If you were unemployed or redundant, say so. It's far better to be honest and these days many individuals experienced brief periods of unemployment. It's nothing to be ashamed of.. If you were sacked, then that is slightly different but I don't think you should try and fiddle your employment dates because former employers, when asked for a reference, might well confirm that you were employed from e.g. Sept 03 to November 04, and a smart employer might spot the discrepancy on your CV. If you lie about this, they might have doubts about your credi bility and honesty as a future employee.