Are you looking for a job after a 2-year post-graduation gap? If yes, this write-up will help you build a steady career path for you!
Post-graduation has become a common concept in today’s date. The precipitation has been set in everyone’s mind that pursuing a bachelor’s isn’t enough anymore to get a high-paying job. But what if even after completing your post-graduation a person cannot get a good job? Don’t worry you are not alone and to answer this question, in this blog, we have talked about everything you should know if you are going through a similar situation like this.
So without wasting any more time let us jump straight to this complete guide on how you can find a job after completing a 2-year gap post-graduation plus the tips that will increase your chances of getting a job in a short time. But before that let us learn whether a 2-Year Gap affects your job opportunities or not.
Does Jobs after 2-year gap post graduation?
A lot of questions could be raised in an employer’s head when he sees a resume that says 2 years gap after completing PG. This could indicate a lot of things and most importantly that the person has a lack of experience and possible long-term commitment issues within a full-time working environment.
However, the critical stage is where you try to justify the 2-year gap after pursuing your degree. Here you can state things like you were working on developing some skills or needed some time to figure out your interests. In short, the answer you will give will determine whether you are a reliable option from a potential employer’s perspective or not.
Finally, does the 2 year gap matter? Well yes, but if you can justify the reason behind the 2 year gap and it convinces the employers then congratulations because you have finally cracked the code.
Also Read: Job Oriented Courses to Uplift Your Career
How to Justify a 2-Year Gap in Your Job Applications?
Consider the following list of points to justify the 2-year gap in your application and also your interview:
Emphasize Personal Growth and Skill Development
It is not easy to crack a career after graduation gap. The very first and most important point that you should consider is stating that you were focusing on your personal growth by gaining some critical skills.
Highlight Relevant Freelance or Contract Work
The 2 years gap after graduation can be filled with some freelance opportunities or contract-based work. This states that you haven’t wasted your time and have made use of your time efficiently through such part-time opportunities.
Explain Health or Family Reasons Professionally
If you have undergone health or family problems, then you can clearly state your employer about the same. There is a high chance that the recruiter will understand your situation and consider your application.
Showcase Educational Pursuits or Certifications
Show the recruiter your eagerness to learn and if you have pursued a skill-oriented course during this gap you can share the certificate with the employer. This portrays two things, first, you don’t like wasting time and rather find ways to make it productive. Second, you have an actual proof of certificate, and based on that they will come to know about the skills you hold despite not being able to land a job.
Demonstrate Volunteer or Community Engagement
Lastly, if you have participated in a productive event like a workshop, seminar, or webinar then you can share your experience with the employer regarding what you have learned during this period. Also, if you have worked as a volunteer then it might also work in your favor and display your potential managerial skills.
How to Start Your Job Search After a 2-Year Gap?
Here are the steps that you should consider when searching for a job after a 2-year gap:
Update Your Resume
Keeping your resume updated is one of the most important steps. The skills you have learned should be mentioned in your resume and even your LinkedIn profile. This will highlight your experience clearly to the employer and increase your chances of getting hired.
Identify and Highlight Skills You Learned
It is critical to highlight the skills and knowledge you have gained throughout this 2-year gap. It can either come from a course that you enrolled in or some freelance role that you worked as. The skills can be either soft, technical, or transferable, like team management, communication, or technical.
Upskill or Take Relevant Certifications
Even if you were not able to crack any interviews even after completing post-graduation, you can always consider your industry-relevant certifications courses. Take some time from randomly applying for jobs, and pursue certification programs. This will not only help you gain the relevant skills but will also boost your confidence.
Network Actively
Only gaining skills won’t help, therefore you will also have to enhance your network. But how to do it? It is pretty easy, all you have to do is have conversations with industry experts, faculties, and seniors and that’s it. Creating a professional circle is one of the best ways to get recruited very efficiently. Don’t leave this habit after completing your course and continue it during your job period to keep the doors of future opportunities open.
Prepare for Interviews
Lastly, prepare for interviews, as much as possible. Make notes from your past interviews which will eventually give you a brief idea of where you are actually lacking. Many renowned training institutes in Jaipur and other parts of the country conduct mock interview sessions for the students through which they practice and get important feedback.
Does a 2-Year Gap After MBA Affect Job Prospects?
The Master’s In Business Administration or MBA is one of the most prestigious degrees in India. Pursuing this program opens a plethora of career opportunities. But what happens when a person doesn’t crack a job even after completing a degree like MBA? Don’t worry, things aren’t as scary as they sound.
To a surprise, there are minimal chances of any recruiter asking you about the years of gap after completing your MBA. In most cases, the employer seeks information about the skills you have, any previous work experience, and your overall academic profile. This clearly states that taking a gap after completing an MBA is not a wrong thing, but not utilizing that time to learn something new or do anything productive won’t be any good for you.
You can enroll yourself in a program related to your field like an offline or online business analyst course or even a digital marketing course. Training institutes like Skill Waala offer students opportunities to work on live projects and learn skills from scratch.
Ultimately if you’re concerned about a 2-year gap after completing the MBA degree, understanding how to frame your experience is the key to overcoming this hurdle.
How to Justify a 2-Year Gap after Graduation for an MBA?
Here is the list of points that you can say to your recruiter to justify your 2-year gap in job and potential MBA interviews:
Showcase Your Skills
If you are having a gap after pursuing your MBA or even after pursuing a job then you can share your work experience with the recruiter through your resume. You should keep your skills related to your field in your resume for future interviews.
Freelance Work or Any Side Projects
Freelance work is the best possible experience that you can share in your interview. Getting a freelance job is much easier than a full-time job. So even if your resume says a 2-year post job or MBA, you can always fill that gap with a freelance job opportunity. Besides this, you can also look forward to working on side projects or internships related to your field.
Also Read: Digital Marketing Internship in Jaipur
Gain Real World Experience
MBA teaches you how to run a business effectively in a fancy way. On the other hand, picking one business and observing it’s working during your graduation or post-graduation years will give you industry insights.
Explain with full Honesty
Speaking honestly will keep your confidence high. When you are honest you don’t need to hide anything and all your hesitation comes to a halt. Besides your work experience in technical aspects, employers will also check your communication skills and other soft skills like being confident. Some of the valid reason that requires no further explanation include competitive exam preparation, skill development, internships, or some personal responsibilities
Real-Life Success Stories
One of the real-life examples of an individual who faced a similar dilemma in his career is Hoshiyar Singh. Hoshiyar after pursuing his graduation was preparing for a government job. The stars didn’t align for Hoshiyar at this moment but soon he finally cracked a job in a reputed IT company, BR Softech.
Despite not being able to crack a government job, Hoshiyar didn’t lose his hope. His growing interest in digital marketing field was always at the back of his mind. But he didn’t know where to start from. Thanks to his habit of using LinkedIn regularly, he came to know about Skill Waala.
Hoshiyar Singh reached Skill Waala via their phone number and availed of free career counseling. Soon Hoshiyar enrolled in the SEO course in Jaipur and learned everything from scratch. By working with the in-house SEO team at BR Softech Hoshiyar has gained industry-leading skills and now he is working as an SEO specialist at BR Softech.
Conclusion
This complete guide discussed the tips for individuals who took a 2-year gap in between and how they can still recover from that in their career. We also mentioned some tips that specifically target MBA students. However, if you are still confused about taking the right step for your career then you can avail a free career counseling session at Skill Waala.
Skill Waala came into existence in 2024, but that didn’t keep it away from the reach of students who want to truly excel in their careers. Skill Waala is backed by an established IT company, BR Softech. The training institutes help students experience the industry style working under the guidance of in-house experts and learning skills via real-time projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.1 Does a 2-year gap after graduation impact job opportunities?
Ans. Not really but it depends on how you tackle the situation. If you have some genuine explanations that can justify this gap then you are good to go.
Q.2 What are the best ways to explain a 2-year gap after graduation in interviews?
Ans. Competitive exam preparation, pursuing a skill-oriented course, family responsibilities, and freelance jobs are some reasons that work in these conditions.
Q.3 How can I start my job search after a 2-year gap post-graduation?
Ans. There are a couple of ways you can consider starting your career including updating your resume, taking relevant certifications, enhancing your network, and preparing for interviews.
Q.4 What can I do to improve my chances of getting a job after a 2-year gap?
Ans. Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, enroll in relevant certification courses, stay active on LinkedIn, keep your resume updated, and keep reconnecting with your networks every few days.
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