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I joined a company about two months ago. I do not mind the work but the work environment is very toxic (just found out that two people left this position in the last year). I really tried to adjust to the new role but there are many problems with my team members and how things operate here that I don't think will improve with time. So I am planning to look for a new job. My question is should I put this two months job on the resume?

If I do, at least it shows I have a job but it may look bad to employer that I am leaving after only two months. I can explain why I am leaving to potential employers but it might not even get me to the interview stage if they see that I am leaving a job right after I started.

If I leave this job out, then I have to explain the "gap" and explain why I left my last job without something lined up. This could also look bad. I am not going to use the current job as a reference so that won't be an issue.

Can anyone advise on my situation? I think either way is not going to look good for me but which way would be better? Thank you.

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  • Possible duplicate of How long is too long of an unemployment gap?
    – gnat
    Jul 23, 2019 at 7:45
  • Yes, I feel like I can explain why I decide to leave without making it seems like I am bad mouthing or complaining about the company. I will try to tell it in a way that will focus on what I look for in a company instead of what I don't like. Also if I do put this job in my resume, they will want to check the reference for sure. I am not sure if this is something I should worry about (what they will say about me). Obviously I am going to try to not burn any bridges but you never know.
    – Ethan
    Jul 23, 2019 at 17:04
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    Possible duplicate of Is it OK to leave very short-term employment off my resume? As I understand it, you should only place items on the resume that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Since we don't know the position you are applying for, the question can't be completely answered. Also see Irrelevant jobs vs long employment gap.
    – user25792
    Jul 24, 2019 at 9:16

4 Answers 4

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In my mind this hinges on whether you've had other short spells of employment on your CV.

If the rest of your experience shows you've been at company A for 5 years, company B for 3, company C for 10, then any reasonable interviewer is going to look at that and realise that you're likely correct in your assessment (that your current company's workplace is toxic through no fault of your own and you need to get out as soon as possible.)

If, on the other hand this is your first job, or you've been at other companies for less than a year, then that's much more of a problem. In that case however I'd advise sticking employment out for at least a year if you possibly can, as however much you'll have to struggle through, this will set you up much better for future opportunities down the line.

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As I see it, there are a couple things you want to consider:

  • if your current employer is called for a reference would they provide a good character reference.
  • two months can be overlooked as an employment gap depending on the nature of your work, or your specific location.

Provided that this act is not a pattern in your resume, I think it's fine to leave the job in your resume to show no employment gap, and highlight that you are "desired" in the job market.

Regardless of the amount of time you held at any job, many interviewers will ask the reasons why you left each of your previous employments. For this case, mentioning that the company culture was not a good fit for you is an okay justification for leaving.

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Your resume should only contain information and experience relevant to the positions you are applying to or are going to apply to, and you should be comfortable with having those experiences in your resume. If you do not want to be affiliated with that company, and the chances are you might not want to be - leave it out.

There is nothing inherently wrong with leaving something out of your resume. If you do not feel comfortable listing this experience, you are free to not do so as long as you can explain the gap.

If the gap is a couple of months, personal time off is also a good excuse-explanation. From my personal experience, I have removed experience from my resume once because I did not want my name affiliated with that particular company. I see nothing wrong with that, both from the perspective of being a candidate and from the perspective of hiring people.

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    I agree that it could be left out on the resume if its not relevant but I wouldn't suggest an outright lie (personal time off) when asked about the 2 months gap - In case they find out via backgfround-check etc. the OP will have much more to explain..
    – iLuvLogix
    Jul 23, 2019 at 9:25
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    There are three kinds of employers out there - employers you want to work for and who don't care about such minute details, employers who focus on these kinds of details and you do not want to work for, and CIA (read - defense contractors, law enforcement and such). Except for the latest, I think the author is safe.
    – Matiss
    Jul 23, 2019 at 9:58
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    In my industry (financial) you could never get away with leaving your current employer off your resume. This would be taken as a form of dishonesty, especially if you lied about 'taking time off' during the interview. Maybe other industries differ, I don't know.
    – dm63
    Jul 23, 2019 at 13:50
  • @Joe Strazzere Interesting. I didn't know potential employer can find out where I work.
    – Ethan
    Jul 23, 2019 at 17:15
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    "There is nothing inherently wrong with leaving something out of your resume." Please note that there are coutries where a gap in the CV will have people assume you are purposefully hiding something so bad you don't want to talk about it. Like a prison sentence, drug rehab or similar.
    – nvoigt ♦
    Apr 12, 2022 at 5:17
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I would only put it down if it was super relatable to the job you are applying for and if you are in good standing with the company. If not I would omit it. I have been told by people who know a lot about editing resumes that you should really only put down relevant jobs from 1 year and over. Unless its something that really highlights your skills if you put down short-term jobs it doesn't really look good to hiring managers.

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