How to explain this in a resume

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 28, 2008

I don't think you can avoid putting this on your resume. Anything you do to try to keep this job off your resume is probably going to look worse than leaving it on.

Figure out a concise way of saying "this hospital and unit is not for me" leaving out the gory details and negativity.

Good luck in finding something better!

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 28, 2008

I agree with santhony44. You can't run away from the past by simply omitting it from your resume. (Well, you could, but that's not honorable and it would probably hurt you in the end.)

Simply list it and don't dwell on it. When asked, say that you left the job so soon because you discovered it was not a good fit for you. Then move the conversation to things you would rather talk about.

TX_ICU_RN · Feb 29, 2008

Don't try to leave it off of your resume for several reasons:

1) On any job application you fill out, you sign that all the information is correct. If they discover the discrepancy, you will be fired.

2) I don't know where you live, but in DFW they do a background check called a "Group One" check. It basically tells the hospital every other hospital you have worked for and whether or not you left voluntarily or were terminated.

3) They are going to ask why there is more than a 30-day gap in your employment status.

I encountered a very similar situation in my first RN job. I finally decided to go on interviews and found a new job fairly quickly. After I accepted the offer at my new job, I gave my notice at my first job.

Good luck!

yellow finch, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2008

I was in a similar situation as you and jumped around a bit until finding a wonderful position. My resume, however, only lists the year/s that I worked in a hospital. My title doesn't change, so that's not an issue when listing a job with its description. If the interviewer asks for further detail, I'm honest and tell them it wasn't a good fit while keeping it positive. I may have had an expectation that wasn't met, worked in a department that had a high turnover rate, multiple managers in a short period of time that wasn't stable for a new nurse, etc... Most recruiters are RNs and know what the job is like, especially right after graduation.

Don't be embarrassed by this and certainly don't omit it from your resume. There's no shame in leaving a job that you wouldn't have been at your best. It's about the patient, after all. If you keep this in mind when explaining your leaving then it will be easy to understand.

elkpark · Mar 6, 2008

Definitely put the job on your resumé. Leaving it off is, potentially, creating a lot more trouble for yourself than including it and having to answer questions, as others have noted here. When asked in interviews about the short length of employment (I've never included the reason I left various jobs on my CV. just the dates of employment; do others do that?), "not a good fit" is a standard, safe explanation. Be sure to avoid bad-mouthing the place that you left (complaining about conditions, co-workers, or whatever) to justify/explain why you left -- that will create a v. bad impression with potential future employers, even if what you're saying is an accurate description of the situation.

kokosmom · May 2, 2008

Hi, I was unjustly terminated (the state ruled in my favor) from a major hospital in our area after my hours were cut in 1/2 - it appears they were looking for a reason - anyway, what do I write on my application for "reason for leaving"? Do I write unjust termination (which will need an explanation) or simply write irreconcilable differences? I am at a loss as to what to write. I was ancillary staff at the time and now I am an LPN. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks for your help!