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I landed myself in my first job pretty quickly soon after graduation. However, in to my second week, I knew this job wasn't for me. I convinced myself to stay longer, for at least a year, thinking that I shouldn't leave too soon, as I may look like a job hopper in my resume.

But I can't stand it when I just don't see myself in this job in the future. I'm on my fourth month now, and I'm planning on leaving again. I started looking for a new job, but am having a dilemma deciding whether I should include my current job.

There are going to be a lot of questions whether I include it or not.

If I don't include my current job in my resume, I can expect questions on what I was doing in that half year and why I need a month notice period before I can start work.

If I include my current job in my resume, I may appear flaky to potential employers or an immature brat who hops too soon. And because my current job has little to do with the new job I'm going to apply for, I'm not sure I get more questions on why I even accepted my current job if I knew I didn't like it.

How should I deal with this problem in the best way? Should I include my current job in my resume?

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  • 3
    Short answer - yes.
    – HLGEM
    May 27 '14 at 14:35
  • Who are these people that expect you to get your very first job right?
    – user8365
    May 28 '14 at 9:09
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Well personally I would just be honest. List it on your resume, in interviews one of the most common questions is "why are you leaving your current employer?" (and with a four month stint it WILL be asked)

Fresh out of college it's not uncommon to have a misstep in taking your first job, and frankly so long as you can convey things clearly in the interview will generally be forgiven. Your resume only starts to stink of a job hopper when it becomes a repeat offense.

Of coarse you should still prioritize relevant work, skills, projects, etc. just don't go out of your way to not include this job. I typically only recommend not listing jobs when they aren't the most relevant, or if you cut your losses within what's typically considered a probationary period (first 90 days)

It's also worth noting, if this is your first job in this career path you might need to do some homework on what's normal in your field. Some fields have a huge variety of opportunities that fit any personality, others are extremely narrow and you're going to have to accept it or adjust to another career path (which can be done with only minor tweaks no need to get another degree)

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Honesty is the best policy when it comes to your CV. Always list every job you've worked, never list more than you've done.

Most employers will forgive someone for not getting it right with their first job. The fact that you're fresh out of school will help you there as you don't have the life experience in the working world that helps you identify the warning signs that a job isn't a good fit for you.

Other things that can help are if you're applying for jobs that are in the same field. It shows you're committed to your chosen career, you just don't like working where you are at the moment. Know why you're leaving; do you not like it because of the work? What specific thing(s) is it that you don't like about your current job?

Then prepare to answer the question of why you're leaving so soon in interview. Whatever you do, don't bash your current employer. No one likes to hear someone gripe about how bad they have it, or how unfair something is. Be professional and keep it short and relevant. If you'd like an example of what to say please let us know specifically what it is that you don't like about your current place.

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I would definitely put the job on the CV.

You say it's your first job and you're concerned you'll look like a job hopper. Let me just tell you not to worry about it. Job hopping can be recognized only through a pattern of jobs that lasted a short period of time. If you had 4 or 5 of them, then it would be a problem. But if we're talking about just one... believe me, anyone who would label you as a job hopper would be totally wrong.

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