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Following the news that Adele is taking a break from performing, it sparked a widespread conversation about taking time away from work without being judged.

For many employees —especially women who are not international pop stars —walking away from an income isn’t feasible or supported by employers. And many employees fear how employers could perceive a gap on their resume. I spoke with several experts—all recommend framing a career break in a positive, productive way.

Julia Belak, certified resume writer at Kickresume, shared tips and insights for employees on how to explain gaps or career breaks on your CV, even if you’re not a global superstar. Belak states that there are lots of reasons people might take a career break—from returning from parental leave or other caregiving responsibilities. Or you might have taken some time to travel, or maybe you were looking after your health.

“Whatever the reason, having a recent break on your CV doesn’t mean you aren’t a good candidate,” Belak emphasizes. “It just means you might have to change your strategy a little for your job search. For instance, build a functional CV that opens with a list of your skills rather than with your experience—this lets you show off your relevant skills right from the start.”

She suggests that you make sure you include any additional education or training you might have taken during your break, as well as any new skills you learned. “In the experience section of your CV, just add a line to briefly summarize why you took a career break,” Belak adds. “Be prepared to talk about it in the interview, and don’t worry! Plenty of people have come back after a break and carried on having a successful career.”

Eva Chan, career advisor at Resume Genius, told me by email, “Our Hiring Trends Survey found that 69% of hiring managers are concerned about career gaps, although it wasn’t the biggest red flag.” Chan shares that hiring managers understand the job market has been tough and that life events like a recent layoff can cause career disruptions. “But they still get anxious when seeing employment gaps on resumes,” she admits. “While attitudes toward gaps may have softened slightly, job seekers need to be transparent and present these gaps as times of personal or professional growth. Explain them clearly, and these gaps won’t be a big deal in your job search.”

Chan insists that when addressing a career break on your CV, it’s completely fine to acknowledge that you took some time to recharge and focus on other parts of your life. “Whether you spent time on personal development, caregiving or simply needed to reset and re-prioritize, it’s all about framing your break in a positive and clear way. You don’t have to go into every detail—just focus on what you gained from the experience, whether that’s new skills, personal growth, or volunteering.”Chan suggests that you include a short entry in your CV, explaining the break by highlighting how you stayed productive. “You can easily mention that you used the time off to reset or focus on things like family, health, or passion projects,” she points out. “In your cover letter, you can expand on your career gap more by talking about how you used the time to recharge, learn something new, or focus on family or personal priorities. Framing your CV gaps positively shows hiring managers that your career break was intentional and helped prepare you for the next step in your career. The key is to be honest without oversharing. Keep your explanation professional and emphasize how this break has equipped you to contribute even more in your next role. Employers appreciate transparency, but what they really want to know is how you’re ready to make an impact moving forward.”

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Adele is taking a break from her singing career for an undisclosed amount of time. What would happen … [+]  Getty Images for AD

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