48-year-old job candidate gets grilled about a gap in his resume from 20+ years ago: 'Can you tell us what you were doing during that time?'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Sep 20, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Explaining the gap on your resume is usually something you have to prepare for if you haven't been working for some time. It's an unfortunate reality of interviewing to be part of the modern workforce. However, most folks who have been working for decades do not exactly expect to be asked about a three-year gap from more than 20 years ago.

That's what happened to this 48-year-old job candidate, who was in the process of being interviewed by a panel of four businessmen for a senior software position. He likely expected to discuss the experience he gained over the course of his professional career, his passion for the company, and what he could contribute to the position. However, instead, he was asked about a brief period of time in his 20s when he was in between jobs. 

Some members of this online community pointed out that the 48-year-old's response was not ideal. Essentially, he got a bit defensive, and the rest of the interview turned out to be more hostile than anything else. However, we don't begrudge him for being completely thrown off guard with a seemingly irrelevant question that was way out of line. Still, his behavior and the question itself proved to be divisive among this community. Some folks even went so far as to explain why the question was justified. We would not go that far. If anything, it seems like that period of time gave this man the opportunity to pivot to a path that was ultimately fruitful for him professionally. To us, it seems like the gap may have led to personal and professional clarity. What do you all think? Keep scrolling below for the discourse!

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  • "They put me on the spot about a gap in my CV from over 25 years ago."

    A bearded man sits at a desk opposite another man in a professional setting.
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  • It's hard to put oneself in this man's shoes, given that he had prepared so many remarks to best position himself for the job. Of course, in the end, he was not given the opportunity to talk about any of his assets. Instead, he had to defend something so minor from decades ago. Clearly, these recruiters were grasping at straws to find reasons not to hire him.

  • Anyway, a few weeks ago, I was in a panel interview for a senior software position. There were four of them on the video call.
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  • Suddenly, the recruiter jumped in and asked me: 'Look, I see in your CV that you graduated in 1998, but then there's a gap until 2001. Can you tell us what you were doing during that time?'
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  • Honestly, I paused for a second before I answered. I looked at the camera and told him: 'I am 48 years old. If I were to write everything I've done in my life since high school in my CV, it would be 12 pages long.' Then I explained the situation briefly. I
    via SelectIce4931
  • mean, I could accept it if they asked about a gap from, say, two years ago. But something from more than twenty years ago? Seriously, what's the point?
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  • A man in a suit removes a portfolio from his briefcase.
    via Unsplash+ (Tahir Osman)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • CtForrestEye • 3h ago I was told by recruiters to only have the last ten years on my resume. Especially in IT as knowledge 20 or 30 years old no longer applies.
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  • When I did that is when I got responses and a job. There is age discrimination in hiring. They were out of line.
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  • Fryphax 3h ago You responded defensively, RIP your promotion. I would have told them I was in some sort of Religious retreat.
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  • dave200204 · 3h ago Twenty years ago? Get over it. I mean if they're obsessed with ancient history tell them that you're writing a memoir and they'll have to wait until it's published to get the rest of the story.
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  • Don't actually do this as you're not likely to get the job. LOL
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  • • Tattycakes 54m ago Someone didn't find a job immediately after graduating, isn't that kinda normal?
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  • rskurat ⚫ 14m ago recruiter just trying to justify their cut. Probably got eye rolls from the client too
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  • Dawn80 1m ago I'd say enviable and true like I traveled to XYZ and stayed to support a XYZ project or was a flight instructor. I read novels and took care of family. I became a mother of two and raised my babies off grid, hunting and raising emus.
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  • bagofwisdom • 18m ago It might be possible the recruiter didn't even realize that was 25 years ago. There's days where my brain plays tricks on me like 2001 was just yesterday. It takes a while before I snap out of it and realized I've lived a good amount of life since then.
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  • ctesibius 3h ago . I've done interviews. A three year gap is quite a while, and yes, I would probably ask. A one-line entry would be enough to avoid that. B -13 -13 ○ Reply
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  • Routine_Awarenes... • 3h ago I think it's a fair question. A three year gap is definitely something I would ask about. Traveling, working oil fields, sabbatical, prison, military service, all of these things come to mind.
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  • If you just jumped from job to job, I would just add one line about odd jobs or something.
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  • Unless you spent the time doing something you're not proud of or is classified, it could be a really nice conversation starter. -14 -14 ☐ Reply
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