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marlenrf · New User Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 6 Career Advice: +0/-0

“What have you done in the past year?” “(It's been a whole year!)”

I get asked this question in every single interview I go to. The worst part --I don’t know how to answer it. I believe the answers I give are wiping out my chances to find a good job. Here’s my situation:

I’m a 22-year-old Mexican accountant. As far as I know, in my country, sabbatical years are not so well regarded by employers. I wasn’t aware of that, so I took one after I graduated on December 2005. I traveled for the summer through Spain, that’s why I decided not to look (seriously) for any job until I came back. I was determined to start looking for my first job in August, but I had to undergo minor surgery. It was successful and now I’m perfectly healthy. Therefore, I started to look for a job around October, but so far I haven’t had any luck.

The interviewers keep asking me: “What have you done all year?” “It’s been a whole year”. Right then, I start to feel nervous, because I just can’t seem to find the right answer.

I can’t say I had surgery, because it was a really minor thing. If I did, they would see me as unhealthy or as a risky choice. The one time I revealed the surgery issue to an interviewer, I could see in her eyes I wasn’t getting the job.

About my travel to Spain, I can tell them that it was a planned break, but I fear they may think I’m not committed to work but want to travel. In any case, the travel lasted only two months not twelve. There are 10 more months left to explain!

I really feel desperate about my situation. I graduated as the best student of my graduating year and I can speak fluently two languages (Spanish and English) and also I’m an intermediate French student. I’m a fast learner and a highly responsible person. Somehow, I just can’t get the interviewers to see that…

What can I say? How much should I reveal? I’m tempted to lie and say I helped out my sister start her own business. She's okay with it. In fact, she did start a small business this year, but I didn’t help her in any way.

So, please! Please share your advices.

safri · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 213 Career Advice: +1/-1

Hi there,

First of all, please explain what a sabbatical year thing is all about? I'm thinking is related to a...break? I'm sorry, I didn't quite understand the phenomenon and I'm curious about it.

Then...you're practically dealing with a question regarding a gap in your employment...well...so as to say. Here's a place where you can find some useful info
http://www.cvtips.com/gap_history_CV.html

Waiting for a reply and forother opinions as well.

marlenrf · New User Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 6 Career Advice: +0/-0

Thank you.

In this case my sabbatical year was almost a whole year that I took for myself instead of working. Some people take sabbatical years before going to college, as to figure out what they really want. Others, like me, do it after college. In reality, it's just a pause in your working/student history to take care of yourself and do things you long to do and can't do before finishing high school or college. So you take a sabbatical year to do things you couldn't do while working or studying. Also, there are people who intentionally take some time off (often, a sabbatical year) between jobs to pursue other goals and get a different perspective.
In the US, sabbatical years are far more common than in my country, and thus not so bad regarded. As I've said before I wasn't aware of that. It doesn't look so bad to take a sabbatical year before college but after college it's just wrong to some of the interviewers. In their minds, you were supposed to be working way before you left college. I wish I had worked before finishing college but truth be told I had my hands full with School.
Anyway, I checked out the link and it says "you might say that you have helped your father, uncle, bother, friend, etc to set up their business (be sure you have the details ready as you will be asked for it)". That's just what I've planned to do. The thing is that I actually didn't help her. I've talk to her about using her business for my interviews and she's agreed to it. But I don't want it to backfire on me.

julian · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 255 Career Advice: +2/-0

It's cool that you've found the info you needed. I think the "motivation" is decent and if you have talked with your sister and she agrees to offer you some....backup. Smile

Hpwever...I don't know about that sabbatical year. It seems to me a complete wate of time and a direct wasting of your time/life whatever you want to call it, be it before college or after it. What's this? "I'm taking a break, life, leave me alone" thing?
But it's great you have found answers and are ready to get employed Wink

Ciprian13 · Expert Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 240 Career Advice: +0/-0

I believe that the wirght answer for this question is to highlight your job related activies that you've done in the past year.Like former jobs,if you obtained any kind of diplomas or awards that could help you in the job activity.I don't believe that you should tell the interviewer what have you done in your holidays or if you found the wright pair for you. Laughing

ank06 · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 247 Career Advice: +1/-0

Go for the "I helped my uncle/aunt etc start a new business" thing... Smile

) and if they ask "well, why don't you remain there then?" just say the nature of the company doesn't fit your education and so on and so on.

Ola · Posted: Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:54 pm Post subject:

in the UK, people take a year off to travel all the time, its part of widening ones mind and outlook, l really don't see the big deal, all the best, go with the advise already suggested.

CV Writing Sevices - Ola Philip
King
CV Writing - Ola Philip King

marlenrf · New User Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 6 Career Advice: +0/-0

Thank you for all your responses!
I'm going to go with my sister’s business justification. I have a general idea of how the legal and accounting matters of her business are organized. Of course, I need to go through the specifics with her and we need to get our stories straight. Anyway, I don’t like much doing this but I want to get hired eventually.

Katja144 · Expert Joined: 22 Aug 2005 Posts: 177 Career Advice: +2/-0

In Europe, as far as I can gather, a "gap year" is common. In the U.S., one would likely be seen as irresponsible if one did such a thing...plus one could not compete with those who have been working since college (though some also use a gap year to do volunteer work). Myself, I just don't understand how people afford to do that!

I see a gap year as being something that probably would fit better in between high school and college than between college and work...

sweet_life · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 184 Career Advice: +0/-1

Yes, you are totally right, Katja...with the situation in Europe vs. United States. Me, for example, I had a gap in employent, one which lasted 2 years...and I still got hired afterwards, no problem, just some justifications and some proofs I didn't quite waste my time.
It's not that I didn't work, it's something like marlenrf here was talking about, a period in which one can think of what exactly he would want to do, which job would fit best. And I worked in private....this is how it is called....or self-employment, but not with papers or something.
With the United States, the situation is really really difficult for people who have a gap employment due to various reasons.

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