U.S. employment gaps widen, long-term joblessness rises: LiveCareer
GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO — New research from resume platform LiveCareer shows a rise in employment gaps among U.S. workers.
An analysis of over 27 million resumes created between 2020 and 2025 revealed that career interruptions have become more common, with long-term joblessness on the rise.
According to the report, nearly one in four job seekers (25%) had at least a 12-month gap in employment in 2025, up from 19% in 2020. Even short-term gaps became more frequent, with more than 50% of workers reporting a one-month break in 2025. The share of job seekers with uninterrupted employment dropped from 57% in 2020 to 48% in 2025.
Pandemic effects linger in workforce data
“The data indicates that the labor market has not stabilized from the start of the pandemic and has become an increasingly tough landscape for the workforce,” the report stated. Despite periods of labor shortages in recent years, workers continue to face instability.
A growing number of white-collar professionals, in particular, have experienced layoffs or extended job searches, a trend some have dubbed a “white-collar recession.”
Career gaps of all durations have steadily increased over the five-year span, suggesting that recovery in the labor market remains uneven. The data indicates not just cyclical unemployment but also structural changes in how and when people work.
Rethinking gaps: From red flags to resilience
The report urges both employers and job seekers to adapt. For applicants, explaining employment gaps strategically — as times of upskilling, caregiving, or pivoting careers — can make a difference. For hiring managers, the growing prevalence of gaps demands a shift in perspective.
A new normal for hiring
The data suggests that transparency about career breaks is becoming normalized. In today’s volatile job market, layoffs and employment pauses are increasingly seen as part of a typical career trajectory — not disqualifying events.
“We are in the midst of a culture shift where job seekers are becoming more transparent about their career gaps and employers are beginning to have a more accepting outlook about these breaks in employment,” Jasmine Escalera, career expert at LiveCareer, said in a statement.
“There are many legitimate reasons to have an employment gap and layoffs are an unavoidable hallmark of today’s labor market. It’s time to remove the stigma and view changing careers, serving as a caregiver, and taking time to upskill as worthy time investments.”
The findings were based on resumes created through LiveCareer’s online resume builder between January 1, 2020, and February 28, 2025.
