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I've seen much information regarding leaving short term jobs off resumes but from what I understand, leaving them off a job application is lying. Sometimes employers require you to send a job application with your resume. How would you handle this?
Here's my issue.....
I worked the same FT job for 20 years (1992-2012) in a small sales office. Due to some personal issues I had to resign and take a part time job as my church secretary & financial secretary. Although the office job allowed me to work PT hours, the church job allowed more flexibility with my hours and days. I worked there, 24/hrs a week for over a year and would still be there for those hours had I listened to my gut.
Anyway, this past Summer I started looking for a FT job. I was still dealing with the "tail end" of those personal issues and I was reluctant to work more hours but I began my search anyway. My husband has a really good job, pays benefits, etc. so it's not like I desperately needed to find something. I thought it would take a while given the current state of this economy but very quickly I interviewed and was offered a job very close to home. I thought I would like it and be able to deal with those personal things. I was also still doing my hours at the church because they did not hire a replacement for me. I was at this job for 3-1/2 weeks and left...on very good terms. My employer was very understanding and she knew what was going on so she accepted it.
About 1-1/2 months after that, everything was better personally. I was still working my hours at the church and wanted to just get a supplemental PT job but was coerced into finding FT instead. My gut was telling me otherwise. I kind of fell into the job I have now, which is 5 minutes from my house. I am a shipping/receiving clerk at a manufacturing operation, which I do not like at all. I've been there 2 months and I like the people I work with. My supervisor is nice but he is not much of a supervisor. I'm not getting trained like I'm used to. I still don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I've felt very discouraged since I started working at this place. They have mandatory OT, which I am not used to. And because I am still working PT and don't want to give that up, I stress big tome about the OT. I was used to working with numbers (A/R, A/P, Billing, etc) and I'm not getting this here. Sure, it's very close to home and the pay is not terrible but I just can't stand it. All that and the company was just acquired. I don't know what's going on. I am searching for something else and trying not to leave before I find something but in all honesty, I would like to leave now.
I am stressing big time over this.
So.....I worked 20 years at one job and 1-1/2 years at a current job (and still working minimal hours there). BUT, I've had one stint this year working 3-1/2 weeks and now this job which will be just over 2 months if I leave there. I don't put these on the resumes I send out but I have to list them on any job application.
How in the world can I get a chance at an interview with these black marks on my job application? Will my past work history of 20 yrs at one job and 1-1/2 and counting years at another job wash out these two stints? Will prospective employers accept the personal issue reason and not think I will do it to them?
Yes you need to list those jobs on your job application. I wouldn't make a big deal out of them, but be prepared to be asked about them during interviews. The fact that you have committed long-term to other jobs is a big help.
I would not personally say during an interview that those short-term positions did not work out because of "personal issues." That makes it sound like you have personal problems at home and no one wants to deal with that. I would keep it simple and explain that these positions were not good fits for you. Sounds like the main problem with the current short-term position is that there is a lot of mandatory overtime, and I would explain you were not aware of this at the time of hire and you are looking for a position that is not more than X hours/week; maybe you are okay with occasional overtime, but not all the time (if that is truly how you feel). Avoid complaining about the supervisor and lack of training; avoid complaining about it at all really. No one wants to hear that, it's a big red flag (at least to me). Keep it simple and don't feel like you need to give multiple reasons for leaving/wanting to leave.
I would also be sure to mention that you are looking for a long-term position and use this as an opportunity to ask questions to get the interviewer talking - do employees typically stay at this company for a long time? How would they describe morale in their department? (If you have ever helped coordinate any morale-building programs, staff holiday parties, company fundraisers, etc. this is a great time to bring it up.) I would try to find questions/topic that are positive, that make you sound like a team player and dedicated employee, and that the hiring manager will enjoy discussing.
Yes you need to list those jobs on your job application. I wouldn't make a big deal out of them, but be prepared to be asked about them during interviews. The fact that you have committed long-term to other jobs is a big help.
On the application under "reason for leaving", I'm not always sure what to put down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by christina0001
Sounds like the main problem with the current short-term position is that there is a lot of mandatory overtime, and I would explain you were not aware of this at the time of hire and you are looking for a position that is not more than X hours/week; maybe you are okay with occasional overtime, but not all the time (if that is truly how you feel).
Yes. I'm OK with occasional overtime. During my interview with this company, they led me to believe it was going to be "on occasion", when they have certain projects. Now, my supervisor is saying I may have 9 or 10 hour days. I'm not sure how much of this to divulge during an interview with a prospective employer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by christina0001
I would also be sure to mention that you are looking for a long-term position and use this as an opportunity to ask questions to get the interviewer talking - do employees typically stay at this company for a long time? How would they describe morale in their department? I would try to find questions/topic that are positive, that make you sound like a team player and dedicated employee, and that the hiring manager will enjoy discussing.
See, this was my problem. I did not ask questions such as these and found out later that there is a high turnover rate with this company. Several unhappy people have left just since I started and it is a very negative place to work. I know I cannot talk bad about a previous employer so I'm trying to come up with creative ways to tell interviewers why I want to leave.
I do like expressing myself as a long-term employee and team player. Thank you for your help.
I've seen much information regarding leaving short term jobs off resumes but from what I understand, leaving them off a job application is lying. Sometimes employers require you to send a job application with your resume. How would you handle this?
Here's my issue.....
I worked the same FT job for 20 years (1992-2012) in a small sales office. Due to some personal issues I had to resign and take a part time job as my church secretary & financial secretary. Although the office job allowed me to work PT hours, the church job allowed more flexibility with my hours and days. I worked there, 24/hrs a week for over a year and would still be there for those hours had I listened to my gut.
Anyway, this past Summer I started looking for a FT job. I was still dealing with the "tail end" of those personal issues and I was reluctant to work more hours but I began my search anyway. My husband has a really good job, pays benefits, etc. so it's not like I desperately needed to find something. I thought it would take a while given the current state of this economy but very quickly I interviewed and was offered a job very close to home. I thought I would like it and be able to deal with those personal things. I was also still doing my hours at the church because they did not hire a replacement for me. I was at this job for 3-1/2 weeks and left...on very good terms. My employer was very understanding and she knew what was going on so she accepted it.
About 1-1/2 months after that, everything was better personally. I was still working my hours at the church and wanted to just get a supplemental PT job but was coerced into finding FT instead. My gut was telling me otherwise. I kind of fell into the job I have now, which is 5 minutes from my house. I am a shipping/receiving clerk at a manufacturing operation, which I do not like at all. I've been there 2 months and I like the people I work with. My supervisor is nice but he is not much of a supervisor. I'm not getting trained like I'm used to. I still don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I've felt very discouraged since I started working at this place. They have mandatory OT, which I am not used to. And because I am still working PT and don't want to give that up, I stress big tome about the OT. I was used to working with numbers (A/R, A/P, Billing, etc) and I'm not getting this here. Sure, it's very close to home and the pay is not terrible but I just can't stand it. All that and the company was just acquired. I don't know what's going on. I am searching for something else and trying not to leave before I find something but in all honesty, I would like to leave now.
I am stressing big time over this.
So.....I worked 20 years at one job and 1-1/2 years at a current job (and still working minimal hours there). BUT, I've had one stint this year working 3-1/2 weeks and now this job which will be just over 2 months if I leave there. I don't put these on the resumes I send out but I have to list them on any job application.
How in the world can I get a chance at an interview with these black marks on my job application? Will my past work history of 20 yrs at one job and 1-1/2 and counting years at another job wash out these two stints? Will prospective employers accept the personal issue reason and not think I will do it to them?
Any thoughts are so appreciated!
I honestly wouldn't put down a position I held for 3.5 weeks, unless for some reason you're positive they'll find out about it. You could always claim you just forgot about it since it didn't even last a month; its addition certainly won't add anything and could only make you look bad.
I honestly wouldn't put down a position I held for 3.5 weeks, unless for some reason you're positive they'll find out about it. You could always claim you just forgot about it since it didn't even last a month; its addition certainly won't add anything and could only make you look bad.
I was wondering this myself. What if they investigate and find out I omitted this on my job application? Could I use the "I forgot about it" excuse and could they fire me? I would hope by the time they would find out about it I would have been at my new job a while and proven myself to be a good employee. Uggh! Sometimes I feel like I've dug myself a hole.
I was wondering this myself. What if they investigate and find out I omitted this on my job application? Could I use the "I forgot about it" excuse and could they fire me? I would hope by the time they would find out about it I would have been at my new job a while and proven myself to be a good employee. Uggh! Sometimes I feel like I've dug myself a hole.
Full disclosure: I worked a nanny job for 3 weeks in 2009 before quitting. The family had lied to the agency I went through about many different things, and basically I felt it was a liability for me to stay.
I have NEVER put that job down on a resume or application and I have NEVER had any problems. I feel that is so short a time if it was ever revealed I could realistically say I had totally forgotten about it.
I recently had a job I was only at for 3 months on my application. It was on my resume as well. I was not asked about why I left but I volunteered that it was a job I liked quite a lot but unfortunately it could not provide me with the income I needed in order to survive. The work experience from that job was a key factor in my getting my current job so it was important that it be included. Of course that job was about 13 years ago and I had held the job I just left for 10 years. So no one thought much about whether or not I was the sort to stick with it if I were hired.
You can leave short jobs off your resume and application. Be prepared to get grilled about whatever gaps are on your resume. It is very very unlikely they could find out about it. There is no master database of who held what job where except at the IRS but they don't share that information. A backround check can find criminal records, references, and a credit report does not include employers.
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