left job after 3 weeks - advice needed on going forwards pls
Discussion
Hi All
I recently just resigned from a new job after three weeks because of various concerns about the position. I did not actually perform my role as the first three was induction, i.e learning about the system of work, meeting people etc. There was no animosity but now I am concerned as to what I should write on my CV and how to explain my short time with the business at interviews. References will again be required from my previous employer to the last one and I expect they will also want to know why I left.
I have never left a job so early before and I am concerned how this will look with future employers .Any tips on diplomacy would be very helpful
Thank you
24/7
I recently just resigned from a new job after three weeks because of various concerns about the position. I did not actually perform my role as the first three was induction, i.e learning about the system of work, meeting people etc. There was no animosity but now I am concerned as to what I should write on my CV and how to explain my short time with the business at interviews. References will again be required from my previous employer to the last one and I expect they will also want to know why I left.
I have never left a job so early before and I am concerned how this will look with future employers .Any tips on diplomacy would be very helpful
Thank you
24/7
I wouldn't bother fabricating anything to be honest. Whats your job history like prior to this 3 week job? If it looks pretty reliable then I would be honest and say you took the job, went through the induction process, it wasn't as you expected so you had a grown up adult conversation with the employers and rather than carry it on you took a mutual and respectful decision to part ways.
If anything that shows leadership and accountability attributes ... anyone recruiting regularly knows that sometimes this happens and its very rarely anything personal. And as you say as it was done respectfully if they do speak to them as a reference they should receive a positive one back.
Lying could just end you up in trouble further down the line, the finance team in any next job will definitely know you had that job as to get paid you will have a paper trail against your previous employer.
If anything that shows leadership and accountability attributes ... anyone recruiting regularly knows that sometimes this happens and its very rarely anything personal. And as you say as it was done respectfully if they do speak to them as a reference they should receive a positive one back.
Lying could just end you up in trouble further down the line, the finance team in any next job will definitely know you had that job as to get paid you will have a paper trail against your previous employer.
blue_haddock said:
Just be honest and say once you started the new job what you had been told about the role during the recruitment process and what it actually was in real life didnt marry up and that you wouldnt have taken the job if you had known.
This. You could have stayed for the pay cheque but being a principled guy who takes pride in their work you decided to leave. You don't want to bad mouth anyone so you're not going in to details.
If new employer asks for references they will just say this guy joined us on x date and resigned on y date. No comment beyond that.
If anything fact the OP left quickly could be spun as a positive.
The position was with a goverment funded organisation and so my work email address is changed according to each place I work, therefore it will be clear I was employed elsewhere.
My previous employer gave references for a permanent position and as I will need references again I cannot ease the situation by putting it down to temping. I feel awful I left but felt better to go sooner rather than later.
My previous employer gave references for a permanent position and as I will need references again I cannot ease the situation by putting it down to temping. I feel awful I left but felt better to go sooner rather than later.
As above, spin it as a positive. You took a grown up decision early on as to not waste the employers or your own time when it became apparent it wasn't the role you thought you were going into. You sat down with them had an honest conversation and agreed to split, shook hands and wished each other good luck in future. Absolutely nothing wrong with that at all.
Thank you .
My job history was good before. I gave the employer part of the reason I left but not all, as I had concerns about issues which were outside my control and which I did not feel were appropriate for me to comment on at that stage. I am concerned that it is a small world and that "enquiries" outside a reference request may occur. I am worried therefore that future employers may not truly understand why I left....but then I cannot control that
My job history was good before. I gave the employer part of the reason I left but not all, as I had concerns about issues which were outside my control and which I did not feel were appropriate for me to comment on at that stage. I am concerned that it is a small world and that "enquiries" outside a reference request may occur. I am worried therefore that future employers may not truly understand why I left....but then I cannot control that
Twentyfour7 said:
I am worried therefore that future employers may not truly understand why I left....but then I cannot control that
Is there something else about the true reason you left - beyond you quickly assessed that the job didn't turn out to be the job you were hired for which is a perfectly legitimate reason to leave?Or do you have some reason to believe this employer may choose to bad mouth you informally/off the record?
Twentyfour7 said:
the reason I left was to do with the job, they wouldn't have genuine reason to bad mouth me. Just worried about sour grapes , I attended as required but didn't actually perform the role
Fair enough. You couldn't perform the role you were hired for as you were going through induction. The induction process was enough to convince you that the role was not the one promised at interview. Not wanting to waste your or their time you decided it was best to part ways, this was done on an amicable basis. Perfectly reasonable and as somebody else pointed out spin as a positive, it portrays you in a good light.The employer wasn't thrilled at you leaving as they'll obviously have to go through time/expense of hiring somebody else. But they recognise these things happen.
No more to it than that?
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