Questions About Showing Layoffs & Firings on Your Resume

I was laid off from my last job in February after only being there 6 months.

by Kathleen Jamison
(Los Gatos, CA, USA)

It was a small non profit organization and they told me it was because they didn't have enough funds to keep me and two other employees and promised me they would write a letter of reference for me.

But when no letter was sent, I emailed both my boss and the President asking for the promised letter. The President told me she would be happy to write a letter but never did. When I asked again she never responded.

With any communication with them I really feel a cold shoulder now because if they do respond it's very short - what am I supposed to think? If I did something wrong, no one seems to want to tell me the truth - even folks who I thought were my friends.

I get interviews for jobs but never offers. All my previous jobs were long term with good reviews.

Is it a bad thing to leave the 6 month job off my resume if I think they are giving me a bad name? I really feel this short term job hurt my career.

ANSWER: Kathleen... It's hard to know why they won't give you a letter of reference. Could be as simple as the fact that since you don't work there anymore, you're no longer a priority. But it does seem as though you're beating a dead horse.

I guess the decision whether to leave the job off your resume or not comes down mostly to its value in securing future positions. I don't think a 6-month employment gap looks that bad these days, with the job market making it so hard to get a job. But if you gained valuable skills or experience in the job, it does seem a shame to leave it off.

The fact that you're not getting job offers might not have anything to do with the previous job. It could just be that you're competing with dozens or even hundreds of other candidates. That's just the way it is these days.

Good luck,
Kathi

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How Do I Show a Layoff & Rehire in My Resume?

by Gregg
(Omaha, NE, United States)

My position at the company I work for now was cut and I was laid off in March. I was hired back on in August. I worked for a Landscaping business from April-July to make ends meet. How do I list this on my resume? Do I make it two separate jobs for the company I was laid off and rehired at?

ANSWER: Yes, you will make separate listings on your resume for each employment period, in reverse chronological order. It's not really 2 separate jobs, just 2 separate work periods. Do you see? Since the job was the same, though, you don't have to list all your duties/accomplishments twice... unless they weren't the same. And DO show the landscaping job too, in order to avoid the appearance of an employment gap.

Best of luck,
Kathi

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How should I include a job on my resume that I was fired from?

by Diane
(PA)

I was fired from my last job as a cashier. It doesn't make sense. My co-workers told me that the manager just wanted me out. I've since seen 4 of my customers and they all said that they never had a problem with my lines being slow. They couldn't believe that I was fired. How do I put this into my resume without lying?

ANSWER: This is difficult... I never advise lying, and sometimes I think the only thing you can do is be honest. I'd lay it out (if asked) for any future employers and let things fall where they may.

Best,
Kathi

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How Do I Say That I Was Let Go for a Trumped Up Reason?

by Anonymous
(Somewhere)

I worked for a non-profit organization that has a very high turnover rate. Their practices with employees were very unethical. I was let go
for emailing a co-worker who was a friend voicing
my opinion about the unethical behavior that went on.

The employer could not say I did not do my job and did it over and above what was expected of me. They just didn't like my opinion of how things were done.

The worst part is that I was one of many who did the same thing, but because I achieved the goal they hired me for my services were no longer needed.

They have not since my firing filled the position and from what I understand say they can't afford to. I feel I was singled out because I had recovered most of the half million dollars they had in outstanding AR and the books were workable now.

It feels like they searched for a reason to let me go and stumbled upon this one. How though do you explain that to a potential employer? You can't... so what do I do with that on my resume?

ANSWER: Hi there... I feel for you. With the high turnover and your experience, it definitely sounds like a breach of ethics is at work here. But proving it of course is impossible and telling a prospective employer about it could come off as sour grapes or excuses.

Additionally, you DID make an error by putting something in writing that was negative about the employer... in the employer records. People often don't think that emails are a permanent record... but they ARE. And with today's sophisticated software, even deleted emails can be retrieved. So I wouldn't advise writing anything you might not want to go public in an email.

Now as to whether to include this job on your resume, I don't think it would hurt too much to have a 6-month gap on your resume in today's job market. Actually, it often takes people that long or longer to find a job nowadays.

Alternatively, you could just say you were hired for a short-term project, and once you achieved your goal, your work was done, and you and the company parted ways. But you do face the risk that a new employer will check out your story with that employer and hear a different version.

To your success,
Kathi