A few years back, I applied for a JavaScript role.

I had a great 30-minute conversation with a recruiter.

However, I had crushing, painful experiences with managers and felt ripped off at prior jobs. I was looking for new work after a period of a year and a half.

This recruiter treated my gap in employment as a significant issue. I had been on GitHub, improving my skills.

But that cold, corporate fact seemed to matter more to her than my character, skills, and passion for Walmart. I thought I was having a conversation and getting through to this person.

I believed these individuals were innovators with a startup ethos. Instead, they proved to be cutthroat bureaucrats to the bitter end.

I was so disappointed.

After a great 30-minute interview, I was presented with a thick, hearty resume of accomplishments, but also a gap in my employment history. The interviewer asked: "Explain the gap in your resume."