left job after 1 week

[socoamaretto]

i resigned from a hospital job after a week for some health issues i needed to attend to. they said i would be re-hirable. now i am left unemployed with an unemployment gap of about 3 months, going on 4 months if i omit the job. i am still dealing with some health issues but i feel like i need to get back into the workforce. i was wondering if i should leave this job off my resume, but if a job application asks for my work history if i have to include it? does this job show up if they run a credit check or background check or use SSN? am i screwed for life now for leaving so early?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Are you a nurse?

[socoamaretto]

i forgot to add that i am a nurse

[caliotter3]

No matter the degree of difficulty you encounter in finding a new job, it would be in your best interest to have a better handle on your health issues before you return to work.

[Cowboyardee]

A few points:

- 4 months isn't yet an especially worrisome gap in employment, in my opinion.

- Think of your resume as an ad for you as an employee. Its job is to make you look good. You don't have to include things on it that make you look bad.

- On the other hand, many employers ask for you to disclose your full work history. This is where leaving jobs off might get you into trouble. It is somewhat unlikely that your 1 week stint will show up on a credit report, but it is not at all impossible. It is more likely to show up if you applied for credit or financing while employed at this job. Also, be aware of which hospitals and facilities in your area are owned by the same larger group. They do share information.

- It is possible that just discussing your medical situation with a prospective employer will clear up any concerns over an employment gap or a 1 week stint at a previous job. But this depends a whole lot on the nature of your medical condition (I'm not inviting you to share it here, by the way). If a future employer thinks your medical condition is likely to affect your employment with them, I would advise against disclosing more than you have to. But if we're talking about a medical issue from which you are fully recovered, then a frank talk with HR might work in your favor.

- Do take care of yourself. As tight as the market seems at times, there are nursing jobs out there. You only have one body.

[NuGuyNurse2b]

I wouldn't worry. It took me 3 months to find a job, and some of my friends from nursing school took 7-8 months before landing their first nurse job. It just depends on your market. Mine is obviously saturated. But what confuses me is why they told you you were re-hirable and then didn't rehire you? That seems dishonest on their part. Have you tried reaching out to your old floor or manager?