You’ve Been Fired, Can You Leave the Job Off Your Resume?
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Is Leaving a Job Off of Your Resume Ever OK?
Not every job has a happy ending, sometimes employers and employees can’t resolve their differences and it ends in a parting of ways. But what if you didn’t get to leave a job on your terms? Should you leave a job you were fired from off of your resume?
First, let’s think about why your resume is so important. Resumes are essentially marketing documents. Their main purpose is to present your relevant experience and qualifications to an employer that will get you to the interview. Resumes must be truthful and should not mislead the prospective employer in any way. However, there are some legitimate reasons to leave a job off of your resume.
- The job is dated. Some people include every job they have held since entering the workforce. If you are more advanced in your career, a new employer will only be interested in what you have done over, say, the past ten or fifteen years.
- The job was less than six months. 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.
- The job is part-time or short-term. A number of people do term work while seeking full-time employment. It is not necessary that you list all these roles. However, you may want to consider a section on your resume dedicated to “contract work” if you wish to show experience in a particular field.
But what if you were fired?
You should never leave off relevant jobs from a resume that will cause an employer to be misled. Even though some job experiences may place you in an unfavorable light, you should still include them on your resume.
Your reasons for leaving will most likely come up in the interview and you should instead turn your attention to explaining what happened. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare to face any awkward questions.
- Prepare an answer. Whatever the reasons are for your leaving, take time to organize your thoughts and consider how this explanation will be received.
- Keep it simple. Answer the question directly and make it brief.
- Play offense. If you bring up the issue before being asked, you will come across as confident, truthful, and open.
- No blame game. Do not bad-mouth or blame your former employer. Even if you don’t necessarily agree, accept at least some responsibility for the outcome. Stay positive and focus on what you learned from the process.
The good news is, you are not alone. Most people who find a home in corporate America have been laid off, fired, or experienced downsizing at one time or another. The way that businesses are now restructured, any stigma associated with being fired is not what it used to be; it’s actually how you deal with being let go that will ultimately decide how you move forward in your career.
Your old job shouldn’t dictate your new one.
With Wavely, you chat with companies instead of applying. No more cramming your personality on a resume, just being yourself.
