Don't panic if an employer asks about a gap on your resume, career expert says—here's exactly how to answer

In a job interview, any aspect of a candidate's work history is fair game for questions, says career expert Erin McGoff — including any times you weren't working.

If an interviewer asks you to explain a gap on your resume, don't panic, she says. Come prepared for the question and try to stay cool and collected when you answer.

In the recent past, having an employment gap might have put you at a disadvantage in the hiring process, but it's increasingly rare for professionals to have an entirely linear career path, according to McGoff, the author of "The Secret Language of Work: Hyper-Helpful Scripts for Every Situation." 

Rather than trying to avoid talking about a resume gap, she says, it's best to face the topic head-on so that you can assuage any concerns and demonstrate your readiness to continue building your career.

Your goal, McGoff says, is to provide an answer that makes them think, "Oh, that makes sense. That's not a red flag at all."

Here's how she recommends tackling this tricky interview subject.

When responding to this question, McGoff recommends following the 90/10 rule: "Spend only 10 percent of your answer actually explaining the gap, and 90 percent of the time talking about your competency, learnings, and improved skills," she writes in her book.

It's equally important to keep your answers positive and "forward-looking," she says.

If you took time off to be a caregiver, for example, a good response might start with something like, "I stepped back from full-time employment to care for my young children."

Then, she recommends highlighting anything you did to hone your skills in the meantime, such as freelancing, attending industry conferences, participating in workshops, or keeping up with news and developments in the industry.

Finally, look ahead and share your enthusiasm. You might say, "I'm so excited to jump back in," and go on to share what drew you specifically to this role or company, and what you'd bring to it.

Layoffs are another "really common" reason that candidates have gaps in their work history, according to McGoff. Given the spate of high-profile layoffs in recent years, companies are less likely to see that as a red flag, she says.

Start by succinctly addressing the layoff. For example, you might say: "I really loved my previous role. Unfortunately, I was affected by company-wide restructuring."

Next, pivot to your interest in the role you're interviewing for: "However, I'm grateful because now it means I can pursue this opportunity." Expand on why you're interested in that particular company and role, and emphasize the experience and expertise, including transferable skills, you'd bring from previous jobs.

Responding concisely and confidently will assuage any lingering concerns an employer might have about your work history, McGoff says.

She emphasizes that candidates aren't obligated to disclose the reason they took time off. If you'd prefer not to go into detail, McGoff recommends keeping your response short and sweet: "I took some time from full-time employment to deal with something personal. I'm happy to say everything is resolved now, and I couldn't be more excited about jumping back in."

Ultimately, having a resume gap is probably "not a dealbreaker" for the hiring manager, because they saw your resume and brought you in for an interview anyway, she says.

If they ask about the gap, "they're just curious what you were doing during that time," she says. "Don't stress about it too much."

Want to land your dream job? Take CNBC's online course How to Ace Your Job Interview to learn what hiring managers really look for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay.