Question about previous jobs (Listing on resume)

Well I actually have 2 questions.

Job Question - My last job before this one I was at for 3 months. I left because the company was going to relocate. I keep getting told by people to list that job as a "Contract" and not a full time job so that way it doesn't look bad on my resume but I am a very honest guy and dont know if A. That will come back to bite me in the butt or B. If you call agree that is a good idea.

#2 - This contract I am on now ends in May and I am not sure when to start looking for work. It can be extended but I am not interested in an extension nor perm hire if offered as I can't get the experience I need to better myself here. My CCNP should be done in February (I am going to take my Switch on my birthday in Feb then I am hoping Troubleshoot about 2 weeks after that). Should I start looking about mid March for work? This is one thing that actually scares me is that I wont find work by the time this one ends though I get a lot of hits from recruiters when I put my resume online.

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Comments

ajs1976

1. Don't lie. If it is not a contract don't say it is. Have a good explanation prepared for if you are asked about it.

2. This makes me nervous and why I don't do contract work. I would be upfront with anyone about your availability. What is the market like in your area? You may need to start early if things are slow there.

networker050184

Agree with ajs1976 on #1.

#2 I would start looking as soon as possible. If you know you don't want to stay there then find something else now. The longer you wait the higher the chance of not finding something when the contract is up.

Danielm7

Yeah a company relocating isn't your fault, I'd just explain what happened.

kohr-ah

ajs1976 wrote: »

1. Don't lie. If it is not a contract don't say it is. Have a good explanation prepared for if you are asked about it.

2. This makes me nervous and why I don't do contract work. I would be upfront with anyone about your availability. What is the market like in your area? You may need to start early if things are slow there.

Ok number 1 that is what I wanted to do as well and I have a good reason (They literally told us to start looking for work, we are going to relocate)

2 - I dont like doing contract either and this is my first contract job to do. At all. At the time it was presented to me that this was contract to hire and I met the people and they are great people. The guy I report to (my temp boss) is one of the greatest bosses I have had yet. I just found that after working here I have no interest in staying here as they dont manage any of their own equipment. They basically tell the MSP they have hired that we have this issue go fix it. I can't get any experience that way.

As for job Market I am in Chicago west suburbs so the market is still really good from what I can tell as there are always jobs. I just know if I get my CCNP I may have a greater chance at a better job that is why I was hoping to get that done first and have been pounding the books daily. I was going to lose my job at my last place anyway so I figured I'd take a chance but unfortunately have a fear at the same time.
**Update - I know if they asked for an extension and I didnt have new work I would take it and just keep looking. The place I am at now I am not miserable.

networker050184 wrote: »

#2 I would start looking as soon as possible. If you know you don't want to stay there then find something else now. The longer you wait the higher the chance of not finding something when the contract is up.

Will it look bad on my resume going:
4 years
3 months
3 month contract?
I mean I know i have to look out for number one (and 2 and 3 being my family members)

networker050184

I don't think it will look bad. The first three month one you have a very good reason anyone should understand. The second is a contract due to be up in the coming months so looking for a new job is not a bad thing. It wouldn't send up any red flags for me if I were speaking with you.

kohr-ah

networker050184 wrote: »

I don't think it will look bad. The first three month one you have a very good reason anyone should understand. The second is a contract due to be up in the coming months so looking for a new job is not a bad thing. It wouldn't send up any red flags for me if I were speaking with you.

Thank you that is the answer I was looking for

Onward and Upward!

Thanks everyone as always. Love this community.

apr911

More to the point of when to start looking... If your contract is up in May, I would say you should start looking now.

Even if you find yourself with a company with an immediate urgent need for the role, you can usually expect 1-2 weeks of interviews with an offer coming in the 3rd week. If you counter offer or take time to consider the offer as is (again usually an expected occurrence that can take a few days), you are looking at 3 weeks before you accept.

It is common practice, and thus usually expected, that you will give 2 weeks notice to your current employer. So the shortest turn around time you are likely looking at is 5-6 weeks from date of application and that is a very very quick time line.

In my opinion, few if any job searches (both for applicant and for the company) run that smoothly. There is usually a delay between when you apply and when they follow-up with you. Then there are delays scheduling the interviews as they work around the team/managers schedule and yours. There are more delays while they evaluate other applicants, make a decision. Then they work out a compensation package to which you can accept or counter again causing some lag. Then they need a background check (I have yet to have a background check come back where they havent asked me to provide info they were unable to verify). Then finally you can negotiate a start date, which may be 2 weeks out or maybe you request 3 or 4 weeks (which is not uncommon, especially if you are relocating).

So all told you can probably expect the process to take at least 2-3 months which would put you around April/May now and at the time of the original post.

Its also not uncommon for contract positions to start bleeding people towards the end of the contract (regardless of renewal status) for exactly this reason so while you may want to wait till may, the employer might have no such expectation that you will.