When you get to the interview, be prepared to discuss your resume. In addition to explaining why you left previous companies, you may have to explain any gaps in employment. Many people are scared that an interviewer is going to discover that they were without a job for a period of time. It is not necessarily a bad thing, but you do have to be able to tell the interviewer why in the best possible light.

You should always be honest when explaining any absence from working, but you do have license to spin what you did do in the best possible light. For instance, if you were laid off your job and had a hard time finding a new job, but spent a lot of time with your children you could say, “I took an opportunity to spend a few months with my children in between jobs.”

If you took time off of work to return to school be sure to mention that as well. You may find it beneficial to add a brief explanation in a cover letter as most times it is hard to get to an interview if there is a lengthy and unexplained employment gap.

If you are unsure what possible questions could be generated from your resume, have another person look at it. It is best to be prepared for certain questions and scenarios that will likely come up in an interview. You do not want to be caught unaware or floundering for an answer as to why there are gaps in your employment record. Give yourself time to figure out the best explanation for times of unemployment so an interviewer sees it as reasonable.