How to handle a very short job on a resume
Deciding whether to include a brief, bad-fit job on a resume and LinkedIn leaves candidates unsure of how to explain it in future applications. This makes it difficult to know whether to completely delete the experience or list it and prepare to justify the lack of culture fit during interviews.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Leaving the short-lived job off the resume entirely and pretending it never happened
- 2Explaining the gap as time taken off for a holiday or to see family
- 3Framing the departure positively by saying the position did not fit career goals
- 4Claiming the short stint was contract, temp work, or a brief break
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Question for you all: what would your suggestion be for how to handle this conversation in future applications? Exclude it entirely (delete it from my linkedin and act like it never happened)? Include it and prepare for the lack of culture fit, and if so, how detailed should i go?”source ↗
“Bumping since I'm in a similar spot”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 30How to get an entry level job with no experience
- 5How to write an accounting resume with no real experience
- 2Should I put an upcoming internship on my resume?
- 7How to hide a low GPA on a job application
- 2How do I recover my career after working in a small HR role?
- 4Is it normal to have no training or supervision on a new job?