Leaving out job history

[brand0c0mmand0]

I desire to be an honest person, but something has been getting to me. I have a very poor work history, with three jobs in the past that have failed. Sometimes I wonder if the reason I fail to get phone calls and interviews is because I put these down out of a sense of honesty. Is it sinful to just leave it all off? Is it decietful? Should I be honest and just “trust God” to still get me work if He desires?

 

[Corki]

Put them down on what? A resume or an application?

Your resume doesn’t have to list every job you have had. In fact, a functional resume is used by many people that lists your skills and experiences by number of years, not by employer. A resume is intended to be a marketing tool - you are marketing yourself. You shouldn’t lie on your resume but you don’t have to include everything,

An application on the other hand must be accurate. Usually at the end of the application you are asked to sign a statement that the informaiton is accuarate and complete. If the application asks for all of your employers over the last ten years, you are expected to list them all.

 

[Pat_the_elder]

Look - A CV is nothing more than an advert to sell yourself to a prospective employer - so be a bit creative with it. No need to lie, but accentuate the positive. My CV has been (ahem!) airbrushed throughout the years - go for it. as theperfume girl says in the ad “Your’e worth it!” LOL

 

[fermat]

As a hiring manager, I specifically look for timeline gaps. This won’t stop me from interviewing someone, but I do as for the gaps and why they left them off. If the answers are not good, the process stops there. Some HR groups won’t even consider someone with resume gaps.

For someone in your case, I would suggest that you make contact with an HR professional before you apply for a job. You can provide a cover letter letting them know your qualifications and that you would like to come in just to talk and get a feel for the company. Then wait for a position to open up. After you have a rapport, rejecting a resume is much less automatic.

Even better is if you can apply for a position at a company where you have a friend. Let them make the introduction. The personal touch makes all the difference.

Good luck in your search. I’ll keep you in my prayers.