Dear J.T. & Dale: I am currently unemployed after deciding last June that I wanted to take time off from working. However, now I need to begin applying for a job. My question to you is, What is the best way to describe my six-month layoff to potential employers? Should I be honest and tell them that I just needed some time off from the working world? Or is there a way that I can make my time off appear like a normal, not such a big deal thing? — Luke

Dale: Yes, there is a way to make it seem like a normal, not such a big deal thing — you call it a “sabbatical.” The sabbatical is a marvelous concept, mostly limited to academic life, where you take a period of time away from work once every seven years. (You see the logical connection to the root word “Sabbath.”) Businesspeople all envy the academics who get paid leave, and thus, their reaction to your doing so is most likely to be a mix of envy and admiration, as opposed to the doubts and suspicions aroused by hearing about an extended period of unemployment.

J.T.: What would make the “sabbatical” term especially apt is if you can portray it as a learning experience, one that will make you a more committed employee. If possible, tell prospective employers what you learned while taking time off. If nothing else, emphasize how it has left you refreshed and excited about working again.