explaining a short job-switch in resume

[joe from dayton]

We do background checks off a work history form -- not a resume. A complete work history wants every job you've had within X amount of time. A resume cherry picks what is to your advantage. If a manager doesn't know a resume isn't a work history, they shouldn't be a manager, and you may not want to work there.

[bobsell]

Originally Posted by moneymkt

Do you think employers will still care if the OP current job is 5 years or more? I mean why question someone about a gap if they been employed for 5 or more years?

Depends on the employer. I've seen employers whose job application requires candidates to account for every gap, by month/year.

Example:

12/2017 - present - XYZ company, yadda yadda
8-2017 - 11/2017 - unemployed
2/2016 - 7-2017 - ABC company, etc.

Some care about gaps that are recent, others care about all gaps.

Remember, a typical employer gets 100-200 applications per job ad, so they're looking for any reason to reject them.

[sandsthetime]

Originally Posted by bobsell

Depends on the employer. I've seen employers whose job application requires candidates to account for every gap, by month/year.

Example:

12/2017 - present - XYZ company, yadda yadda
8-2017 - 11/2017 - unemployed
2/2016 - 7-2017 - ABC company, etc.

Some care about gaps that are recent, others care about all gaps.

Remember, a typical employer gets 100-200 applications per job ad, so they're looking for any reason to reject them.

Earlier this year, I had a HR screener grill me about a 4-month gap when I graduated college. She went on and on about it. That was four years ago so I was really surprised at how adamant she was about it. So yeah, you'll come across people who care what you did years and years ago.

[Tencent]

Originally Posted by sandsthetime

Earlier this year, I had a HR screener grill me about a 4-month gap when I graduated college. She went on and on about it. That was four years ago so I was really surprised at how adamant she was about it. So yeah, you'll come across people who care what you did years and years ago.

These days I would immediately terminate the interaction. I don't post my post college retail jobs on my resume. I started in my career field about 1 year post graduation. If they begin to ask me details about the retail job (I graduated 10 years ago) then I would just get up and walk out.