Problem job on resume (employment, application, applications, references)

[quijibo]

I walked from a nightmare job I held for around 10 months because they were trying to force me to do something unethical. Obviously they were not impressed with this, but I wasn't allowing myself to be backed into a corner, and I'd do it again in heartbeat regardless of my current dilemma. This is my only blip in 20 years of work history and was over 3 years ago now. I got another job a couple of months after, who luckily didn't contact them, and I've been there for almost 3 years, but I need to leave because I have to move. The problem I'm running into on applications is a lot of places want to know if they can contact previous employers. I feel I need to keep this job on to avoid a large gap. They can quite happily contact ANY of my employers, except that one. Should I say no and raise alarm bells, yes and hope they don't contact them, or leave it off completely and have a large gap?

[rummage]

Originally Posted by quijibo

I walked from a nightmare job I held for around 10 months because they were trying to force me to do something unethical. Obviously they were not impressed with this, but I wasn't allowing myself to be backed into a corner, and I'd do it again in heartbeat regardless of my current dilemma. This is my only blip in 20 years of work history and was over 3 years ago now. I got another job a couple of months after, who luckily didn't contact them, and I've been there for almost 3 years, but I need to leave because I have to move. The problem I'm running into on applications is a lot of places want to know if they can contact previous employers. I feel I need to keep this job on to avoid a large gap. They can quite happily contact ANY of my employers, except that one. Should I say no and raise alarm bells, yes and hope they don't contact them, or leave it off completely and have a large gap?

I have a long work history and I have never allowed them to contact previous employers, and I most certainly do not give them the names and contact information of previous supervisors.

Don't allow them to contact them. End of story. There can be personal reasons for you not wanting them contacted. It doesn't reflect badly on you if you don't want a previous employer contacted.

For reference, give them great references of people who worked with you or know a lot about your capabilities that work in the same industry and most important can speak well about you. Some people don't know how to communicate and talk about someone's abilities, so don't use those people as references. Always ask them, "I'd like to use you as a reference. What would you say?". If they don't sound like they would do a good job for you, then don't use them as a reference.

[joe from dayton]

Then don't put them down. You are leaving a job that you have had for three years; the ten month gap is old news.

[markjames68]

Was this unethical employer a large company? Typically they use a job verification site/number that will only verify employment dates and title. Possibly rehire status. And the latter really doesn’t matter for a 10 month gig if you have other longer jobs before and after which you do.

If asked I would just say “I left because the culture and ethics didn’t align with my own”.

Not putting it on would leave a year gap which is quite a bit.

As to contacting previous employers, if you say no sometimes they do it anyway.