Expert tip: How to explain a short employment stint

Do you have a short employment stint on your CV?

I do, and it always comes up in interviews. In fact, my résumé is dotted with unexpected workplaces that I was only at for less than a year (one was just three weeks).

If you’re in the same situation, it might be a source of anxiety when it comes to sharing your CV online, or preparing for a job interview.

Career coaches on LinkedIn have shared their advice on what Alan Kilfoyle describes as a “butterfly history”, including when to address it and how to talk about it. Take a look.

Be honest

Kerene Strochnetter : “You always need to be prepared to answer any question about your previous employment, however, the best answer is always truthful. There could be 10,000 reasons why. Shape your answer honestly and succinctly.

"So long as you take responsibility for your career decision or circumstances and can explain how the experience helped you grow, I don't see a problem with short career stints, no matter how brief.”

Kate Morton : “I think it shows courage to be honest about your experiences. Not everything works out and often it is better to cut your losses and move on than stick out something that wasn't for you.”

Be proud, it’s the modern way

Sarah Felice : “Far from shorter stints being problematic, they are increasingly becoming the norm. One of the key trends of 2020 and 2021 is people, including senior executives, being offered contract roles. In today’s market, I think the greater danger is staying at an organisation for too long. It’s important to stay nimble and versatile.”

Sara Davies : “I think times have changed and shorter stints do occur more frequently.”

Jane Jackson : “As the gig economy is something that everyone is familiar with now, short stints are not unusual. Professionals may choose to take on short-term contract roles which may be six weeks, six months or longer, and if the role was a contract role, the duration of tenure is not an issue.”

Consider changing the format of your CV

Lois Freeke : “Grouping shorter stints together and indicating when it was a contract or short-term role on the resume will help the reader understand it is not necessarily a red flag that the applicant is a 'job-hopper'.

“Functional resume formats are also one tactic, but the AI reader, and also the recruiter, will look for dates and tenure associated with experience, or it will be regarded as suspicious. It would be better to combine a skills grouping functional format with a mini resume format.”

Sarah Burgess :“I would normally recommend being very open about it and state in brackets after the role title something like (three-month contract or three-month position)."

"If it’s very short, like a couple of weeks and then you left because it didn’t work out, I’d probably suggest not adding that to the CV. At interview you could mention it.”

Sophia Poulos :“The key thing to discuss or put on a cover letter is what was achieved in the period of work, rather than focusing on what is missing.”

Put yourself in the shoes of an employer

Alan Kilfoyle : "You must look at it through the eyes of the potential employer rather than your own. They will be investing in you with onboarding and training and will want to get ROI. So a butterfly history will not attract them. If there was a legitimate reason for leaving quickly say so — tell them why."

Are you permanent or contract?

Narmie Thambipillay : “The first thing I’d be looking at is whether a short stint was because it was a contract role or a permanent role. If it was a contract role, well, you don’t really have a say over the length. If it’s a perm role then I’m keen to know why the short duration.”

Remember, look after yourself first

Andy Agouridis :“Don't let this force you to stay in a horrible role. Employers should understand that anyone may find themselves in a job that isn't the best fit once in a while. If this is the case, feel free to move whenever you need to. If a minority of recruiters don't like this, it's their issue, not yours.”

As for my own short career stints, these roles are actually some of the ones that I’m most proud of, and where I learned the most about the world and myself.

I did a year-long assignment in the Philippines with an Australian government volunteering program. I spent a year living and working in an Aboriginal community in WA and I also accepted a job at a publication that was axed just three weeks later. I see each stint as an opportunity to share a bit more about who I am, and how I deal with challenges, opportunities and adversity.

What are your thoughts? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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