How could I explain a 2 year gap in obtaining a degree due to dropping out and then returning?

Question

I began college in 2007 and then dropped out in 2009. I returned late 2011 to finish my final year and have completed it just last week. So basically it took me 5 years to do a 3 year degree. It was a degree in software development.

I have just begun looking for a job (entry level) and I am wondering if this will affect my chances and how could I explain it? The reason I dropped out was due to personal circumstances, I was stressed out and wasn't sure if I wanted to continue pursuing a career in software. During those 2 years I was unemployed and I could have returned sooner if I had the money. Should I just be honest and say what I have just said?

To be honest, doesn't this kind of convey that I am flaky and lack integrity? Why I am thinking that is because imagine this was a software project, it is 2 years overdue and that's after changing my mind a few times.

I'm also wondering, should I display my resume like this:

2007-2012  Bachelor of Science, Software Development 

or something like this?

2007-2009, 2011-2012 Bachelor of Science, Software Development 

Thanks!

Answer 1

There's no rule you need to show the start date and end date of your coursework on your resume, so the following is perfectly fine:

2012 BS, Software Development, Your School Name

The reasoning behind adding the span of years while in school is to explain time away from working (outside of school) or to show that you're still in school -- not to show how long it took you to get your degree. If you were, say, 25 years old and wanted to explain the 7 years after high school and some of that was work and some of that was school, and that time didn't overlap, then sure - go ahead and list it all broken out so that a hiring manager could piece together your timeline -- but it's only the graduation date that matters (and to be perfectly honest, hiring managers aren't going to try to piece together a school and work timeline for an entry-level job unless they have a lot of time on their hands. For instance, I wouldn't bother.)

Since you're looking for entry-level jobs, the baseline expectations are that you are a recent graduate -- it doesn't much matter how long it took you to get there, because people have gaps in education for all sorts of reasons -- just taking a break, wanting to gain work experience, needing to pay bills, military service, domestic reasons, and so on.

What matters is that you clearly outline the skills you can use starting the day you get hired, either because you learned them in school or you have practical knowledge.

Saying all the things you said would be fine if you were asked, because it would be the truth (although I'd be careful not to overshare just like I would be careful not to overshare with any stranger -- it's awkward). Lying shows a lack of integrity, not explaining the truth when asked.

Just relax and send your resume around. Don't worry about the past -- there's no reason any of that should haunt you.

Answer 2

Don't bring it up. But, if asked, explain. You'd be suprised to hear that saying essentially "For a short time, I was not sure what I wanted out of my life. I took a break from school, and thought real hard about it, and in the end, I realized that really is the correct place for me to be, so I returned to college and finished the degree I had put aside previously," does not sound bad. At all. Almost everyone has something like that at least once in their lives, and the fact that you came back from it and decided that you were exactly where you should be means that you're extremely dedicated.

Note: if you dropped out due to poor grades, then this is much more of a lie.

Answer 3

I would go for:

2007-2009, 2011-2012 Bachelor of Science, Software Development 

With an extra mention somewhere that you took a couple of years off, or you can leave that part out and mention it during the interview, if asked. My problem when I see this in a resume:

2007-2012 Bachelor of Science, Software Development

Is that I know it's a 3 year degree and I'm immediately starting to wonder what the candidate is not telling me and that's not a feeling you want your potential employer to get. You took a couple of years off, for whatever reason, be frank about it.

As jcmeloni mentions, there is no rule. However, right now your education is the most important bit of information in your resume, given that you are fresh out of school. You are competing with a ton of other fresh graduates, and clarity is essential, the people who will be reviewing your resume have limited time, and even if they have the best intentions, there's absolutely no reason to make them wonder what's going on.

If you had, let's say, 10 years of experience in the field, this discussion would be largely irrelevant.

Answer 4

Be explicit in your CV, and honest in your answers about any queries they might have during the interview or over email/phone. If you are what they are looking for then you will know when you get the job there will be no issues with anything in your past.

Otherwise you may potentially have this lurking over your head and you may always wonder "what if they find out I took two years off".

If they reject you because of this then accept that and move on. You can't change your past but you can project the new type of person you are (or wanting to be) going into your future. Concentrate on portraying that while accepting your decisions and actions of your past.

Good luck.