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In a market as hot as information technology, IT recruiters and IT managers tend to be very suspicious of IT contractors who haven’t been employed for stretches beyond 6 months. Of course, for IT consultants with big gaps on their resumes, there is certainly hope for getting IT jobs.  For these IT professionals, it’s all about selling yourself carefully to IT staffing agencies and employers.  Here are a few things you can do to deftly repackage yourself after a long stint of unemployment.

1.      Be prepared to explain your reason for unemployment and what you’ve been doing during that time.  It’s important that either you have a good reason you’ve been out of the workforce (like taking care of a family member, maternity leave, etc).  If you don’t, the next best thing is to make sure you’ve been busy during that time doing things that still increase your value to the workforce.  Classes, volunteering, and an active job search are all great things to be doing during this time.

2.      Even if you’re desperate, don’t let it show.  Employers don’t want to hire just anybody for their job.  They want the best candidate with the most interest and passion for the position.  Focus on these points, rather than how much you personally need or want the job.  Selling yourself as the best fit, not the one what wants the job the most, is the only way you’ll succeed.

3.      Dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s.  If you’re unemployed, you have absolutely no excuses left for errors in your job application materials, your interviews, etc.  Technically, you have an advantage over your employed competition.  Make sure you use the time you have to your advantage and be prepared and polished.  It could eclipse your employment gap!