Wording for Short-Term Job
Worked some place for 90 days or less? Wondering if you should include it on your resume?
It depends.
If the reason you are no longer employed at the company is because they let a lot of people go due to downsizing or reorganization, or if the company suddenly closed or was bought out by another company – then you CAN include the job on your resume…IF it pertains to the type of organization or role you are passionately seeking.
If it was just a position to “hold you over” to help you make ends meet while you search for that ultimate job, then DON’T include it at all.
If you DO include it, write the description of what you did there and what you accomplished during that brief time IN PRESENT TENSE, like this “2011-present” – do NOT write “2 months” – that will raise a flag for the reader and decrease your chances of getting a call for an interview. And THAT is the ONLY reason you send out your resume – to get an interview so that you can see if both the position and the company are things you might be interested in exploring further.
Once you get the phone interview, you tell the interviewer (when the interviewer says, “So, I see you are still currently employed at company ABC”) that you just recently got let go (along with a number of other people) and you need to get your resume updated. If you were the ONLY person who got let go simply because they did not like you (for whatever reason(s) – do NOT include the job on the resume at all).
By the time you are offered the new job, you do NOT want to let the interviewer think that you are still employed and need to give “two weeks notice” if he/she is considering hiring you.
So, in summary, for a short-term job –
1) include it if it pertains to what you want to continue to do
2) write it in present tense
3) leave it off if it has nothing to do with the industry or area you want to pursue
4) leave it off if you just didn’t fit in with the corporate culture there – and they just didn’t want to make you a permanent part of the team (for whatever reason).
Questions?
Not sure how to handle your particular situation?
Call us at (216) 475-2963 and let us help you personally.
