Hello!

Hello! I'm in a major predicament and I'm hoping some of you can help. Will try and keep this as short as possible. I had a great job of 6 years until the last year. My first boss retired and a new one came on who treated me terribly. I decided to leave. Here's the thing. I received a really good job offer. Working fully remote, good pay, similar work. The same week I took that job offer, another company sent me a job offer but I turned it down. I turned it down because when we interviewed the manager seemed like she would be extremely difficult. Well, they kept coming after me after I turned it down and sold me a different story. Well, I did something extremely unprofessional and took the 2nd job because they offered more money and it was a hybrid schedule and local. Plus, some other things.

I'm regretting it so much now. I've been crying daily. I have been there for a month and a half and my new boss has been terrible from the start. She is beyond negative, micro managing, cusses, complains, doesn't know how to train me properly. Major communication issues. Again, it's everything that I turned the job down for originally. I don't know what I was thinking.

This isn't going to work. I have started to look for a new job but my question is this. Do I have to put this company on my resume as it's only been a month and a half?

My concern is that they took a professional photo of me, added me to their website and a big post about me on LinkedIn so my position there isn't even private. I'm kind of upset about that as well.

I don't know how to approach this but I would rather leave them off of my resume but also afraid that it would be considered lying on an application if it was found out. I'm in a really tough spot.

Can one of you please help me with this one?

P.S. My advice to all of you is this. IF you have a bad hunch about something, listen to your gut. Your intuition is real. Take it from me. Hard lesson learned. I've been crying daily.

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40 Comments

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  1. Tasha L. Simmons

    My suggestions: edit your resume to reflect your current opportunity for a few reasons during interview you will be asked if you're currently employed. Create a few replies to your reason for wanting to switch opportunity such as you prefer a work environment that works best with your work style. Although opportunity is not what you want your accomplishments are still accomplishments. In the meantime whatever you can resolve while job searching do so.

  2. Anonymous

    I'm concerned that having a job for such a short amount of time is going to hinder my job search. I see that as a big red flag and companies won't consider me?

  3. Tasha L. Simmons

    Focus on your accomplishments and be honest the work environment is not align with your career goals.

    If you can ask recruiter (not associated with a position your applying for) about your question

  4. Anonymous

    I suggest being honest and not removing it. You will feel guilty for keeping a secret. I am dealing with the same, leaving after 2 months. I also had a hunch and did not follow my gut. We live and learn. I am keeping it on the resume and just saying it did not turn out as expected.

  5. Rebecca Ali

    The internet is forever so the best course is to be honest as one of the other posts suggested. I'm sorry this happened to you. Years ago I was browbeat by a recruiter to accept a role so I did just to get them off of my back. It turned out okay luckily for me but I definitely learned a lesson from that. Good luck to you.

  6. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume Writer

    Legally, you are allowed to leave anything off your resume...as long as what you do include is 100% correct. Same goes for LinkedIn.

    Having said that, an application is a different beast, so you'll have to be inclusive with that.

  7. Erica Mitchell

    I would be honest about working there. If there's a background check they will find out anyway and then they'll wonder why you didn't just tell them.

  8. Anonymous

    The background check will not show previous employers.

  9. Anonymous

    Will it show previous employers? I didn't think it would?

  10. Anonymous

    It will not.

  11. Erica Mitchell

    Mine did.

  12. Anonymous

    From what I understand it shows previous employers if you applied for a loan and used them as your employer so now its on your credit report. My last 2 background checks only showed 2 employers and I have had many more.

  13. Anonymous

    Having performed background checks on dozens and dozens and dozens of employees...never once did previous employers show up. That said, we did not do credit checks. And in all honesty, I'm not even sure that would show up on a credit check.

  14. Anonymous

    Thanks! No, unfortunately not right now. I guess I can ask because I LOVE everyone else. What would I say?

  15. Anonymous

    Thanks everyone. They tried to post another announcement about me and then asked for some photos and a few bullet points to showcase me on FaceBook and I just emailed HR and was honest with them. Cause it's not a lie. I don' t want my personal information out there on Social Media for everyone to see. I don't feel comfortable with anyone being able to Google my name and see where I work. I may be the exception to the norm but I'm a very private person, which includes professionally as well. They don't seem happy about it. Said my request isn't the norm but. They'll probably fire me cause I'm not drinking their kool-aid like everyone else there. Small company with a family dynamic. I mean, what if someone has to have that private cause they have a crazy ex, etc. I wish companies would ask this kind of thing before making decisions to post your information all over there social media pages and then NOT make you feel like you're some odd ball cause you don't want that.

  16. Sabrina Rahman

    It’s ok to make mistakes.

    And honesty is the best policy.

    Sometimes a recruiter will spot a gap in a CV and say “it isn’t a complete resume because what did you do for a month and a half?”

    Just explain the employer came after you hard and the job wasn’t the right fit for you in terms of culture. Respect of privacy. Management styles despite being a capable professional they paid top dollar for(the best out of all the job options you had at the time).

    But you gave it a shot and you weren’t going to stay there any longer than you had to.

  17. Jenna Villaflor

    I was in a similar situation where I took a new job and was there for 4 months but did NOT like it and just knew I would NOT enjoy it. At that time, I was so proud of getting the job because it was with a big tech company, and I made a public post about it on LinkedIn which got a lot of attention. Well, fast forward 4 months after that I got another job offer and had the same doubts as you (i.e. wondering if this is going to make me look bad after just 4 months into the new job and then hopping to another company again, etc). Well, I took the new job and couldnt be happier. My advise is: go where you will be HAPPY. Who cares if they made your onboarding public on their website, that is THEIR problem, not yours. You dont need to add this to your resume at all, if any prospective new employers ask about, then yes be honest and tell them what happened, but you dont need to add this to your resume. Go with your gut and go where you are happy. My suggestion is to also ask the previous employer if your role is still open for you to go back to -- doesnt hurt to ask at all - worst thing that they will say is say no.

  18. Anonymous

    I'm still working here though. So do I tell them that? That's my concern. I don't know what to do. :(

  19. Jenna Villaflor

    I wouldnt give the current employer my 2 weeks notice until I have another firm offer on my hand. You got this!

  20. DeBorah S. Walker

    Leave it off the resume. I'm not sure what to say about the LinkedIn part with them having your picture, but do not let that fact cripple you into fright that you don't make a move. But you absolutely positively should not put that month-and-a-half terror experience on your resume.

  21. Anonymous

    I'm still here. I can't quit without another job. That's the issue right now.

  22. Hannah

    interviews are conducted to find the right fit for the job, it doesn't mean you should talk about everything when you've not been asked.
    Say the relevant things when asked, and if they don't ask you, hold your peace. Am sure you don't know the questions they'd ask during the interview, so hold your peace, and when asked fire your gun. Don't worry too much about this.
    Again, you're not under any obligation to write everything you've done on your resume. Per the job description, you write your resume to fit what the new company is offering, so that you look fit for the job at hand. cheers ?

  23. Stella

    Stick it out until you find another job. Just let the recruiter know it’s not a good fit. You are always a more desirable candidate if you are currently employed.

  24. Lisa Telwar

    IMO… I think telling the truth is important.
    You didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes it’s just not a good fit. It’s not your fault. It’s not even your bosses fault. People just are the way that they are. I think to try and hide it would diminish you in the eyes of any future employer. You are not to blame. Give yourself a break. If you knew it was going to be like this you never would’ve taken the job.Obviously you’re someone with talent and skills if you ended up with two companies fighting over you. It’s all going to be OK. Start the process of looking for another job and just tell them that culturally it wasn’t a good fit for you. I would also simply offer not to worry so much about it. You can always cross that bridge when you come to it. In this day and age there is nothing that is kept secret. I am certain that whoever you’re talking to when you interview will understand it not being a good fit. I also think they are going to be very excited about hiring you. Again you obviously are somebody with talent and skills. Just take one step at a time

  25. froerden@yahoo.com

    Absolutely leave this horrible job off your resume. You want to show successful jobs and your qualifications! This job doesn’t do anything for you. What about the month and a half gap? “I was job searching and interviewing!” End of story. Good luck.

  26. Anonymous

    But I'm still working here. That's my concern. They're going to see that, right? Or do I lie? They can google it and find me by a simple search of my name and on LinkedIn too cause the company has me on their website and their linkedin page. They announced me there. :(

  27. Maria Paula Calvo

    I believe you have to include in your resume those job experiences that are relevant to show your skills and qualifications. Having been in the role for so short I am certain does not deserve to be considered. Should someone find out and ask you about your participation in that company, you may simple confirm that the experience was not relevant to what you are applying for. Hope this helps!

  28. Michelle Quattro

    I too learned the hard way of not trusting my nagging gut feeling. I am so sorry that you are going through this, OP. No words of advice, I just wanted to give you some comfort.

  29. Anonymous

    It's tough. Thank you so much.

  30. misskelleyp

    I think you could contact the first company and let them know that the other job you had has not been as advertised and would they be open to taking another chance on you? It never hurts to ask.... And, I would leave this company off your resume, but you will have to put them on your job applications, as those are legal documents which need to be completely truthful. I don't think there's an issue with just saying, the job wasn't as advertised and I decided to cut my losses and leave.

  31. Anonymous

    Thanks! But how do I explain that if they ask why it's on my application and not on my resume? Do I even bring the company up in interview? Sorry! Just so torn. This has never happened to me!

  32. Communication Coach

    say something like, 'it didn't work out during the trial period' - that is all

  33. Communication Coach

    The new boss at that original company did not treat her well - why would she want to go back to that?

  34. Susan Grant-Suttie

    I am so sorry to hear this. You do not have to put any job on your resume that you do not feel flatters you. Go back to the old job and tell them that the previous job was not a good fit and to see if they could fit you in somewhere. Our company has taken back many past employees because they know once the past employee had a taste of the bitter part of the world, this compnay is more appreciated! And it is! Do not feel as if you are gulping down your pride - you are not, you are finding the best fit for yourself to be the best employee. And if you can't go back, keep looking for that new job! Now - chin up, you are valuable, and have that cup of tea and find that perfect fit. : )

  35. Anonymous

    Thank you! I have thought about it. I actually texted my ex boss who I had a good relationship two weeks ago but she hasn't responded. I think she's upset as she was so shocked that I left. :( What do I say?

  36. Anonymous

    If you've only been there 6 weeks you do not have to put it on your resume. Good luck with your search.

  37. misskelleyp

    DEFINITELY do not tell the current employer you've reanimated your search. And make sure your LinkedIn setting are set so that notifications don't go our when you change things!

  38. Michelle Quattro

    No, don't tell them whatever you do. This corporate (toxic) culture was there long before you were hired and my experience is such that corporations drag their feet to make changes. Maybe get in contact with a recruiter and tell them your predicament and see if they might help.

  39. Michelle Quattro

    BTW, do not put it on your resume.

  40. Rosa Goes

    So sorry your going through this. Try not to beat yourself up too much. I would not put that company on your resume. It's only been a month and a half, no real contribution has taken place. They may google you and/or check on LinkedIn and you will need to come up with a response when they see you are currently employed. Be prepared for that, do some mock interviews with someone you trust to get a feel for how you will present yourself. Be honest, but keep it short. I think getting in contact with a recruiter is a good option. Good luck to you!

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