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Fired from job where I only worked two months. Do I put it on the resume?

marbl2020marbl2020 Member
in Law School Admissions 56 karma

I'm not sure how exhaustive my resume should be. There's a six month gap in my work history in 2015 because I left my job in June for a position where I was terminated in August. I was hired by my current employer that following December. What should I do here?

Additionally, I left school and work in 2012 due to illness. I returned to work in 2014 and finally returned to school in 2016 where I eventually finished my undergrad in 2018. Again I'm not sure if this is something I should explain.

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Comments

  • LoisisdeterminedLoisisdetermined Core Member
    edited August 2019 44 karma

    I was always instructed not to put anything under 6 months on a resume and that it should not be more than 2 pages long if you can help it. Termination from a 2 month job time period I would never list. Easy to explain away if they ask. You can always state that you were looking for work during this time, taking courses, helping with family issues, or working temporary assignments. At least sign up with a temp agency, take jobs where you can or if unemployed and list them as an employer during these tween times.

  • CoffeeEnthusiastCoffeeEnthusiast Alum Member
    211 karma

    I think the value of two months of work on your resume isn't worth the potential risk of them noticing that it was only two months and ask you/your employer about it.

  • marbl2020marbl2020 Member
    56 karma

    Thanks everyone, this is what I figured but wanted to be sure. Additionally, I've only been working part time for the past four years. Is this something I should also disclose, or that I will be asked?

  • MissChanandlerMissChanandler Alum Member Sage ⭐
    edited August 2019 3256 karma

    Some schools ask for ALL work experience, and I wouldn’t risk the dishonesty of not including it. Just read each school’s instructions and leave it off where you can, and if it’s an “all experience” situation include it. Some schools also ask for an estimate of hours per week per job

  • studyingandrestudyingstudyingandrestudying Core Member
    5254 karma

    Many bar applications ask about every job or volunteer experience within the last 10 years or something to that effect.

  • xenonhexafluoroxenonhexafluoro Alum Member
    428 karma

    @marbl2020 said:
    Thanks everyone, this is what I figured but wanted to be sure. Additionally, I've only been working part time for the past four years. Is this something I should also disclose, or that I will be asked?

    Some schools ask that your resume have how many hours/week a job entailed. So in that sense you may have to disclose it.

  • stephanie37stephanie37 Alum Member
    22 karma

    As a previous hiring manager please do not start off any job application with being dishonest or withholding information. Most likely the application is asking for all previous employment for the last few years. It’s very obvious when people leave gaps and then when asked try to explain but that point it’s obvious it was left out for a reason. Why anyone would instruct you to say you were helping with family issues or other lies to fill in the gaps is beyond me. People have gaps where they don’t work, that’s ok! Lying is not! Be honest.

  • zacharytsmith26-1zacharytsmith26-1 Alum Member
    849 karma

    Turn this into a positive. Put it on there, write an addendum and take responsibility for the job loss. Suddenly, you've made it look good on your application or at least it's a wash.

  • AudaciousRedAudaciousRed Alum Member
    edited August 2019 2689 karma

    I had to deal with this on my resume too. The first school has a very strict font size and page limit, while also requiring extensive details. If I listed all my first jobs -- 4 months here, 2 months there, etc -- I would well exceed the page limit. I figured the last 16 years of employment data and taking up most of the page limit was enough.

    In your case, since it is so recent, I would leave it in if they are asking for as much as you can give. I guess it really depends on what the school is asking you for. But err on the safe side. And be truthful. "The position didn't work out like I thought it would, and I was let go." Fair enough. That happens. If they want to know, they'll ask and you'll have a chance to answer. I wouldn't put an explanation of how it went down in the resume, tho. A gap here or there isn't at all unusual, either. My resume has a gap due to starting a family. It's not horrendous, but it's a couple years. When I interviewed for my current job, it was her first question ("You have a child, don't you.."). She knew immediately what it was before she even saw me. I got a chance to explain it, and it was no big deal. The rest impressed her and I got the job. If they've been looking at resumes for a while, they know what to look for, what it probably means, and if people are hiding things.

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