I left a very toxic work environment (strictly for my mental health) after 9 months of employment.

Anonymous

March 23,2023 at 2:22PM UTC

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I left a very toxic work environment (strictly for my mental health) after 9 months of employment. It was a company, and boss, that I had worked for prior to the pandemic and had left for the same concerns but he managed to convince me that the culture had changed. As soon as I realized that wasn't the case - I jumped. Too fast, in fact. I started my own company in another career field and, though it's ramping up nicely, I'm finding that it's not "filling my bucket" and it's really something that I would prefer to do part-time, not full-time. That being said - I'm considering applying for a remote position in sales (my passion and 20+ years experience) and am wondering:

Do I add my new company to my resume
It IS on my LinkedIn profile, will this be a concern for the potential employer? And, if so, how do I address it?

It really is something that I can do in the evening and on weekends without it conflicting with a typical Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm work week.

I'm really hoping that, in my haste to get out, I didn't sabatoge my future.

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AnonymousMarch 23,2023 at 3:45PM UTC
I was in a similar situation and left the 'toxic' job after 6 months. For the most part I left it off my resume. I update my resume for the job I'm applying to and very few had transferable skills from that job that I didn't have in another. When asked about the gap in my resume I said I had a temporary job while I looked/found a permanent place to land. When they asked why the other job wasn't a permanent place I said there's no opportunity for advancement or not a good fit.
Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterMarch 23,2023 at 5:42PM UTC
I would need to know what the other career field is to answer. In sales roles, they want someone who is entrepreneurial, so that fact that you started you own company might provide evidence of that.
AnonymousMarch 23,2023 at 6:55PM UTC
ABSOLUTELY include your company on your resume. You wouldn't be able to do the things you do without having all your previous positions, so you do have transferable skills. Try googling synonyms for skills being asked for in the job description and I'll be you've got those. Realize that when you do get offered a job, they do an employment check and WILL find out ALL jobs you've had, whether you've told them or not. Be honest about it "not filling you bucket." I'm in the same situation. I no longer have any excitement for what I started my company for. I've even pivoted three times to address it. I'm now "quietly closing" my business to go back to corporate so I can once again feel useful. Good Luck to you.
AnonymousMarch 23,2023 at 9:25PM UTC
Thank you! That's great advice and it absolutely helps to know that my situation isn't unique.
MislynMarch 24,2023 at 2:12AM UTC
Absolutely not I left a very very toxic work environment where my boss was very shady and was doing things I didn’t feel were right so I jumped ship as soon as I could find another job and actually a job was created for me just because they knew I had to leave that company for my mental health. I’ve been gone almost a year and I’ve never in my life been happier. I have never hated a boss until now. Don’t regret anything and move on and be happy.
J WMarch 26,2023 at 2:13PM UTC
Put your job there. Legally if your current boss says anything to sabotage new employment that company can be held liable. Most companies don’t even state why an employee left, the only confirm how dates of employment. I worked in property management and did verifications. I never had one employer state why the person left. We did ask if they’d hire the person again and only once did I ever come across an employer who said no. We still rented to the person.
Also, I’ve been honest with a new employer about why I was leaving. I got hired. Employers know there can be toxic work places. The new place I worked at wasn’t toxic, so I assume they completely understood why as any sane person would.
Liz MilneMarch 27,2023 at 12:15AM UTC
By 'new company' do you mean your own business? I would absolutely have that on my CV - I've written freelance for over a decade and have worked here and there for salary in between times as opportunities came up - I always made it clear that I was going to continue with the writing in my own time. I've had no issues with it.
Rosa GoesMarch 28,2023 at 2:55AM UTC
If your own company is not a conflict of interest with the remote sales position, then I would recommend you add it to your resume. Most companies usually have some sort of policy in place for these situations. Good luck to you!