duties. Show what you accomplished and what impact you made. For example, rather than writing "Sales Associate at XYZ Store," you may want to write "Sales Associate at XYZ Store, where I increased monthly sales targets by 15%."

4. Skills: Highlight any transferable skills you learned during your gap year that are relevant to your future studies or career plans. If you learned how to work in a fast-paced environment or developed excellent customer service skills, make sure to document those.

5. Growth/Evolution: Use action verbs that demonstrate growth or evolution in your role. Words like 'initiated,' 'improved,' 'increased,' 'organized,' or 'facilitated' underscore that you weren't just filling a gap year but were actively engaged in your work.

6. Outcomes: Include any quantifiable results or outcomes of your work. This could be the amount of money you raised, the number of people served, or any notable achievements or awards.

Example:

Sales Associate, XYZ Company, Anytown USA, 2023 - 2024

- Increased monthly sales target by 15%, consistently exceeding goal

- Developed extensive product knowledge, leading to top ranking in upselling add-ons and warranties

- Received ‘Employee of the Month’ recognition for excellent customer service

Remember, the key is to present your gap year as a positive experience that has prepared you for college and beyond in ways traditional schooling may not have been able to. Also, be ready to discuss it in more depth in an interview or even a college essay. Good luck!