Yes, I visited a recruiting agency, too. I actually emailed dozens of recruiters, and eventually one replied, and said let's meet. He said I don't have experience, and he tried to convince me to register in a course that costs 1000s of dollars for a company to get that experience. I felt he was selling that's company course. I told him, no thanks. For that money I can go back to school and get a master's degree (again). He said we will meet again, but has't got back to me.

I hear people lie about the gap. I don't like to lie at all. I say I was traveling (which I kind of was) or on leave or something, but I guess people don't like the gap for whatever reason. Also, what if they did some check on where you said you worked?