I recently moved to US. Had to quit my last job Associate Data Scientist in June to follow up on the immigration process and interviews post pandemic. I got the green card a few weeks ago, have been applying since then. I spent quite a few months in whole process, waiting for my green card and settling down etc.How can I fill this gap on my resume?
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3the gap is already filled with "concentrating on the immigration process." You made that choice. Are you asking us "what lie can I tell that will look better than the choice I made?" Get good at explaining why you have to leave a job to concentrate on the immigration process for a few months.– Kate GregoryNov 15, 2021 at 15:48
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I don't see anything in the question asking for lies, simply how you represent that on a CV– matt freakeNov 15, 2021 at 15:55
1 Answer
I would simply state that you were in the process of moving in your cover letter. You can call it a sabbatical, that you took to migrate, on your resume, but just be honest and transparent.
I have been through a similar journey:
I moved from New Zealand to Canada in 2019 with the intention of securing residency once I arrived. My Canadian wife was already working for a US company so the intention was I'd spend the time getting things organized while she worked.
Everything was going to plan. My permanent residency was approved in February 2020.
But suddenly everyone wasn't interested in hiring anyone. I sat out the pandemic but continued to apply. I was then offered a job in September 2020 which after 2 months of reference checks and negotiation my security clearance for the role was submitted to the Canadian Government. After a further 6 months of waiting I was told that due to delays in the system it could take up to 2 years!
So I had to start applying for jobs again with a 2 year gap.
Thankfully employers were really understanding. My skills and experience got me interviews and I just explained what had happened. I don't know how many applications were knocked back for the gap, but I still got interviews which is what really matters I guess.
It's worth remembering that starting in a new job market can be slow and difficult. You may end up starting in a role more junior than what you are used to, but if you're good, it won't take long to recover any lost ground.
And now for some unsolicited advice. It's important to remember that if you do, you're only taking a lower level job to get a foot in the market with the goal of getting back to what you want to do. Don't stay in a role where you get in a position of doing senior work for junior money. It's not your role to subsidize the company.