I had an 8-month break in 2024 due to work stress, and now I'm trying to get back into work. I know recruiters look at gaps in your CV, so I'm wondering whether I really need to explain what happened or if I can just put "personal leave" and call it a day.
You can definitely just put "personal leave" without going into detail and it's totally legit, but the idea that you absolutely have to hide everything is wrong - recruiters see gaps everywhere and it's become normal. If you really want to explain without saying the word "burnout" which can scare people, you can simply note "professional break for health reasons" or "personal reorientation" in one line, then shift your focus to what you're doing *now*: a training course you took during that time, personal projects, or just how you got back on your feet. What matters is showing that you're stable and motivated to come back, not convincing them that nothing happened.
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