left IT helpdesk, need help!! :(

vegeta2011

Hi everyone,

I graduated with an IT degree last summer and started my first helpdesk job in January and it was going well for 2 months, but then a family emergency occurred which needed me to fly out to Pakistan. This was a serious issue that I could not avoid and would have required me to stay abroad for a few weeks or longer. I explained the situation to my manager, but said that it would not be possible for me to have that lengthy time off as I was new to the job. I decided that the best option was for me to leave the company.

Few months on and all is well now with my family and I’m ready to start looking for work again, so my question is with what happened, how do I explain the situation to future employees when they ask me why I left, shall I just say the truth of what happened. I have asked the helpdesk I was working for if they would take me back, but my position had been filled by another person. Any suggestions? I just don’t want my situation to make me look negative in the employer’s eyes when going for interviews

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Comments

tbgree00

I wouldn't worry too much about it, if you're going for entry level then the employer shouldn't be too worried about it. I would make sure to let your supervisor know that you're still interested if they have an opening in the near future.

I wouldn't draw attention to your short tenure but be honest if you're asked about it. Nobody should fault you if you had a family emergency. I know in america they are supposed to let you take unpaid leave time for things like that but I'm not sure if that applies during "probation" time or not or if you're in America. If you're finding it is really hurting you I guess you could leave it off your resume but I wouldn't do that.

Heero

Family emergency required you to be away from your job for a few weeks, and your boss wouldn't accept it, so you resigned....that's all there is to it.

My only suggestion would be to make sure they know it was a one time thing and it would be very, very unlikely to happen again...or something like that.

vegeta2011

Thanks for the reply, I'm based in UK London, i was still on probation and as they were a very busy help desk, probably could not afford for a staff member to be absent for long period of time. I'm defiantly leaving the few months i was on their as i learnt alot of valuable skills, which will help me for the future

N2IT

Heero wrote: »

My only suggestion would be to make sure they know it was a one time thing and it would be very, very unlikely to happen again...or something like that.

+1

Even though your reason is honorable, they might be scared of another occurance. I would do what Heero said and reassure the interviewer that this was a 1 time event.