How do I convey that I stepped down from my position to start school?
by Anonymous
(Somewhere)
When I was 19 years old, I was a retail store manager in Washington. After some time, I made the decision to move to Montana. While I transferred between stores in the company, I stepped down to the position of assistant manager when I arrived in Montana so that I could begin school full time.
I am currently writing a new resume, and I am concerned that a potential employer looking at my employment history may think that I was demoted from the position of store manager. Is there a special statement I can include under this portion of my employment history in order to prevent employers from thinking this? Is it even necessary to include such a statement?
Thank you for any assistance on this matter.
Answer: People change jobs for all kinds of reasons. While an employer might wonder, it would be foolish for them to jump to conclusions in the absence of more evidence. I wouldn't put an explanatory note on your resume. That's not the right place for such a statement. If you really feel as though you must explain, then I'd do so in the cover letter. But if your overall work history is positive, then you may just want to let it ride and be prepared to answer questions about the step back during the interview.