Short time in a job

[Mumtofour1]

I am interested to see how many have experienced a short time at a job role/s because it hasn't worked out or have needed to change because of caring responsibilities. I'm beginning to think I'm the only one!

There have been quite a few threads I think about people realising a job wasn't for them and living within a few months.

I left my previous job 3 weeks after starting it. I hated the role, the induction was a mess, all people seem to do was have one pointless meeting after another, I was supposed to report to 2 managers and that created a lot of confusion, I still had no idea what my day to day role and duties were after 2 weeks (neither the managers...)...I just knew that this was not the job or organisation for me. They could not even calculate my notice period when I said I wanted to leave (one week as per the contract but the manager could not even work out the date of my last day...).

I am not even listing this one on my CV.

I am looking at changing industry entirely at the moment and doing some retraining because I am again in a role where I don't see myself staying for long.

Sometimes if you find yourself having the same issue over and over again it is worth looking at whether you are really suited to the types of roles you apply to/a particular sector and look at alternatives.

I don't have caring responsibilities but I do have a disability which means I can only work part-time which does complicate matters a bit.

Last 10 years' job history for me:

1. 2013-2014
2. 2015-2018
3. 2018-2020
4. 2020-2022
5. 2022 (3 months) - not mentioned on CV
6. since 2022

All in the same industry but 2 different fields within that. I changed due to moving fields, being unhappy, wanting to work for a smaller company and simply hating one job. All valid reasons in my eyes.

I've decided to stay in my current job for as long as I can to improve this picture though (my lack of longevity came up during my last interview).

You start.

In the past 10 years or thereabouts, 1 job 6.5 years, 2nd job 2 years, 3rd job 10 months, current job 6 months..

Prior to exjob (four years) I was temping then had a perm job that was so awful I knew after a week I wasn't going to stick it out. I left at the end of my probation and just listed it as another temp assignment.

Since COVID I have had 3 jobs last under three months and two for a year each before that every job was over 5 years. It's the times I think

I've just listed them as contract positions although one gave me such a good references my new job increased my offer and ditched the probationary period, which was unexpected

I’ve done it.

I’ve had some good stints at companies - 9 years, 8 years - but in between I’ve chopped and changed a few times in jobs that I didn’t stay long in. I also did a few 6 and 12 month contracts when my kids were young, so I could have breaks in between jobs with a good explanation. I had a child with SEND, so I needed to have the summer off as no childcare for example.

Most recently I resigned from a job in my probation period after 3 months because it absolutely wasn’t for me. I was really honest about it, though, and left on decent terms.

It’s all about the narrative you spin I find. Honesty with a bit of gloss is best. I’m pretty confident when I tell prospective employers why I left a job. I don’t see why I shouldn’t run my life, within reason, in the way I want/need to.

It’s also wise to look at your employability and the job market. I left that last job after 3 months because my sector is desperate for good people and I another job in under a month (which I love and am so glad I took the risk and left the last one!). But if things had been harder in my sector I would’ve stick out that job a bit longer, obviously.