As others have commented, a gap in your resume shouldn't even be a part of the conversation since it's just an absence of anything that would be relevant to the hiring process. Doesn't mean you won't be asked though, unfortunately, and I have experience being the candidate with a long gap, so I can tell you how I handled this.
Sitting on the hiring side of the table, my only concern is that you weren't just twiddling your thumbs. If you had personal matters to take care of, unpaid projects to focus on, family to look after, that is all part of life and none of my business. When explaining my own employment gap, I was frank about how my previous appointment had taken its toll on my mental health, and that I wanted to reconnect with other aspects of my life before taking on another role. I didn't go into any specifics, but made sure to mention that part of this time was spent studying stuff that's relevant in my field and exploring emerging technologies.
No matter how long a gap, it's not something you should acknowledge or attempt to explain in your resume or cover letter, and it's not something you need to bring up yourself in the interview. My view is that it's bad etiquette to even ask, and you should try to adopt this mentality yourself so that you project confidence if you have to answer the question. You have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. Your life is more than your CV.
This is exactly my take as well. The means by which you got your CV on my desk is irrelevant to me. In fact, the CV itself is like the pretty picture on a bottle of wine that persuades me to choose it over the other basically identical pinots. And shorts and a t–shirt looks as professional to me as a suit. Actually better because suits give me C suite vibes. I literally only want to have a conversation and see how much you sound like you've done this before and know how to not fuck it up.
You just triggered an overwhelming urge to share my entire dating history with you. I'll resist, but suffice to say I probably shouldn't have dated anyone before HRT either. One of the many reasons it's hard not to dwell on the regret of transitioning so late.
I'm going through a breakup right now. It's been 7 days. We're still in touch, coaching each other through the hard times while trying to maintain a healthy amount of distance so we can each move on. This too is unprecedented. The very idea of speaking to an ex.
Really happy to hear about your BF. Being stable enough to keep a relationship alive for that long is honestly my ultimate goal. Low–key hoping my ex and I find our way back to each other as I continue to find my way to myself.
This post made my heart jump. Every day for the past month or more, I've listened to this at least once.
ShockOne – Organism Algorithm (Bensley Remix)
The words in this image play in my head whenever silence falls. Never expected to see them come up in a place like this.
For sure. That lingering anxiety about nothing in particular, which SSRIs at best replaced with numbness, is fading away. Comfy is the word.
I like talking to people now
HRT day 17.
I always wanted to be more social. I cared about people, wanted to know them more deeply, and wanted them to know me. I just never enjoyed the experience because I felt that the time people spent on me was an arduous act of charity that they endured for my sake, out of politeness and perhaps pity. I therefore kept to myself, unintentionally presented a pretty hard exterior that made me seem abrasive and antisocial, and spent nights wishing I could be closer to people around me. I was ashamed of who I was, and ultimately faded out of the lives of everyone I met sooner or later, once I felt I'd revealed too much of myself to put them through any more. It was lonely, and worst of all, many of these people continued trying to reach out while I sequestered myself and waited for the guilt to subside.
Short of growing breasts and marked shifts in fat distribution that I likely won't see for many months, I can never be sure what's an estrogen thing, what's a placebo thing, and what's just a good mood, but the last few days have been an unprecedented shift in my overall outlook. I talk honestly with people. I opened up to my mother about deeply personal things that I've kept guarded for decades. I message people just to ask if they're doing okay and if they want to catch up over coffee some time, and without even cringing at myself for doing so.
Today I've been thinking a lot about how remarkable it is to simply feel like I'm allowed to exist in the world, and allowed to be part of other people's lives. This isn't me. Except it is, and I hope it stays this way forever.
Thanks 😘 I've actually lurked for a while as a .world in arguably the wrong spaces, but now feel like I can actually be active here since reworking my client into essentially a Blahaj portal.
I think the last couple of days have been my first tingle of E that isn't placebo. Feeling like I'm a person in the world rather than a viewer behind a screen. Maybe it is placebo and I'm just thrilled knowing what that little patch on my thigh is doing. I dunno. I'm happy. I'm not a happy person but I've been happy, despite other aspects of my life actually being kind of a mess right now.
Did they start you out with blockers as well or just E for the time being?
Your kitchen experience hits home. Every workplace I've been in I've related more to the women around me, and felt lonely for having them treat me like the other men. Not that genders are separate and cliquey like that in most places, but it's little comments and assumptions of the "well you're a man so you probably blah blah" sort that I find disheartening. Meanwhile I'm putting on this weird "how do you do, fellow men" act with the guys.
Also, we're HRT twins! Day 15 begins in 6 minutes for me.
This is the opposite of how I feel and it's ruining me. I need to be beautiful so others will find me desirable, but I also fear compliments and feel guilty for receiving them and not knowing how to respond. I also avoid going outside when I don't feel pretty enough. I don't know how to stop, and my makeup expenses are out of control. Please help.