Listing hire date vs start date on resume

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

I've always put my date of hire on employment applications. For example, my date of hire for a previous job was in February, but I didn't start working there until March. However, I was officially an employee of that particular company on the day that they hired me.

Sl1011 · Aug 9, 2011

I've always went by the hire date, and that's what my jobs have gone by too.

SweetseRN · Aug 9, 2011

It's only a month, I would list my date of hire...I can't really even remember my exact month of hire for most of my previous jobs, my current employer said "Just the year is fine if you can't remember the month." I wouldn't sweat it, you didn't do anything wrong.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

I'm a fairly new nurse and wanted to take credit for any work experience I could! When an employer verifies my dates of past employment, will they go by hire date or start date?
!

What work experience did you gain while waiting around for a month until you started?

If you've been hired, to start in 6weeks, but they rescind it 2 weeks before you start, did you "work there" for a month?

kerussll · Aug 9, 2011

What work experience did you gain while waiting around for a month until you started?
If you've been hired, to start in 6weeks, but they rescind it 2 weeks before you start, did you "work there" for a month?

None, obviously. Why do you think I'm asking this question???

Altra, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

I think you're confusing the two. Your "hire date" IS the day you start working. It will, of course, be later than the day you get the phone call/email/letter offering you the job ...

kerussll · Aug 9, 2011

Now I am confused! I got an offer letter on December 6th saying I got the job and what I would be making hourly, etc. I started orientation on January 17th. They have on file my "date of hire" (that's what they call it in HR) as December 6th, but I didn't really start working there earning money until January.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

They have on file my "date of hire" (that's what they call it in HR) as December 6th, but I didn't really start working there earning money until January.

Since your official date of hire is December 6th, that's the date you would put on future employment applications and resumes.

December 6th is your date of hire. December 6th is the day that you officially became an employee of that particular company. It does not matter than you did not start physically working at the place until January. You have/had been employed with the company since December 6th, so this is the date that you use.

When prospective workplaces call to verify your dates of employment, your date of hire is what matters, not the date you actually started. It's not like HR is going to blurt out, "Oh, but she didn't start orienting until January!"

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

My hospital, for their records, records the hire date as the first day of your orientation. So even though I was offered the position and signed the acceptance letter in May, my official hire date is in July. My HR paperwork states that my hire date was in July.

I would call HR and ask what they have recorded for your hire date. Use the date that they give you because you want your resume to match their records. If you were to apply to another job and your resume stated your started in June, but HR says your started in July, it might look like you are being dishonest.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

I started about a month after being offered my job. My company considers my start date my official hire date, so I list that.

What does your paperwork say?

caliotter3 · Aug 9, 2011

I've always used date of hire and I only put month and year. I get specific with the date on an application only if it calls for it.