That line on your resume that makes your stomach drop in interviews isn’t the problem. The way you’re talking about it is. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly why career gaps and layoffs quietly derail otherwise strong candidates and how most people accidentally confirm an interviewer’s worst fears without realizing it.

I walk you through what hiring managers are actually thinking when they see a gap on your resume and the two mistakes that cost candidates job offers every single day. I also share the simple three-part formula I use with clients to turn layoffs and career gaps into one of the most confident moments of the interview. No over-explaining. No defensiveness. No awkward justifications. Just a clear, calm story that reassures the interviewer and shifts the conversation back to your value.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to talk about layoffs without spiraling or apologizing for your existence, and you’ll finally feel in control of a question that used to throw you off your game. If you’ve been dreading this part of the interview or replaying your answer in your head after every call, this one might change everything. Hit play and I’ll walk you through exactly what to say and why it works.

1:16 – Why Career Gaps Aren’t Automatically Dealbreakers for Hiring Managers

2:52 – The Three Hidden Fears Recruiters Have About Resume Gaps (and How to Disarm Them)

6:06 – The Most Common Mistakes People Make When Discussing Layoffs in Interviews

8:17 – The Simple 3-Step Formula That Turns Your Career Gap Into an Interview Strength

13:09 – How to Pivot from Explaining Your Gap to Proving You’re Perfect for the Role

16:17 – Why Owning Your Story (Not Over-Explaining) Makes You Instantly More Attractive to Employers

🛎️ FREEBIES & RESOURCES:

1. Actively looking for a job in Customer Success or plan to in the near future? Apply for 1:1 Coaching with me HERE
2. Optimize your resume for Customer Success jobs to land consistent interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/resume
3. Learn how to sell yourself as the best candidate & walk into your next Customer Success job interview with confidence with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/sellyourself
4. Learn how to MASTER Behavioral Interviews with my FREE Training: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/behavioral

♥️ CONNECT WITH ME:

1. Let's be LinkedIn friends: www.linkedin.com/in/carly-agar/
2. Got any questions? Send me an email at support@carlyagar.com

➡️ HEAD TO THE SHOW NOTES: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/episode103

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Thanks for tuning in to the Customer Success Career Coach podcast! I'll catch you next week.

🎙️ New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Mentioned in this episode:

We analyzed 1,474 CSM conversations to uncover why they’re leaving and what actually keeps them in 2026. Grab the free Talent Report here: https://customer-success-career.captivate.fm/report