Employers don’t care for long, unexplained gaps on your resume. If you’ve dropped out of the work force, it’s important to try to fill your life with things that can become bullet points on your promotional one-sheet.

Blonde & Balanced features a guest post that focuses on military spouses who stay home when their significant others are deployed, but much of the advice can apply to anyone who has been laid off or resigned without any other prospects lined up.

Volunteering and charity work are excellent options that show how virtuous and generous you can be. If you’ve got kids and run the household as a stay-at-home parent, you can highlight organizational skills and responsibilities you employed in that role.

Time off from work is also an opportunity to go back to school. Even if you’re only taking a single class at a time, you can say that you spent your time away from the workforce working toward a new degree.

How To Update Your Resume As A Military Spouse [Blonde & Balanced]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.