"Should I Put a Short-Term Job on My Resume?" (2024)

FAQs

"Should I Put a Short-Term Job on My Resume?"? ›

Should I put a short-term job on my resume? It's not unusual to take a stop-gap job to retain an income between permanent roles. Whether you choose to include it on your resume depends on how relevant it is to your current career aspirations. If it's relevant, there's no harm in including it.

The job was short-term

In the case of short-term jobs, the role might not add any experience or skills to the new job. In this case, it's safe to leave it off your resume. This might include any side jobs or gigs you did temporarily unless the skills of the temporary job are relevant to the new position.

If you worked at a job for less than six months and it is not directly related to the job you are applying for, you might leave it off your resume. Leaving it on could raise questions about why the job did not work out for you. Your work was part-time, short-term, or contractual in nature.

To avoid any confusion on why work only last for a short period of time, be sure to add a label on any seasonal, temporary or contract roles. This will let hiring managers know that the position was intended to be short term.

Money published a more pragmatic approach toward the issue a few years ago, and you can find many articles that echo its sentiments that one may want to omit positions of less than 6 months, but definitely include any position of 12 months or more.

The simple answer applies to any job you've ever had, whether it lasted 5 years or 2 months: If you made a valuable contribution in that job, and if what you did is relevant to the job you're now applying for, then you should put it on your resume. If not, it's OK to leave it off.

Don't include a short-term job on your resume if: You held the job for less than 6 months. You don't have any relevant accomplishments to list. The job was in a completely different role or industry.

The most common resume red flags are typos, formatting issues, missing or incorrect contact information, employment gaps, overlapping dates, job hopping, lack of customization, lack of achievements, failure to showcase data, unusual add-ons, lack of relevant experience, use of gimmicks, and unwillingness to follow ...

If you receive a job offer from another company promising you better pay and a more advanced position, this is a feasible reason for leaving after six months. If you like the company you currently work for, see if they can offer you a similar position and pay, if not, don't feel guilty about taking another job offer.

Highlight Learnings and Growth: Demonstrate that the experience, however short, contributed to your professional development. Connect the Dots: Explain how this short stint aligns with your long-term career goals and how it prepares you for the position you're applying for.

What is considered short term for a job? ›

A short-term position is a temporary job that can last from one day to about one month. You are assigned specific duties, and then you are finished after the allotted time is up. A long-term position is often considered to last beyond six weeks, or if you work more than 1,000 hours in a 12 month period.

Temporary work or temporary employment (also called gigs) refers to an employment situation where the working arrangement is limited to a certain period of time based on the needs of the employing organization.

Job tenure refers to the length of time an employee has worked for their current employer. Long-tenured employees typically have worked for a company for more than five years, while short-tenured employees often have worked there for less than five years.

You may be asking, what is the 30-second rule for resumes? Did you know in a competitive labor market, your resume must get you on the interview pile within 30 seconds? If not, you will end up in the reject pile and never get a shot to sell yourself in person. 30 seconds is longer than the average recruiter takes.

Yes, it's recommended to not mention it. Your resume should highlight your knowledge and achievements. But, be truthful during your interview if asked about it. Explain what you learned from the experience and avoid criticizing your former employer.

Leaving a job after a month is a big decision since it's usually ideal to stay at a job for a year or more. If this job truly isn't the right fit for you, it's best to move on sooner rather than later. This way, you can find a job you actually enjoy and can grow in.

A resume gap could signal you had trouble finding a new job after a job loss, or that you have difficulty making a commitment. They may wonder what you were doing while unemployed and whether you're trying to hide something.

Be prepared to explain why you left your current company while maintaining a professional demeanor. You may also consider leaving this position off of your resume if you'd prefer not to discuss the reasons for your departure. Leaving your job may cause financial challenges.

Experts agree that you should stay at your place of employment for a minimum of two years. It's enough time to learn new skills and build your qualifications, while short enough to show that you value growing in your career.

Should you include a job you quit after a month on your resume? Generally, it's best to leave short-term positions off your resume unless they are specifically relevant to the job you're applying for.