Employment gaps on job application?

Question

I'm filling out a job application for a trucking job I am very interested in . They are quite picky about gaps in employment history ( I suspect due to homeland security measures taken in recent yrs ) In between where you list the jobs it ask for the date of the gaps and states this " During my unemployment I was engaged as follows " What exactly are they asking for ? And what would be the best thing put in this box ? I was looking for work and live in an area where the economy is pretty rough I had been out for work for quite awhile.. Should I just tell them I had been out of work looking for work at that time ? Which would be the truth. Some of the gaps are a couple months long. What can I put in there that would make it look the best...Or is there a way of making it look good and it is what it is ? Thanks for your replies..

Answer 1

If you are able to, I would submit the application with a cover letter. In that letter you can address the gaps in your history as well as you can. Most employers just want to know that you weren't being lazy or goofing off during that time. By bringing it up in a cover letter you are showing that you care about the position and were just being hit by a rough local economy.  

Answer 2

Yeah, I think they just want to know the reason why you were out of work for that period (took a class, illness, etc.)  It may help if you noted if you were laid off from a previous employer...that way you can let them know that afterwords you spent the time looking for work.

Good luck.  The economy sucks...I was laid off a year ago...I went back to school but I know how hard it is to find a job today!!  Best Wishes!