. I learned product-market fit, client management, and budget planning. After evaluating the effort, I decided to pivot back to an employee role where I can contribute those operational skills at scale.'\n\nTemplate D — Travel/Relocation:\n'I took time for an international move and cultural immersion, which developed my cross-cultural communication and project coordination skills. I used that time to volunteer on [project] and complete [course], and I’m focused on returning to a full-time role.'\n\nUse the template that most closely matches your situation, practice it aloud, and then attach a quick STAR example to provide evidence.\n\n## Two Lists: Essential Checklists\n\n1) Interview Prep Checklist (step-by-step)\n - Map your gap timeline with activities and outcomes.\n - Create a BRIEF 45–90 second answer.\n - Prepare two STAR examples from gap-time activities.\n - Update your resume to emphasize skills (use years-only dates if helpful).\n - Practice with mock interviews and refine tone.\n - Gather one or two references or artifacts from your gap period.\n\n2) What to Include in a Short Interview Script\n - One-sentence reason for the gap.\n - One specific skill developed or improved.\n - One concrete example or outcome.\n - A clear statement of present availability.\n - A transition back to the role (“I’d love to show how this helps with…”).\n\n(These two compact lists are designed to be used as your last-minute checklist before interviews.)\n\n## When a Gap Is Long: Re-entry Strategies\n\nIf your gap is several years, treat re-entry as a project. Break it into phases: skills refresh, market scanning, targeted applications, and interview practice. Enroll in short courses that are accepted in your industry, volunteer in roles that produce demonstrable outcomes, and consider contract or freelance assignments to rebuild recent references.\n\nLonger gaps can be successfully reframed when you produce recent, relevant outputs—published articles, project portfolios, open-source contributions, or measurable volunteer impacts. The goal is to show a recent track record, not to erase the gap.\n\nIf you prefer a guided path that combines confidence-building, practical templates, and a step-by-step re-entry roadmap, the Career Confidence Blueprint is structured to help professionals rebuild momentum and integrate the realities of global relocation and career transitions: [accelerate career confidence with a structured course](https://www.inspireambitions.com/courses/career-confidence-blueprint/).\n\n## Practical Examples of Transferable Skills to Highlight\n\nWhen explaining a gap, focus on tangible, transferrable skills rather than abstract virtues. Examples include:\n\n- Project management: planning, milestones, stakeholder coordination.\n- Communication: client or volunteer coordination, negotiation.\n- Digital skills: analytics, social media execution, course certifications.\n- Leadership: volunteer team leadership, small business team oversight.\n- Resilience and adaptability: navigating international moves, medical logistics.\n- Budget and resource management: running a household or small business finances.\n\nUse one specific example to validate each claim.\n\n## Closing the Interview Strongly After Addressing the Gap\n\nAfter you’ve given your concise answer, redirect the conversation toward the role. Ask a smart, engaged question: 'Given my recent experience in [skill], can you tell me more about how the team measures success in this area?' That shifts the dialog from your past to the employer’s present needs and reinforces the message that you’re future-focused and ready to deliver.\n\n## Conclusion\n\nExplaining a gap in a job interview is not about defending your choices; it’s about owning your story, demonstrating clear outcomes, and moving the conversation to how you can solve the employer’s problems now. Use the BRIEF framework, prepare two STAR-backed examples, and rehearse until your explanation is confident and concise. Rework your resume to highlight skills and keep your interview energy forward-looking.\n\nIf you’re ready to build a personalized roadmap that turns your employment gap into a launchpad for your next role, book a free discovery call and we’ll create a practical plan tailored to your goals: [Book a free discovery call](https://www.inspireambitions.com/contact-kim-hanks/).\n\nFAQ\n\nQ: Should I put a gap on my resume or try to hide it?\nA: Don’t hide significant time gaps. Use resume formatting (years-only dates, skill-focused sections) to reduce emphasis on short gaps, and include a brief, factual entry for longer gaps that lists outcomes and activities. Transparency paired with evidence demonstrates professionalism and maturity.\n\nQ: How long should my interview answer about a gap be?\nA: Aim for 45–90 seconds. One sentence for the reason, one or two sentences for the value gained with a quick example, and one sentence that asserts readiness and links to the role.\n\nQ: How can I demonstrate I haven’t lost technical skills during a gap?\nA: Produce recent outputs—certificates, small projects, GitHub repos, analytics dashboards, or campaign results. If you lack outputs, create a short, relevant project now and present it as evidence.\n\nQ: Is it okay to say the gap was for mental health or burnout recovery?\nA: Yes, but keep the explanation concise and professional: 'I took time to address health and ensure I could contribute sustainably. With that resolved, I’ve resumed training and am ready for full-time work.' Focus on readiness and specific steps you’ve taken to prevent recurrence.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Inspire Ambitions" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Inspire Ambitions" }, "datePublished": "2025-10-04T12:39:47.405Z", "dateModified": "2025-10-04T12:39:47.405Z" }

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Employers Ask About Gaps (And What They Really Want)
3. Types of Employment Gaps and How to Tailor Your Response
4. The Framework I Use With Clients: BRIEF
5. How to Prepare Before the Interview
6. Scripts You Can Adapt (Templates, Not Stories)
7. What to Say — and What Not to Say
8. Using STAR to Reinforce Credibility
9. Resume and LinkedIn Tactics That Support Your Interview Answer
10. Common Interview Scenarios and How to Handle Them
11. Actionable Interview Prep Plan (6 Steps)
12. Addressing Tough Follow-Ups With Confidence
13. When to Bring Your Gap Up Proactively
14. What Hiring Managers Respect Most
15. Mistakes I See Professionals Make (And How to Fix Them)
16. Bringing Global Mobility Into the Conversation
17. Building Confidence Before the Interview
18. Quick Templates to Use in Interviews
19. Two Lists: Essential Checklists
20. When a Gap Is Long: Re-entry Strategies
21. Practical Examples of Transferable Skills to Highlight
22. Closing the Interview Strongly After Addressing the Gap
23. Conclusion

Introduction

A career pause does not have to be a career setback. Whether you stepped away to care for family, recover from illness, travel, try entrepreneurship, or reskill, the way you explain that time in an interview determines whether it becomes a liability or an asset.

Short answer: Be honest, brief, and strategic. Name the reason for the gap in one clear sentence, then move immediately to the value you gained—skills, outcomes, and readiness for the role. Use a structured answer that connects what you did during the gap to the core competencies the employer needs, and close by emphasizing your current availability and motivation.

This article shows you exactly how to prepare answers that feel natural, credible, and confident. You’ll get practical frameworks for structuring your response, ready-to-use scripts you can adapt, resume and interview preparation tactics that reduce anxiety, and a step-by-step plan to convert an employment gap into a differentiator. As an Author, HR and L&D Specialist, and Career Coach, I focus on actionable approaches that help ambitious professionals integrate career momentum with periods of international movement, personal transition, or family responsibility. The main message: explain the gap quickly, demonstrate growth, and transition the conversation back to the value you deliver now.

Why Employers Ask About Gaps (And What They Really Want)

The interviewer’s perspective

When an interviewer asks about a gap in employment, they are not asking to judge your life choices; they are assessing risk and fit. Hiring managers want to understand continuity of experience, reliability, and whether the time away created skill erosion. They also want to evaluate how you frame challenges—do you own your narrative, learn from experience, and move forward?

What employers are listening for

Employers typically listen for three things in your answer: clarity about the reason, evidence of continued growth or productivity (direct or transferable), and assurance you’re ready to perform. If your response is vague, defensive, or meandering, it raises a flag. If it’s concise, honest, and outcome-focused, the gap rarely matters.

Why your framing matters more than the reason

Certain reasons—parental leave or caregiving, illness, travel, reskilling, or layoffs—are common and perfectly legitimate. What shifts the conversation in your favor is how you translate that experience into capability: time management learned while caring for family, project planning while freelancing, resilience after business closure, or new technical skills from a course. Translating lived experience into usable workplace value is the key coaching step I teach professionals who want clarity and confidence when re-entering the market.

Types of Employment Gaps and How to Tailor Your Response

Planned breaks: parental leave, sabbatical, education

Planned breaks are predictable and often come with straightforward framing. Briefly state the intention—e.g., parental leave or an educational program—then list skills and habits you maintained or developed. For example, a period of study can be represented as a career investment: specify the course, certification, and how it plugs into the role you want.

Caregiving and health-related breaks

For caregiving or health reasons, keep privacy boundaries intact. State the reason succinctly, then pivot to the present: your situation is resolved or stable, and you’re fully available. Highlight applicable skills—prioritization under pressure, coordination with health professionals, budgeting, or advocacy—that apply to the job’s responsibilities.

Involuntary gaps: layoffs and company closures

Layoffs are common and non-stigmatizing when described factually: name the event (reduction in force, restructuring), then focus on what you did next—courses, volunteering, consulting, or active job searching. Employers respect candidates who treat a layoff as a career moment rather than a career-defining failure.

Career experiments: entrepreneurship, travel, relocation

If you tried running a business, relocated internationally, or took time to travel, be honest about outcomes. For entrepreneurship that didn’t scale, say what you tried, what you learned, and which systems you put in place. For travel or relocation, show intercultural agility, problem-solving, or language skills developed on the move. Those are increasingly valuable traits in global workplaces.

Long-term unemployment and active job search

If you were primarily job searching, treating the search as a full-time project is valid. Describe the structure you used—target lists, networking, skill-building—and mention any freelance or volunteer work that kept your skills active.

The Framework I Use With Clients: BRIEF

I teach a tight, coachable framework I call BRIEF. Use it to shape a 45–90 second response that feels true and decisive.

B — Begin with the reason (one short sentence).
R — Reframe with the value gained (skills, certifications, responsibilities).
I — Illustrate with a brief outcome or project (one concrete example).
E — Express readiness and availability (now and practical constraints).
F — Forward the conversation to fit (ask a question or link to the role).

A BRIEF example structure (not a script) looks like this in prose: “I took time away to [reason]. During that period I [value gained/skill], for example I [project/outcome]. That experience left me ready to [what you bring now], and I’m excited to discuss how I can contribute to [specific aspect of the role].”

Practice this until it sounds conversational, not memorized.

How to Prepare Before the Interview

Audit your timeline and evidence

Before you step into any interview, create a simple timeline of your gap period. Include dates (use years only on your resume if the gap is small), activities (courses, volunteer roles, freelance projects), and measurable outcomes (hours taught, certifications completed, projects delivered). This becomes the raw material for concise answers.

To reinforce credibility, collect artifacts: certificates, project links, references from volunteer leaders, or emails that confirm part-time consulting. These are optional, but having them available increases confidence and supports claims if asked.

Rework your resume and cover letter to minimize unnecessary focus on dates

If a gap is short (under 12 months), drop months from dates and use years only. If the gap is longer, consider a functional or hybrid resume that leads with skills and accomplishments and then lists employment. In your cover letter, briefly acknowledge the gap if it is likely to catch attention, but keep the focus on skills and readiness.

Downloadable templates and practical examples make this faster—if you want ready-to-use resume and cover letter formats that help you emphasize skills over chronology, you can download free resume and cover letter templates that are formatted to reduce the visibility of short gaps and highlight transferable experience.

Prepare a 30–60 second elevator explanation

Write and rehearse a compact explanation based on BRIEF. Record yourself or practice with a friend. The goal is to make the answer feel natural and to always move the conversation forward to what you bring now.

Rehearse follow-up questions and awkward probes

Interviewers may ask follow-ups like “Why didn’t you return sooner?” or “Were you actively seeking work during that time?” Prepare short, non-defensive responses. For example, “Yes, I treated job search as a full-time project—targeted roles, networked, and pursued three certifications—because I wanted my next role to be strategic and aligned with my long-term goals.”

If a question treads into private medical or family territory, you are not required to go beyond a concise statement. Keep it brief and professional.

Scripts You Can Adapt (Templates, Not Stories)

Below are adaptable sentence structures you can personalize. Pick the one that best matches your situation, then use BRIEF to expand.

1. Planned leave / education:
   “I paused my career to complete [program/certification], which sharpened my [skill]. During that time I completed [concrete result], and I’m ready to apply that in this role.”
2. Caregiving / health:
   “I took time to focus on a family health matter that is now resolved. During that time I maintained professional development through [online courses/volunteer projects], and I’m committed to returning to a full-time role.”
3. Layoff:
   “My last position ended due to a company restructuring. Since then I focused on targeted upskilling—[certifications or projects]—and I’m now fully available and excited about this opportunity.”
4. Entrepreneurship / small business:
   “I launched a small business to explore [idea/service], which taught me [skill]. Though I decided not to continue, I gained concrete experience in [project/outcome], and I’m ready to bring that operational and client-focused mindset here.”
5. Traveling / relocation:
   “I took a planned relocation/travel break to [reason]. I developed cross-cultural communication and project planning skills while coordinating logistics and local partnerships, which strengthen my ability to work in global teams.”

When you use these scripts, always follow them with a forward move: “I’d love to tell you how those skills map to [specific part of job].”

What to Say — and What Not to Say

Say this

• One clear reason, stated without apology.
• The most relevant skill or experience you developed.
• A concise example or outcome that proves productivity.
• Confirmation you are ready and committed.
• A transition sentence that asks a question or ties to the job.

Avoid saying this

• Long, emotionally charged explanations or confessions.
• Defensive or blaming language.
• Vague statements like “it was complicated” without context.
• Overly personal medical details—maintain privacy.
• Fabrications or exaggerations (never claim consulting if you weren’t actively providing services).

Using STAR to Reinforce Credibility

STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is best when you need to provide evidence of something you accomplished during your break. Keep it compact.

Situation: Briefly describe the context (e.g., a volunteer organization needed social media support).
Task: State your responsibility (e.g., increase engagement).
Action: Explain what you did (e.g., designed a content calendar).
Result: Give the measurable outcome (e.g., engagement up 40% in three months).

Integrate STAR into the “Illustrate” part of BRIEF. An interview response might be: “During my break I led a volunteer project (Situation/Task). I built processes and content (Action) and saw a 40% engagement lift (Result). That experience strengthened my ability to launch campaigns under constraints, which fits this role’s priorities.”

Resume and LinkedIn Tactics That Support Your Interview Answer

Use years-only dates when appropriate

Using 2019–2021 instead of May 2019–Feb 2021 reduces the visual impact of short gaps. Be careful: if an employer asks for exact dates later, be honest. Years-only formatting is a resume-level tactic, not deception.

Group experience by skill area

If your recent activities span volunteer roles, freelance projects, and coursework, create skill-focused headings like “Product Design Experience” or “Global Project Experience.” This directs attention to capability rather than gaps.

Add a short “Career Break” entry with outcomes

If your gap included structured activity, add a brief entry such as “Career Transition — Strategic Upskilling and Volunteering” with 2–3 bullet lines describing outcomes. Keep it factual and results-oriented.

If you want examples and templates that show how to structure a resume and cover letter to emphasize skills rather than chronology, you can download free resume and cover letter templates that follow a hybrid layout designed for return-to-work transitions.

Optimize LinkedIn to reflect continuous activity

Use your headline and summary to highlight key skills and the value you bring, not dates. Add posts or articles about learning projects, and list certifications in the Licenses & Certifications section. Recruiters often look at behavior and results, not just continuous employment.

Common Interview Scenarios and How to Handle Them

Scenario: The interviewer asks, “What have you been doing for the past three years?”

Answer with BRIEF. Start with one-sentence reason, then lead with a skill and an outcome, then close by reaffirming readiness. Example flow: “I stepped away for caregiving, during which I coordinated complex schedules and advocacy, and I also completed a project management certification. I’m now fully available and excited to apply these planning skills here.”

Scenario: The interviewer probes with “Why didn’t you return earlier?”

If the reason was personal, reply succinctly: “The timing needed to respect the caregiving situation. With that resolved, I’ve shifted focus to my career and have been preparing intentionally for roles like this.”

Scenario: The interviewer sounds skeptical about career breaks

When faced with skepticism, stay calm and concise. Avoid justifying emotionally. Provide concrete evidence you kept skills current—courses, freelance work, volunteer leadership, or measurable outcomes.

Scenario: You were terminated for performance

If you were terminated, be honest but constructive. Use BRIEF and reflection: “I left that role because my approach didn’t meet expectations. I reflected on the feedback, completed targeted training in X, and changed my process to Y. I now bring a more structured approach that prevents those issues.”

Actionable Interview Prep Plan (6 Steps)

1. Map your timeline and collect evidence: dates, certificates, references.
2. Craft a 30–90 second BRIEF answer for your specific gap type.
3. Rework your resume to emphasize skills and outcomes (years-only dates if helpful).
4. Practice the BRIEF answer aloud until it’s conversational; record and refine.
5. Prepare two STAR examples from activities during the gap.
6. Run mock interviews with a coach or trusted peer; ask for blunt feedback on clarity and tone.

(Use this step-by-step plan as your rehearsal checklist the week before interviews.)

Addressing Tough Follow-Ups With Confidence

When asked for details you prefer not to share

If a question requests more personal or medical detail than you are comfortable sharing, use a polite deflection: “That was a personal matter which is resolved; professionally I focused on X and Y to stay ready for reentry.” This sets boundaries while keeping the focus on the job.

When interviewers push on continuity of skills

If they question gaps in technical skills, present a short learning plan: “I anticipated that concern, which is why I completed [course], practiced on [project], and maintained a schedule of weekly study and practical application. I can show you examples.”

When asked if you’ll leave again

Assure stability by explaining long-term intent and any practical constraints: “I’m at a stage where I’m looking for multi-year contribution; my recent choices were about aligning my professional direction, and I’m now committed to consistent, long-term growth.”

When to Bring Your Gap Up Proactively

You may want to mention the gap proactively if the role requires continuous licensing, if the interview starts with resume walk-through, or if the gap overlaps with a required qualification. Introduce it succinctly during your summary: “I’d like to acknowledge a career break in 2020–2021 when I focused on [reason], during which I completed [relevant outcome].”

If you prefer tailored help preparing your personal script and integrating it into your resume and LinkedIn, consider booking a free discovery call to create a concrete roadmap to your next role: book a free discovery call.

What Hiring Managers Respect Most

The single trait hiring managers respect in candidates with gaps is ownership. Candidates who own their narrative—neither apologizing nor over-defending—signal maturity. Follow ownership with specific, relevant evidence. The combination of candor, concrete proof, and forward-looking commitment removes most obstacles the gap creates.

Mistakes I See Professionals Make (And How to Fix Them)

One common mistake is over-explaining. Long explanations create more questions. Fix: Keep the reason to one sentence.

Another mistake is omitting evidence of activity. Hearing “I was job searching” without proof sounds like inactivity. Fix: Present a job-search regimen and one accomplishment from the period.

A third mistake is sounding uncertain about readiness. If you came back from a gap unsure of hours or commitments, it creates a hiring risk. Fix: Define your practical availability clearly.

If you want guided, hands-on support to convert your gap into a career advantage—resume edits, scripting, and interview practice—book a free discovery call to create your personalized plan: book a free discovery call.

Bringing Global Mobility Into the Conversation

For professionals whose gaps involve international relocation, travel, or cross-border caregiving, the experience is an asset. International exposure builds cultural intelligence, remote collaboration skills, and logistical planning—exactly the capabilities global employers prize.

When framing an international gap, emphasize language skills, coordination across time zones, vendor negotiation, visas and compliance knowledge, or setting up local operations. These are practical, job-relevant competencies that position you as a global hire rather than a candidate with unexplained time away.

If you want to integrate your international experience into a precise career plan that targets globally mobile roles, a short coaching session can help you map that plan and craft language that resonates with hiring managers.

Building Confidence Before the Interview

Confidence is a skill you can practice. Replace uncertainty with rehearsed clarity: know your BRIEF answer, two STAR stories, and a crisp explanation of your current availability. Practice eye contact, tone, and posture. Use mock interviews to simulate pressure. Confidence grows when your answers are tight and rehearsed.

If you need a structured program to build interviewing confidence alongside global mobility strategies, the Career Confidence Blueprint offers a systematic approach to strengthen your narrative, presentation, and application materials while aligning them with relocation and international career goals. Explore how a targeted course can accelerate your readiness to rejoin the workforce with clarity and impact: build a career-confidence roadmap with a structured course.

Quick Templates to Use in Interviews

Use these short templates, adapting the bracketed text to your circumstances. They are designed to be concise and forward-moving.

Template A — Caregiving:
“I took a planned career break to support a family member with health needs. During that time I completed [certification] and managed complex scheduling and stakeholder coordination. That experience strengthened my organization and communication skills—skills I’m ready to apply in this role.”

Template B — Layoff:
“My previous role ended due to a company restructuring. Since then I focused on targeted professional development—[course or project]—and I’m fully available to commit my skills to a stable, mission-aligned team.”

Template C — Entrepreneurship:
“I launched a business to explore

. I learned product-market fit, client management, and budget planning. After evaluating the effort, I decided to pivot back to an employee role where I can contribute those operational skills at scale.”

Template D — Travel/Relocation:
“I took time for an international move and cultural immersion, which developed my cross-cultural communication and project coordination skills. I used that time to volunteer on [project] and complete [course], and I’m focused on returning to a full-time role.”

Use the template that most closely matches your situation, practice it aloud, and then attach a quick STAR example to provide evidence.

Two Lists: Essential Checklists

1. Interview Prep Checklist (step-by-step)
   • Map your gap timeline with activities and outcomes.
   • Create a BRIEF 45–90 second answer.
   • Prepare two STAR examples from gap-time activities.
   • Update your resume to emphasize skills (use years-only dates if helpful).
   • Practice with mock interviews and refine tone.
   • Gather one or two references or artifacts from your gap period.
2. What to Include in a Short Interview Script
   • One-sentence reason for the gap.
   • One specific skill developed or improved.
   • One concrete example or outcome.
   • A clear statement of present availability.
   • A transition back to the role (“I’d love to show how this helps with…”).

(These two compact lists are designed to be used as your last-minute checklist before interviews.)

When a Gap Is Long: Re-entry Strategies

If your gap is several years, treat re-entry as a project. Break it into phases: skills refresh, market scanning, targeted applications, and interview practice. Enroll in short courses that are accepted in your industry, volunteer in roles that produce demonstrable outcomes, and consider contract or freelance assignments to rebuild recent references.

Longer gaps can be successfully reframed when you produce recent, relevant outputs—published articles, project portfolios, open-source contributions, or measurable volunteer impacts. The goal is to show a recent track record, not to erase the gap.

If you prefer a guided path that combines confidence-building, practical templates, and a step-by-step re-entry roadmap, the Career Confidence Blueprint is structured to help professionals rebuild momentum and integrate the realities of global relocation and career transitions: accelerate career confidence with a structured course.

Practical Examples of Transferable Skills to Highlight

When explaining a gap, focus on tangible, transferrable skills rather than abstract virtues. Examples include:

• Project management: planning, milestones, stakeholder coordination.
• Communication: client or volunteer coordination, negotiation.
• Digital skills: analytics, social media execution, course certifications.
• Leadership: volunteer team leadership, small business team oversight.
• Resilience and adaptability: navigating international moves, medical logistics.
• Budget and resource management: running a household or small business finances.

Use one specific example to validate each claim.

Closing the Interview Strongly After Addressing the Gap

After you’ve given your concise answer, redirect the conversation toward the role. Ask a smart, engaged question: “Given my recent experience in [skill], can you tell me more about how the team measures success in this area?” That shifts the dialog from your past to the employer’s present needs and reinforces the message that you’re future-focused and ready to deliver.

Conclusion

Explaining a gap in a job interview is not about defending your choices; it’s about owning your story, demonstrating clear outcomes, and moving the conversation to how you can solve the employer’s problems now. Use the BRIEF framework, prepare two STAR-backed examples, and rehearse until your explanation is confident and concise. Rework your resume to highlight skills and keep your interview energy forward-looking.

If you’re ready to build a personalized roadmap that turns your employment gap into a launchpad for your next role, book a free discovery call and we’ll create a practical plan tailored to your goals: Book a free discovery call.

FAQ

Q: Should I put a gap on my resume or try to hide it?
A: Don’t hide significant time gaps. Use resume formatting (years-only dates, skill-focused sections) to reduce emphasis on short gaps, and include a brief, factual entry for longer gaps that lists outcomes and activities. Transparency paired with evidence demonstrates professionalism and maturity.

Q: How long should my interview answer about a gap be?
A: Aim for 45–90 seconds. One sentence for the reason, one or two sentences for the value gained with a quick example, and one sentence that asserts readiness and links to the role.

Q: How can I demonstrate I haven’t lost technical skills during a gap?
A: Produce recent outputs—certificates, small projects, GitHub repos, analytics dashboards, or campaign results. If you lack outputs, create a short, relevant project now and present it as evidence.

Q: Is it okay to say the gap was for mental health or burnout recovery?
A: Yes, but keep the explanation concise and professional: “I took time to address health and ensure I could contribute sustainably. With that resolved, I’ve resumed training and am ready for full-time work.” Focus on readiness and specific steps you’ve taken to prevent recurrence.