How do I explain a gap in my resume from being unemployed?

Been out of work for several months now and starting to apply again. How do I handle the gap without it tanking my chances?

Gaps are far more normal and far less disqualifying than people assume, especially post-2020 — most hiring managers have seen plenty of them. The main thing is to have a brief, honest, non-defensive explanation ready rather than being caught off guard: "I was laid off in a company-wide reduction and have been focused on finding the right next role" is completely fine and true for a lot of people. If you used the time for anything concrete — a certification, freelance work, caregiving, volunteering — it's worth a short line on the resume itself so the gap isn't a blank space. Avoid over-apologizing or over-explaining in an interview; one or two sentences and then pivot back to what you're looking for next is usually the right length. If the gap is recent and ongoing, it's fine to be upfront that you're currently searching — trying to hide an obvious, easily-discoverable gap tends to read worse than just addressing it directly.