Should I put this on my resume?
Asked by
jordym84 (
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September 16th, 2012
I moved to NYC back in June to look for a job and start a career. Being that NYC is a tough and very competitive place, I didn’t manage to land one until August despite having a strong resume. At first I wasn’t so sure about the job because it wasn’t directly in my field of study, but I decided to take it because the pay was decent and I was tired of being stagnant, so I thought I’d stay there until I could find something that interested me more. Fortunately, the job started to grow on me and I began to genuinely enjoy being there – I loved the company, the people I worked with, the atmosphere, and even the job itself (so much so that I would volunteer to stay past my regular working hours and, even though it was a Monday to Friday job, I would also volunteer to go in on weekends to help get the left-over work done).
That whole time I was staying with my best friend from college, who was the one who begged and convinced me to move to the city and stay with her until I could manage to get out on my own. Unfortunately things ended up not working out between us and I was having trouble securing a place of my own (everything was either too expensive, too far from work I already had a 1.5 hours subway commute from my friend’s house, and everything else that was within my budget was even further away, or not ready for me to move into until October/November).
Long story short, I had to resign from the job and return home last week, and now I have to start the job-searching process all over again. My question is, even though I loved the job and I’m positive that my managers would give me great reviews, should I still put it on my resume? I was only there for 1 month and I fear that it might look bad on my resume and work against me. I would have no problem explaining what happened to a hiring manager without going into personal details, of course but my fear is that I might not even be able to get an interview because of it. But then again, wouldn’t the gap in employment look just as bad? My last job was an internship which ended in January and I was out of the country from February to April, hence the gap.
What’s your take on this: leave it out or include it and hope for the best?
Thanks in advance!!
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16 Answers
Was the 1 month job relevant to the type of work you are looking for now?
They’re not exactly in the same industry, but have some similarities to them (my degree is in hospitality/travel and tourism management and the job was customer service in the medical field).
Yes, I would put it on my resume for now. It’s experience, and it shows your willingness to work in this difficult economic time.
How are you going to explain why you resigned? Are you going to say you couldn’t find an affordable place to live? Or what?
On the one hand, I think you should put it on because you loved the job and were growing in it. On the other hand, I worry about how you can answer the question of why you left. It sounds pretty flaky to me, and I’d be leery of hiring someone who couldn’t manage to find a place to live in NYC. It would indicate to me a potential for acting like nothing is good enough for you.
I don’t know how many people think like me, so maybe you needn’t worry about it. And if you aren’t worried about it showing you to be a primadonna, then definitely put it on.
I see what you mean, but it wasn’t a case of nothing being good enough for me. It was a matter of not being able to find something affordable in the short time-frame that I had. If asked by a hiring manager, I would say something along those lines…I just don’t know if having a 1-month-long job on my resume would reflect badly on me and prevent me from getting my feet in the door in the way of an interview. Thanks for the advice, though :)
@wundayatta, I don’t think simply stating in an interview that a person found NYC so expensive as to be unlivable is showing oneself to be a prima donna.
My rule of thumb is unless the job is directly relevant, leave anything less than 6 months off.
If, on the other hand, that three-month (or whatever) job is what provided you with something else you’re relying on (an inservice in Photoshop techniques that you’re listing under your “Skills”), it’s important to leave it in.
I agree with @Seek_Kolinahr. The danger of saying I moved to NYC and found it too expensive sounds like bad planning (you don’t want to get into relationship issues in an interview). To get through the door, I would leave it off.
@Hawaii_Jake Have you ever lived in NYC? Did you read the OP’s details?
In any case, hopefully the resume screeners that see her resume will be like you. I’m sure there are some like you, and they won’t be bothered by the resume.
I would be bothered, because I know what the City is like. I know what you have to do survive there the first few years. I have met the people who try it and leave quickly. There is a significant difference.
But that’s just me. YMMV.
@wundayatta, I have lived in more expensive cities: Tokyo and Singapore, and I know what people have to do to survive there. I did it for 6 years.
Yes, I read the OP’s details thoroughly.
My comment to your post was merely to point out that not everyone will see it as being a prima donna. @Seek_Kolinahr and @Kayak8 have made suggestions to leave it off the resume that are more helpful than name calling.
If you leave it out, they will ask you about that missing month anyway.
I would leave it off. Being unemployed for a month is not a big deal in an economy where people can go a year or more without work. I would worry more about them thinking I skip from job to job by putting on something of such short duration.
Of course, you can explain it once you get an interview; I’m talking more about how your resume represents you in order to get through the door to the interview.
Thank you all for your feedback. I’ve decided to leave it off my resume and, if asked about the gap during an interview, I’ll just briefly explain that at first I had been traveling outside the country and then moved to a new place in hopes of finding a job, but it didn’t work out so I had no choice but to leave.
@wundayatta prima donna is a word that does not even remotely begin to describe me, so I’m not worried about that showing through on my resume/how I present myself in an interview because of a failed stint in NYC. Nevertheless, thanks for your input.
@jordym84 I’m glad. But it is important to manage appearances, and you certainly wouldn’t want anyone thinking something like that about you. Especially not a potential employer.
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