Leaving a job after a short amount of time

Yogurtpot · 2021-10-07T17:36:54+00:00

Has anyone here left a job after a short amount of time? How did it work out for you? Long story, cut short but I recently started a part time job after many years as a stay at home mum. I was lucky enough to get back into the industry I was in before kids and had been quite excited about getting back into working. Sadly the job isn't the right one for me for many different reasons. But the trouble is i don't know where to go from here. I worry about leaving after a short time and how that will look on my CV, especially after being out of work for a long time prior to this. I had intended to stick it out for as long as I can, but struggling with sticking at something I don't really want to do... Anyone have any words of advice?

Franklin12 · 07/10/2021 18:39

So realistically it won’t look good. Could I ask what sort of role it is?

Fadingout · 07/10/2021 18:41

Is it purely because it’s not for you? Unless it was wreaking my head, I’d probably stick it out and look for something else.

dreamsarefree · 07/10/2021 18:41

I've recently done this and started looking for a new job 2-3 months into a new one. Even as a professional with 15years experience I got negative feedback about moving on so quickly (for the right reasons) so I stuck it out until I got a new role. I'm afraid it won't look good at all unless you leave for a different job.

DespairingHomeowner · 07/10/2021 19:25

How long have you been there & what was your work history before?

I think you get one ‘pass’ on a CV, but for your own sake if it’s wrong look for a new job - if someone wants to hire you they will overlook it. But be careful to find a job that you can stay at next time

Is leaving it off your CV entirely an option? I know people who have done that when it’s a matter of weeks

Original poster

Yogurtpot · 07/10/2021 19:30

I wouldn't leave without having something else to go to. My concerns are around how it would look to prospective employers I'm applying to that I'm looking for a job only a few months after starting this one. Particularly as I have a long career break prior to starting this (but ten years plus good experience in this industry before having kids).

It's more complicated than it just not being for me - there are many reasons. It's mostly to do with the company and how they have handled things both before I started and what I've seen since I've started. I could stick it out, but I'm finding it rather frustrating and quite stressful as a result.

OP posts:

YukoandHiro · 07/10/2021 19:38

Can you eke out a year? It takes a few months to get a new job so if you start applying at nine months in that will be ok. How many months in are you? Can you make a plan to get through each one eg g xmas, book a holiday. When you've got kids a year disappears in a flash anyway... you'll be there before you know it

Original poster

Yogurtpot · 07/10/2021 19:45

@DespairingHomeowner

How long have you been there & what was your work history before?

I think you get one ‘pass’ on a CV, but for your own sake if it’s wrong look for a new job - if someone wants to hire you they will overlook it. But be careful to find a job that you can stay at next time

Is leaving it off your CV entirely an option? I know people who have done that when it’s a matter of weeks

I have over ten years decent experience in this area, but have just returned from a lengthy career break being a SAHM. I have been in this job for almost 3 months.

I did wonder if I could leave it off my CV but not sure I can really?

I keep finding myself scanning the job listings but every time I see something good I hesitate applying because I worry how it will look job hunting only 3 months in 😬. I do feel I could justify my reasons for leaving, but would have to find a tactful way to do this I guess.

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HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 19:45

You need be able to articulate very clearly why you want to leave (and it be an acceptable reason to a potential employer) - if not the assumption will be that you just can't handle being back at work. That may sound harsh but it's the truth I'm afraid.

Original poster

Yogurtpot · 07/10/2021 19:48

@YukoandHiro

Can you eke out a year? It takes a few months to get a new job so if you start applying at nine months in that will be ok. How many months in are you? Can you make a plan to get through each one eg g xmas, book a holiday. When you've got kids a year disappears in a flash anyway... you'll be there before you know it

I don't think I could last a year! I worry about getting through a week at the moment and I'm only part time. I have no holiday left until January due to holidays this summer booked before I accepted the job 😬

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HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 19:49

Also be aware that depending on the sector you work in, some employers will do detailed background checks on you including any gaps of 3+ months on your c.v. So you may not be able to leave this job off. Even if the next job is fine and doesn't check, if you move again with the next 6-7 years this could trip you up in a future job application if they do a detailed check (which is becoming increasingly common). The easiest way to avoid this is to be honest.

Original poster

Yogurtpot · 07/10/2021 19:51

@HundredMilesAnHour

You need be able to articulate very clearly why you want to leave (and it be an acceptable reason to a potential employer) - if not the assumption will be that you just can't handle being back at work. That may sound harsh but it's the truth I'm afraid.

I have justifiable reasons for considering leaving. The problem I have is that explaining this makes me look like I am slating my employer, which is not really a great look.

OP posts:

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 19:52

If you're able/willing to share why, perhaps we can help you come up with an acceptable reason. But I appreciate that it may be too identifying and/or you may prefer not to.

Ozberry · 07/10/2021 20:00

I recently left a job I hated after 2 months, but I was lucky in that I was offered something which was a much better fit.
I get it, it’s unbearable. I think you just apply and see what happens. Every employer will have their own take on it, and a different set of candidates applying.

DespairingHomeowner · 07/10/2021 20:02

Please share your reasons so we can help you spin it.

How long is your notice period now, it might be 6 months anyway in this job if you have a 3 month notice

Puppylucky · 07/10/2021 20:02

Hiya I have just done exactly the same thing. I'm moving on after just over 3 months. I think some of the responses above about it looking bad to future employers are a bit out of date especially in a post covid work environment where a lot of people are re-evaluating their whole approach to work..Admittedly I've got a lengthy work record but I have ended up getting a new job no problem as employers recognised that I may have changed my views on what the right role for me was. Telling my current employer that I was resigning was a lot harder!

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 20:08

I think some of the responses above about it looking bad to future employers are a bit out of date especially in a post covid work environment where a lot of people are re-evaluating their whole approach to work

It really depends on the role, and how much they need to fill it. In my industry it's VERY competitive (100s of applications per role, with a lot of very well qualified candidates) so you no-one cares if you're re-evaluating your approach to work. They wants facts, honesty and to be confident that if they hire you, you won't leave them in a few months.

TheSunIsStillShining · 07/10/2021 20:10

My CV is a handful, literally. If I put everything on there it would be about 7-8 pages min. I had 3 2yr jobs, but most were 6-18 mths. I've been working for 23 yrs, hence that many pages.
Be prepared for the following questions

Yes, it will always come up. I always say that a lot have been contracting (half true). Don't go into details.
why not stay longer? is another common question. Because the project ran out, the account was closed or I got bored with the massively repetitive tasks. All true at one point or another
Why should we hire you when you have commitment issues? (I love this one). Because I am very good at what I do and in the time I will be with this company I will give it my all. We are not in the 70s when people chose a job for life. I can also cite how much money I have made prev employers and they are free to call them up and verify my project success rate numbers. (I'm not boasting, just know my worth)
Never say anything outright bad about prev employers. I've been in some very bad places, but the max I am saying is that we were not a good cultural fit.

You'd think that these are too truthful answers and employers would kick you out of the interview -yes had happened-, but so far when I wanted to I managed to leave a place, start a new role without too much hassle.

Of course this is true:

for me
the industry I work in
my slightly specialised skillset

Not sure this helps....

DespairingHomeowner · 07/10/2021 20:19

Part of what will be looked at is how many jobs you had in the previous 10 years

I’d expect a bit of movement in 1st 3-4 years of work (eg 1-2 year stays) but then minimum 2 years in each job after and some longer than that

If your past 10 years looks stable, I’d have more leniency about the 3-6 months you are doing in this job

A LOT of people have 1 short turnaround job, it’s when you have lots that’s the issue

One thing I wonder about those automated /outsourced employment checks is how they can tell years down the line of it was a contract or perm job

I’ve always been honest but I know I’m my field people often say the short turnaround jobs were contracts (once they are years on the past)

In this case, apply: someone is either going to hire you or they are not

If not too outing, what ‘level’ is your job (graduate, professional?). The problem is how long it takes to get someone up to speed - when someone is earning their keep from day 1 it’s less of a problem vs when it takes 6 months to get up to speed…

ShadesOfMagenta · 07/10/2021 20:21

How about referring to it as a temporary role - as in in your mind it is temporary??

WhyAmIDoingIt · 07/10/2021 20:22

I would just leave it off your CV especially if you've been a stay at home parent for a few years previous to this.
You just start your future employment history from when you get your next job.

I was made redundant beginning of 2019, found a job relatively quickly but realised after a few weeks it wasn't for me so left after 2 months.

Found another job a month later and will just leave that period as a blank gap in my cv. I think in this day and age of often lengthy recruitment processes employers don't look too closely at a gap like that.

De88 · 07/10/2021 20:28

I'd leave it off the cv unless you work in one of those industries where everyone knows everyone else. I've done the same after coming back to work from mat leave and stated that I had accepted the job as temporary while looking for , rather than remain out of work. It wasn't a problem. Not a lie, just omitting that the job was not at all what I was told it would be.

Snakeplisskensmum · 07/10/2021 20:28

I did that too, had 8 years off as a SAHM and managed to get my old job back. Trouble is, the company was unrecognisable and I truly hated it.
Everyone is allowed a mistake and I was honest to future employers, I was offered something else within 4 weeks. I now leave the mistake off LinkedIn. I'm in IT so pretty forward thinking.

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/10/2021 20:41

One thing I wonder about those automated /outsourced employment checks is how they can tell years down the line of it was a contract or perm job

Usually from the reference (in my industry at least) i.e. if it was a contract/temp role, it will have been through an agency / limited company / umbrella company. Obviously depends how far they want to go back and check. My last employer went back 7 years (into micro detail), a previous employer checked my entire 20+ year career to that same level of detail. They were very paranoid about gaps in employment. I'd taken some time off travelling and they wanted plane tickets etc plus a letter from HMRC to prove I hadn't paid any income tax in that period i.e. that I hadn't taken a job and then been fired quickly and had omitted it from my c.v. Some companies are stricter than others but I must admit that the entire background checking experience in my area has become so intense and stressful that it actually discourages people from moving jobs and putting themselves through that pain again.

Starlightstarbright1 · 07/10/2021 20:43

People who suggest leaving it off. It will show up on p45.

MilduraS · 07/10/2021 20:44

Not me but a friend left her job to train as a police officer and absolutely hated it. She left within a year but was worried it would look like a midlife crisis when applying for new jobs. Generally her experience in job interviews was positive. She was honest about why it didn't work out (lack of ongoing training, lack of supervision, bullying within the workplace) and most interviewers went to great lengths to talk about how their company tackled those issues.