How to tackle some of the holes in your career ?

There's no time like the present: Even if you were just recently unemployed, you should avoid listing dates for your previous job as "2002 – Present." Hiring managers will find out soon enough that you are no longer working and your efforts will come off as either being sneaky or lazy. Sneaky: because you made it appear that you were still employed when you weren't. Lazy: because it looks like you didn't take the time to update your resume before sending it to the prospective employer.

Avoid the openended date: If you have been out of work for some time, be careful about using the format "2002 - " If or when the hiring manager discovers that your previous job ended several months ago, this tactic may appear to be dishonest. This format should only be used if you are still employed. Some job seekers keep this format as long as they are receiving severance. While this is plausible rationale for showing your employment dates as such, it may not sit well with an interviewer.

While some experts are divided on how job seekers who have breaks in their employment history should handle the issue, all agree that candidates should be prepared to explain the gap briefly and honestly at some point during the job seeking process.