lalalanddallas's journey

I was laid off from a Fortune 500 consulting firm in March, and since then, I've been actively interviewing for new roles. I've made it to the final rounds with three different companies, but unfortunately, I haven't received any offers yet. To navigate the employment gap on my resume, I've been listing my last position as my current job to avoid potential discrimination and to improve my chances of getting through ATS screening. I've received mixed advice from friends and family about whether to keep it that way or to update my resume to reflect that my employment ended in March. Part of me thinks that if I do get to the background check stage, I could always clarify my actual employment dates then. However, I'm also considering being more transparent and updating my resume to show the end date. Some people suggested that I could list freelance consulting or even a ‘stay-at-home dad’ role during this time, but I’m unsure about that approach. I’ve noticed that having an end date on my last job has led to solid referrals from colleagues who wanted to help me out, so I'm leaning towards honesty. I’m curious about what the best approach would be in this situation.