According to the U.S. Department of Labor, March 2004 had the largest gain in hiring in nearly four years. But as of then, there were still about 8 million Americans without jobs, and almost 23% of those had been unemployed for six months or more.

Many of those who are unemployed were laid off, terminated, downsized or let go ("fired") through no fault of their own.

In this era corporate mergers, dot-com disasters, and a struggling economy, we've all come to realize that job security is quite rare these days.

While losing your job is still very painful, it is no longer considered a career-ending experience.

So when you're interviewing and that question about a gap in your employment comes up, there's really no need to lie.

Keep your answer brief, state what you've learned from the experience (if anything positive), and express your desire to move on. It shouldn't be the focal point of your interview.

Employers want to know about your talent, skills and capabilities, so emphasize those, assure them that you can help solve their problems, and convince them that you will be a hard-working, loyal and dedicated employee.

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Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.