Omitting short term jobs from CV

inglorius

I was looking for some advice please regards my CV content as am in the process of updating it.

The query I have is around whether it is valid or not to include short term positions on ones CV, in my case for example I work in production management having held a position 3 years ago for about 5 months which I effectively left as my new boss was a bully. Roll onto this year and I was made redundant in May afterwards managing to secure a 4 month contract covering sickness until this ran out, now being in a permanent position.

These 2 short term roles would perhaps give a prospective employee the impression along with my other job roles of myself being a job hopper and so was looking for advice as to whether it would be acceptable to omit these roles - not to hide any particular information but not to allow a prospective employee to make a snap judgement therefore excluding myself from potential roles.

Thanks in advance

asajj

I think employers would like to know about unexplained gaps in your job history so there isn't much point to omit them unless you want to completely hide them. I'm usually in favour of being open and honest to avoid anything that could come from otherwise.

Just to give an idea that I was travelling during 2016 and out of work of course, I'm asked to provide travel details/passport stamps etc to show that I was really travelling. Perhaps it is not very common and to me even surprising that I should provide these but they have their reasons to see what I really was doing.

Again, I have a year gap where I attended some classes at uni but didn't work and I'm usually asked about it by recruiters and/or prospective employers.

You can put sickness cover as such, a short term contract and they would understand that surely. The other one isn't a big problem either as I'm sure you wouldn't be the first person changing jobs after 5 months.

sangie595

I agree. I would put them because you don't want gaps. But with the right context they prove you are a hard worker who is always in employment. If you have other jobs that are much longer, then that balances it out - if not then toy need to explain better to ensure they don't see you as a job hopper.

inglorius

sangie595 wrote: »

I agree. I would put them because you don't want gaps. But with the right context they prove you are a hard worker who is always in employment. If you have other jobs that are much longer, then that balances it out - if not then toy need to explain better to ensure they don't see you as a job hopper.

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately with my recent employment history the 2 very short term jobs do add to the perception of myself being a job hopper - taking the role apart where I was made redundant after 2 years my longest job tenure has been 3 years over the past 6/7 years - is it appropriate to detail on a CV why I have left each role i.e. redundancy?

KiKi

Yes, but don't make a big deal of it. Under each role you can simply put:
Reason for leaving: promotion
Reason for leaving: redundancy
Reason for leaving: fixed term contract ended
Reason for leaving: new opportunity

etc.

I see that on CVs all the time, and to be honest, unless all your roles are short in length, I wouldn't see a couple of fillers as a job hopper! If you have other roles which are several years in nature that's also good. People have much more flexible, portfolio careers in many industries now, so it may not be the problem you perceive it to be.

KiKi

paddyrg

'Temping' also covers short jobs.

andygb

paddyrg wrote: »

'Temping' also covers short jobs.

Which is exactly why I do not put every single short term position on my CV. If I did include every temping/short term contract role then my CV would be around 10 pages long.
I have also been advised by several recruitment consultants to "precis" my CV.

[Deleted User]

Any recruitment agent who can't forward your CV (in the particulars of their client needing career stability say) will usually tell you anyway I've found.