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Original poster

Minimum amount of time I can have in hell job without ballsing up my CV

151 replies

Terramom · 13/05/2024 18:35

Hi all,

I need some help
and a handhold please. NC for this but long time poster.

I will try and keep this brief:

I have been in my new job for 4 months and it’s making me ill. My line manager is a micromanaging bully and the only person above her is too busy to care/do anything (I have tried) but also spends most of her time so busy and stressed she is unavailable and can be incredibly rude. I have far too much work, I’m interrupted constantly, there is so much pressure on top of dealing with the behaviour from my superiors.

This has never happened to me in a job before but I think I’m starting to get ill. I was in tears at lunchtime and on the way home due to the way I was spoken to throughout the day. I didn’t eat my lunch as I felt sick. I have no history or mental health issues.

it’s a skilled admin based role that requires certain qualifications, which I have.

we have no HR - small business.

Please don’t make suggestions as to what I should do differently, I have made up my mind that I want to go.

-I am 38
-been in this job for 4 months
-previous job 2 years (left as gained higher qualifications that weren’t really useable in that role)
-job before that 3 years, left due to relocation

I have passed my probation in new job and have become aware that they have had problems getting someone to “stick” in the role, the person before me lasted 3 days.

Looking at these facts- how long do I need to tolerate my current role before I can leave without it making my CV look bad ? 12 months ?

if I have an end point in mind I think it will help me cope.

thanks 😊

OP posts:
Noguarantees67 · 13/05/2024 19:04

I think six months is fine then you can say you knew the first week it was wrong for you. But you wanted to stick it out for 6 months so you didn’t leave them in the lurch.

But if you hand your notice in now op it may take you two months to get a new job.

Evaka · 13/05/2024 19:04

Omg, mad advice from people saying to wait for months. Leave ASAP as it will trash your confidence OP. I interviewed four people today for a senior position in my organisation. One person said he'd left a previous role after a few months because the culture was shite. We (panel) discussed after how much we respected that, and he's one of our best candidates for the role.

Horsesontheloose · 13/05/2024 19:05

Start looking now and be honest that you are moving as the job is not a good fit. It's not as if you make a habit of it. Not every job is a match and employers know this.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 13/05/2024 19:06

Evaka · 13/05/2024 19:04

Omg, mad advice from people saying to wait for months. Leave ASAP as it will trash your confidence OP. I interviewed four people today for a senior position in my organisation. One person said he'd left a previous role after a few months because the culture was shite. We (panel) discussed after how much we respected that, and he's one of our best candidates for the role.

I have to agree with this. Nothing is more important than your mental and physical health, OP, and it's already affecting you. Can you actually stand doing another couple of months?

Balloonhearts · 13/05/2024 19:06

Leave now. I stuck it out 6 months and it destroyed my mental resilience. Just walk and explain it as the role wasn't as described.

bloodyplumbing · 13/05/2024 19:08

Terramom · 13/05/2024 18:36

Thank you… but how would I explain a 4 month gap?

Don't omit it, your P45 will state your last employer

PerpetualStudent · 13/05/2024 19:08

Leave now - recovery from burnout and building yourself up after workplace bullying can take years, no job is worth potentially doing that to your mental health just for the sake of matching up dates on your CV

bloodyplumbing · 13/05/2024 19:08

Horsesontheloose · 13/05/2024 19:05

Start looking now and be honest that you are moving as the job is not a good fit. It's not as if you make a habit of it. Not every job is a match and employers know this.

This! It's really no biggie.

ridingfreely · 13/05/2024 19:09

Just leave I wouldn't give any thought to how it would look - u can explain all you need to

GardenGnomeDefender · 13/05/2024 19:11

Leave as soon as possible.
This is not worth it for your CV. You could put it down as a fixed term contract in future for anything other than your next job (where they'll likely call this one for a reference).

Chicheguevara · 13/05/2024 19:11

I left a role, very recently, after a fortnight. The managers were ‘banterers’, I’d have called that bullying. Also the H&S was non existent. After a fortnight I put in a week’s notice and then called in sick. Life is too short for work to make you ill.
Can you afford to just bail?

LightSpeeds · 13/05/2024 19:19

Terramom · 13/05/2024 18:36

Thank you… but how would I explain a 4 month gap?

I resigned from my last job and have had a 7 month gap of unemployment. I'm a lot (lot) older than you as well so was pretty worried about getting another job.

I've just had two interviews and was offered both jobs.

Be confident and make up a reasonable reason(s) for why you left (if they ask) but obviously don't say the employer was a bad un...

LightSpeeds · 13/05/2024 19:20

...and don't let a really shit job ruin your health. I should have left my previous job a few years ago...

ByUmberViewer · 13/05/2024 19:25

Chicheguevara · 13/05/2024 19:11

I left a role, very recently, after a fortnight. The managers were ‘banterers’, I’d have called that bullying. Also the H&S was non existent. After a fortnight I put in a week’s notice and then called in sick. Life is too short for work to make you ill.
Can you afford to just bail?

I've done that too.

Resigned and then phoned in sick for the weeks notice I had to give.

Employers like that need to have a good hard think about what they're doing wrong

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 13/05/2024 19:28

Just start applying for jobs now and make up some excuse why you’re leaving (role not what you thought it was etc) if they ask in interview. Once you get a new job it won’t matter :)

Icequeen01 · 13/05/2024 19:30

I was in this situation. Went from a job I loved where I had taken voluntary redundancy due to a relocation of the business to a new job which I hated within 2 months. I carried on for about another 2 months but for the first time in my life the job was making me ill. I finally left after 7 months and quite quickly found a new job where I have now been for over 10 years.

When asked the question in interview as to why I had only been in my previous job for such a short time I answered honestly and said that most people have one job during their working life that turns out not to be a good fit for them and this was mine. The rest of my CV evidenced that I had stayed in all my other jobs for a good few years. The person interviewing me agreed smiled and nodded knowingly.

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 13/05/2024 19:30

And just do the bare minimum and nod and smile to your boss while secretly you know you have an exit plan!

Original poster
Terramom · 13/05/2024 19:32

I’ve just seen a job on Indeed (posted today) that I meet the requirements for so I’m going to apply.

OP posts:
ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 13/05/2024 19:33

Far easier to explain away a gap on your CV than to put your mental health back together again if you stay in this job any longer. Get out. You can either say the job wasn't the right fit, or pass it off as a short term contract if that's the sort of thing that's plausible in your field. I've seen the damage a toxic work environment can do. Please just get the hell out.

witmum · 13/05/2024 19:34

Start searching.

You have 2 years previous so show dedication just this is not the role for you.

No need to omit it

toomuchfaff · 13/05/2024 19:34

Just leave.

You can put any lens on the time, it was a short term contract, you took the role as an interim, you left as it didn't align with your goals... many ways to spin it.

Leave.

Fountainsixty · 13/05/2024 19:35

Absolutely as everyone has said, no job is worth this, you are your first priority and this is easily explainable at next job interview. Get applying for new roles!

StedeBonnet · 13/05/2024 19:36

You moved to your job to use your new qualifications so I think it's perfectly reasonable when interviewing for the next role to explain that you joined on that basis but it wasn't the right fit for you to use/improve your skills and experience - but your confident the role you are applying for now will.

StedeBonnet · 13/05/2024 19:37

*you're! Dammit

SilverBranchGoldenPears · 13/05/2024 19:38

4 months is easy, say you travelled and did some online courses (enroll in some now- a lot are free - Google Project Management for instance) . Leave. Tomorrow. Don’t look back. I hire and I wouldn’t blink at that.

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