undefined | Better HN

0 pointsPragmaticPulp4y ago0 comments

> Just leave.

Not a good idea for the OP to leave without having another job to start.

The OP only found this job after a long period of job searching. Having a large unexplained resume gap followed by a short 6-month employment followed by another gap is the type of pattern that starts to scare hiring managers.

Start the job search, but don’t just leave until you have something else to go to. Avoid introducing another resume gap within months of the previous long resume gap.

0 comments

dc3k4y ago

> unexplained resume gap

Resume gaps shouldn't have to be explained. If someone thinks you're a bad hire because you don't dedicate every moment of your life to working, they are probably not someone you want to work for anyways.

> a short 6-month employment followed by another gap is the type of pattern that starts to scare hiring managers.

Q: "Why were you only there for 6 months?" A: "It wasn't a good fit because x y z"

If someone is scared of that, then they are a crap hiring manager.

Demonizing people for taking time off of work or for not sticking around in a work environment that not good for them is bs that needs to stop.

bpiche4y ago

In principle, you're right, but try telling that to literally any recruiter or hiring manager. What really blows my mind, is how a couple of 6 month contracts on a resume can invalidate a candidate for future 6 month contract work. To be clear: recruiters hiring candidates for 6 month roles, do not want candidates with 6 month contracts on their resumes. Is that because they're a 'crap hiring manager'? Maybe, but then many hiring managers must be crap, because it's a question I get every time someone sees that I took a 3 month 1099 and two 6 month contracts between 2019-2020. And there are a couple of 6 month full time roles in there, from startups and projects that went sideways. Try explaining that to a nontechnical person.

Personally take a lot of phone calls just to stay abreast of the job landscape, and that's what I see every week. Not that anybody would want a 6 month contract. Just one data point, of course. Would love to be proven wrong. The culture has to change, and it's entrenched.

EDIT: Some (technical) hiring managers can interpret a resume well and will have no problem with your short stints, and will see you for what you are worth. These are the people you really want to talk to in the first place. Just ignore everyone else.

nwallin4y ago

The way the world is and the way the world ought to be are not the same. Life should be fair -- but it isn't.

GP is not suggesting that OP goes down with the ship; they're suggesting that they get in a life boat first. In these circumstances, IMHO, it's good advice.

cweagans4y ago

You don’t have to put everything on your resume. Leave and leave the current job off of your resume.

emerongi4y ago

This is if you optimize for money.

If you optimize for happiness, the decision process can be wildly different.

redisman4y ago

For many people being unemployed is not a happy place. Not everyone can get a good SWE job in a week depending on location, skills, relationships, etc

gsich4y ago

Read the next sentence.

>It's the professional thing to do, if you can sustain yourself.

This is the part you somehow missed.

chadash4y ago

Neh. Even if you can sustain yourself, better to look for jobs while you have a job. Companies will think they can give you a lower offer if you aren't currently employed. Sure you can negotiate up, but better to start with a better hand.

bla34y ago

I think the point is that even if OP can sustain themselves, leaving before having a new job lined up will likely negatively impact their chances for their next job. So unless they can sustain themselves indefinitely (unlikely, else why would they have a job now), lining up a new job before leaving seems like good advice.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse