Free Career and Job Search Advice

Albright · Newbie Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

After twelve productive working days, my company, citing financial problems, laid me off; as I was the most recent hire, I was the first fire. My supervisor said he'd give a me a positive referral, but should I even bother putting it on my résumé? The short term I was employed there won't look very good if I can't also write the reason for it; should I put that in there too?

CoachMary · Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:46 am Post subject: Short term job

I've had clients in your position and I always recommend that if you worked less than the usual probationary period for a job, don't include it on your resume. Just as you pointed out, it could look bad and cause you to have to get into unnecessary explanations in an interview (if you got as far as an interview). If an employee didn't make it out of the first 30-day or "let's see if we're gonna like each other" period, then I don't see it as necessary. Work history on a resume is actual "work history" and with only a handful of days, you can't really qualify that as history. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Katja144 · Expert Joined: 22 Aug 2005 Posts: 176 Career Advice: +2/-0

Also, I'm guessing it's possible that they may not count you themselves. When I started my job, I was told that if it ended before my first 30 days, I wouldn't be on the books (meaning if I quit or was fired, I wouldn't have to put it down--very handy). Now, I don't know if that would mean that if I had left after a couple weeks and put it down anyway, if anyone calling for a reference would be told "she never worked here" (hence making me look like a liar), but, technicalities, y'know.

Personally I don't think you need to put it down; it was for such a short period that it wouldn't constitute that big of a gap anyway. If they ask you about the gap at an interview, then you can trot it out if you like, but you're right, if you just put it on your resume, they won't know why you left.

Albright · Newbie Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

Well, considering this was my only span of employment since the previous job, which ended in January, "the gap" is already pretty spacious…

I was told by my supervisor, however, that he would give me a good referral, so I'm assuming my existence wouldn't be denied.

CoachMary · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 12:06 pm Post subject: sticky situation

What kind of a reference can someone give you that barely knew you? By the way, if the company is suffering financial difficulties, what's to say that supervisor is even going to be around to give a reference. Don't have a great feeling about this. I think it will do you more harm than good to list it. There are other ways to get around a gap but we'd have to know more -- like how long has it been since you graduated from college? Have you been doing any "unpaid work" during your gap - looking after sick relatives, helping someone start a business, or saving the world? What is the real reason for the gap? Are you in the middle of a career-change which could be a reason for a few months gap? I'd also ask if you have a good reference from your previous job? A 3-6 month gap may or may not get an employer's attention-- less likely if you have other related work history. It's not unusual for people to have that size gap in a resume for a multitude of reasons. Try explaining 3-5 years. I had a client who quit a great job to start a pet-sitting sideline to take care of sick parents for several years and we actually framed that out on her resume, which worked fine. I've had a mother re-entering the workforce after years of raising kids and we plopped that into the resume as explanation because there was such a gap. However, her volunteer positions in the community during that time showed strength in leadership, and we pulled that up and used it to her advantage. Obviously, in cases like this, you use what you got -- but you put a marketing twist to it. I'm not sure I'd put in you in a category of needing to explain yourself at this point. If you've got enough work-related history, just leave the 12-day gig alone. Don't mention it on the resume and if asked about the gap, indicate that, actually, during that time, you were employed briefly by a company that suffered financial strain and laid off a lot of people.

Albright · Newbie Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

CoachMary · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 12:50 pm Post subject: Better info

Much clearer now. Redraft playing up unpaid work but don't label it as volunteer or unpaid. If you did it as a "self employed person" then you did that work "pro bono" or something, but as long as you actually engaged in doing it for a company or non profit, it was work that you can use to fill out the gap spots. You need two good references to list on the bottom of your resume -- Name, Title, Company and phone # (make sure the phone # is good and make sure the two people know that you are listing them). You can list the former supervisor -- without having to list the job. Your call on that -- but I still wouldn't list it. Even if your explanation for the getting axed after 12 days is legitimate, you can't explain it well-enough on a resume. The people who are getting the resume don't know you and might not believe you. You've got to get the interview before you can explain anything. My offer stands -- if you want to redraft, streamline it, send it to me in Microsoft word and I'll take a look at it in format.

Join our Newsletter
CopyRight © 1999-2008 cvtips.com This material cannot be published under any form or condition.