How can I explain 15 years no work history on my resume as a NEET?

Just be honest:

Them: Why the gap?!

You: Well, there was no real need to work. I was lucky enough that my family could support and I was living comfortably. While everybody was content with this, I've since decided that this isn't what I want the rest of my life to be.

I'm looking for more independence and you could even say a purpose/responsibility, and me being here is one of the steps to actually achieve that.

I left out the "with no adult responsibilities" though, because that would be a red flag for me. But apart from that, if someone a bit older comes to me for an entry job with that explanation I would accept it.

• It has honesty
• It's concrete, there is a clear goal for your future
• It explains the gap (you weren't in jail or something)
• It seems like you're ready to grow to the next step and want to put some effort in it.

Yes, I would be a little skeptical but, for an entry level job, that would not be the biggest issue, we could offer you a short contract first, or a longer probation to compensate.

I don't think this would work for every job, but I do think that if a manager has issues with the honesty-approach, that isn't where you want to be anyway :)

Good luck!

I'll happily take a job at McDonald's or Walmart if they'll have me, but I fear my history is so bad even they'll turn me down

No Fear, dude. Just apply and see what happens. You have nothing to lose when you apply for these jobs. They may offer you some position.

I've also heard that lying can come back to bite you

Yeah, don't lie when applying for a job.

How can I explain 15 years no work history on my resume as a NEET?

Tell them the truth about the last 15 years.

From today on, your resume will look better if you try to get some new work experiences by volunteering to work for non-profit organizations.

That will demonstrate to the hiring managers of for-profit companies that you really want to change the direction of your life/career starting now.

Some other options:

1. College: In addition, you can also go back to college and finish your degree.
2. Trade Schools, Vocational Schools, Technical Schools: These can also provide you with good careers.
3. Freelance or Self-employment: If you are good at something such as computer graphics, UI design, photoshop, video editing, music editing, video game testing (fun stuff), etc..., you can try to work as a freelancer. There are lots of websites for freelancers to find clients.
4. Volunteer: You can also volunteer to work for some non-profit organizations. They might or might not pay you, but you will learn some valuable work experiences to put on your resume. Furthermore, these organizations may give you good references when you apply for jobs at for-profit companies.

I'm obviously not looking for any significant position. I'll happily take a job at McDonald's or Walmart if they'll have me, but I fear my history is so bad even they'll turn me down. I do not have a car so I cannot do Uber or food delivery.

McDonalds might still have certain requirements because they handle food (at least I would hope so). I'm not saying you couldn't be trained, anyone can, but obviously if training is required, they look more closely at applications if it's worth the investment.

If you look for a job that takes virtually anyone, any company that has a warehouse, for example e-commerce, needs pickers and packers. That are the people getting the ordered items from the shelves (pick) and putting them into the packages (pack). Both are jobs required in large quantities. I know our warehouse had 3000 people and it wasn't that large. It requires literally nothing but good feet and stamina. It isn't the greatest of jobs, but it's dry and clean. Speaking the local language is already a plus. They will start their hiring of more workforce for Christmas season soon, so even in a recession, they need people. People will tell you this job is replaced by robots... yeah, maybe at the top 1% of Amazon warehouses. Not for the normal competitors. It sounds cynical, but robots cost money... people at minimum wage don't. Not on the same level.

They take everyone because they don't have requirements. They might still look at your application and wonder if you even show up if they say "yes". Or if you can stand to work for a full week. In my experience they will take the risk anyway, they have a constant flow of people in and out and it's not a risk to train someone for a day or two if you do it constantly to dozens of people anyway.

But in case that becomes a problem, you can always volunteer at a charity (local soup kitchen etc) for a few months. Yes, I know, they don't pay you, that's why it's called volunteering, but it will show potential future employers that you know what it takes to show up and do the work day after day after day.

Find a job and just apply. Make sure someone proof-reads your applications. Go for it. There is no downside to writing one and getting rejected. It doesn't cost you anything. One of them will succeed.

I'll happily take a job at McDonald's or Walmart if they'll have me, but I fear my history is so bad even they'll turn me down.

Don't worry.

The hospitality sector (restaurants, hotels) and the mass-shopping sector (supermarkets, with or without deliveries) have a very high turn-over rate: those are entry-level jobs that most able-bodied person can take, so many people looking to earn money apply, and those are low-paid jobs, often with annoying hours, so most people who get a better opportunity leave.

As a result, those sectors need a constant influx of people, and cannot afford to be too picky. In fact, you could fare better than a university student (for example) as said student would both work & study, so they're likely to be more tired on shift than you would.

I was in university for a few years after graduating high school, failed out, and moved in with my parents with whom I have lived ever since. I have not worked in all this time because frankly I had no desire to, and because my parents enabled me I enjoyed living a relatively comfortable life with no adult responsibilities.

The resume is fairly "formal", so it's not the place to mention any of this. If you have zero work experience, simply submit a resume with an empty work experience section or perhaps a simple "none" to make it clear you did not forget to fill it out.

Later, at the interview stage, you will like be asked to elaborate:

• Avoid "negative" phrasing ("no desire to", "no adult responsibilities") and simply mention that you did not need to work, so chose not to.
• Avoid being too whimsical there too. Do not mention that you are looking to relieve boredom, or would like to grow... as after 15 years without working people may wonder if your motivation will hold even for a few months.
• Instead, simply say that you need (more) money now. Most people work for money, first and foremost, you'll fit right in.

First of all, never ever lie on a resume. Getting caught in a lie is the worst of all worlds. You went to University for a while, you dropped out, you helped with family care for 15 years. Not all that uncommon a progression. While people may assume you were raising children (especially if you were female) they cannot legally ask in most places.

Secondly, there are a ton of jobs that will hire someone with no work experience, many already mentioned: warehouse pickers, fast food cooks, restaurant dishwashers or table bussers, convenience store cashiers, store shelf stockers, motel night clerk, customer service, etc. These are all low-skilled jobs that people leave as soon as they find something better, so they tend to have constant turnover and thus are constantly hiring. (You, also, will quickly want to leave these jobs for something better. But nobody will question why a Walmart greeter is looking for a better job.)

While most of the big online job listing sites have a variety of desk jobs that require "no experience", you will be competing for those jobs against people with more work experience; don't be discouraged if you get rejected on applying. Even people looking for jobs with significant work history get mostly rejections when applying for jobs. Walking around your city looking for "Help Wanted" or "Now Hiring" signs might be more productive -- but again, you are looking for low-paying (probably minimum wage) undesirable jobs just to get your foot in the door.

Your local government may have services available for people looking to enter the workforce -- they may have lists of employers, resume services, interview prep, etc. Your taxes support these services, don't be ashamed to use them.

As for the gap, while you should not lie, you can stretch the truth. You were a homemaker, helping to take care of family. It used to be fairly common to see women entering the workforce for the first time after their children were grown, 15 years is not an uncommon span for that. Don't lie, just let people assume that you were productively busy for all that time. Do not volunteer details -- most of the things you mentioned doing are just routine tasks that people do in addition to a job.

If you've never held a job you may find that it's best to ease in slowly -- get something 10-15 hours a week, and once you are accustomed to that, go for more hours, either where you are or moving a step up the ladder. By that point you may have a better idea what kinds of work you want to do, and can start assembling experience in that direction.

But again -- you are starting from the bottom, applying for jobs where the barrier to entry is low because employers cannot retain staff for these low paid jobs. (And in some places you will be competing for even these jobs with laid-off professionals with significant work experience.)

Why have you not had a job in 15 years?

I have not worked in all this time because frankly I had no desire to, […] I take care of some household responsibilities, like grocery shopping and taking the pets to the vet…

Please do not mention your lack of motivation and these menial tasks in your job interview as proof of maturity and responsibility. These are jobs a 14-year-old can do, so why would anyone hire you in a fast food restaurant?

Tell your would-be employer you want to turn over a new leaf, you feel embarrassed and remorse for your laziness, you realise you have been living off the backs of your parents all your life while being healthy in body and mind. But now you are prepared to work from the bottom up.

Show them evidence that you are attending evening school, training to be a plumber, learning to drive, doing volunteer work, helping neighbours tidy their backyard, babysitting–anything that shows initiative.

An employer wants to see commitment, especially from someone in their 30s, and a modicum of ambition and humility. And in order to achieve any goal in life, it's a good idea to be financially independent.

I disagree with your take on the situation:

I am now looking for work and need to explain why I have not been employed for so long.

Rather, you will need to convince your future employer that you will actually reliably do some work. Your 15 year gap with apparently absolutely nothing in it (No private projects? No volunteering? Nothing?) shows that you have never had any motivation to do so. You will have to provide a compelling reason for your change of heart. Do you have one?

For most people the obviously compelling reason to get and keep a job is money. In a face to face interview you can always explain that you were fully supported by your parents until recently, but your financial situation has changed (which is vague enough to be almost always true), so now you need some stable income for the foreseeable future. That should be convincing enough to land you an entry-level job eventually.