Resume - Ethics question

Question:

I worked at companyA and I moved on to companyB for about 6 weeks. Then I went back to companyA (couldn't refuse the offer to go back). Do I put companyB on resume or LinkedIn? What's the ethics? Thoughts? Any questions you need to ask in order to give thoughts?

Thanks.

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Comments

bloodshotbetty

I don't think there is any reason to. A resume highlights your job experience and skills. When you put the dates, just use years. IE, "2014-present"

GarudaMin

Thanks for the input. But what happens if they do background check on the next job I apply to? Can not listing companyB work against me? I am also trying to understand if listing it would work against me too - in the sense that will it reflect badly on me since I took the new job then went back to old job shortly after?

ajs1976

I don't think omitting something like that on LinkedIn is a big deal, but on a resume it could be.

Tom Servo

A resume and LinkedIn profile is not an attestation of all employment you've ever held. Typically, if you are extended an offer, you will have a form to fill out that requires you to list all jobs you've held in the last X years (7 I think is pretty standard). I was fired from a job after 5 weeks - I do not list it on my resume or LinkedIn. Oddly, nobody has ever asked me about the 4 month employment gap on my resume in any interviews. After the offer is extended, I turn in the background check paperwork with the info and it has never been an issue (4 jobs later now). That said - Do not lie. You can omit data, but lying is a big no-no.

GarudaMin

You do have a point. A resume does not need to list every single job/title.
I have found that company ask me to fill out previous job info during interview process, instead of after an offer has been extended like in your case. Are we saying that I have to fill out the job I left out on that previous jobs section? We can't omit here?

BerkshireHerd

Could it be a good thing to list on your resume, if it comes up in the interview you could say company A found me to be invaluable and made me a great offer to rejoin the team...

Tom Servo

Read the fine print. Usually, if they want you to list every job, there is language indicating as much. Again - don't lie, but you don't have to tell them everything unless they tell you to do so. I have had to list all my previous jobs, including the one I was fired from, on an 'official' application before an interview once. I'm pretty sure that 9 times out of 10, the only person that sees those is some HR drone, and the hiring manager only looks at the resume - as it wasn't an issue in that case.

GarudaMin

BerkshireHerd wrote: »

Could it be a good thing to list on your resume, if it comes up in the interview you could say company A found me to be invaluable and made me a great offer to rejoin the team...

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Let's hope that they won't dismiss my answer on 'what if they make you another offer, would you go back?' question based on that past experience.

NetworkNewb

I would definitely leave it off my resume. i dont think anyone would question a 6 week gap on a resume. And leaving a company after only 6 weeks looks pretty bad imo. I dont think your reason helps either... You jumped ship cause you saw something better right away? Dont know if companies would take the risk that you wouldnt do the same to them.

srabiee

I had a 6 week "placeholder" job in 2007 while I searched for an IT-related position. I do not include the placeholder job on my resume.

GarudaMin

NetworkNewb wrote: »

I would definitely leave it off my resume. i dont think anyone would question a 6 week gap on a resume. And leaving a company after only 6 weeks looks pretty bad imo. I dont think your reason helps either... You jumped ship cause you saw something better right away? Dont know if companies would take the risk that you wouldnt do the same to them.

You are right, that's what I am afraid of.

danny069

I would leave out that 6 week gap. Don't even mention it, just put down that you've worked at the same company, then at the point where you went back, you can put down a different position in the same company. I've had odd jobs here at there that I leave out of my resume and linkedin, jobs so odd they are almost completely out of my memory.

GarudaMin

Thanks everyone. After considering all the options, I have decided to include it.
One, my job (information security) requires one to have integrity.
Two, it would better to explain the short term position and why I wouldn't be doing it again then having to explain why I omitted it.
Three, if a company is genuinely interested in what I bring to the table then they will understand. If they are more worried about the short term position then it may not be a company to work for.
Four, it's not like I am in need of a job so I can wait till the right one comes along.

N2IT

Omitting a job from LinkedIn has nothing do with integrity. I don't list the pizza job I had when I was 18.

J_86

I don't think you will find many people that list every single job they have ever had listed on LinkedIn. I only list job relevant to my career in IT.

I would leave it off. Unless you are working for the Government, how would another perspective employer know you only worked there 6 weeks?

I think you are over thinking this.

BerkshireHerd

J_86 wrote: »

I don't think you will find many people that list every single job they have ever had listed on LinkedIn. I only list job relevant to my career in IT.

I would leave it off. Unless you are working for the Government, how would another perspective employer know you only worked there 6 weeks?

I think you are over thinking this.

I think he means leaving it on his resume, kudos to the OP for the integrity aspect. I work in InfoSec as well and would probably do the same.

J_86

BerkshireHerd wrote: »

I think he means leaving it on his resume, kudos to the OP for the integrity aspect. I work in InfoSec as well and would probably do the same.

LinkedIn/Resume, same difference. Listing a job you only worked at 6 weeks, then went back to your previous position just looks bad. They are going to think you are a flight risk, why should they invest time and money training you for a new position when you might jump ship very shortly? You have already gone back to company A once before.
Just looking at it from an employer perspective.

NetworkNewb

Yea, I don't see any positive of that being on someone's resume, just looks like a negative... Best of luck though

GarudaMin

There is also another thing to consider. I have to put companyB in job history section for background check during interview form-filling process. Unless one of you know and can provide supporting evidence that background check doesn't look into previous job.
How would it look then when resume, application form and background check don't match? I think that might look worse.
Maybe, I am over thinking like some of you mentioned but at my job level, there will be a background check done.

J_86

GarudaMin wrote: »

There is also another thing to consider. I have to put companyB in job history section for background check during interview form-filling process. Unless one of you know and can provide supporting evidence that background check doesn't look into previous job.
How would it look then when resume, application form and background check don't match? I think that might look worse.
Maybe, I am over thinking like some of you mentioned but at my job level, there will be a background check done.

Background checks are for your criminal history, etc. Past employment records would be them checking references you wrote down on the application and with past employers you wrote on the application. Two different type of checks.

twodogs62

I was in a similar situation.
i worked at Company A for almost 4 years.
Then my job was bein subcontracted out to new company B.
So sitting in same desk, I took new BADGE with new company.
One week later, Company A wanted to hire back for new position.
i gave my standard two week notice, so I worked for company B for 3 weeks.
Then went to work 2 more years with company A.

On my resume, I do not put company B.
But, if I fill out an application, I put Company A and Company B and Company A.
My thought process is if you received a paycheck, you better put it on job application form history.
it might not matter, but if you read small print, it usually says omission of any employment may result in dismissal.

I would think this would be very important if you applied for a job where you might need security clearance or background history. The omission might cause you issue.

jibbajabba

BerkshireHerd wrote: »

Could it be a good thing to list on your resume, if it comes up in the interview you could say company A found me to be invaluable and made me a great offer to rejoin the team...

And the company he might be applying fore in futures would be sure he doewant lewave for a counter offer again, how exactly?

jibbajabba

Bad spelling there. Sorry. Mobile theme doesn't let you edit a post

jibbajabba

N2IT wrote: »

Omitting a job from LinkedIn has nothing do with integrity. I don't list the pizza job I had when I was 18.

Nor me driving a lorry for two years.

BerkshireHerd

The more I think about it I may have swayed my opinion, a resume should be a highlight of your career, not everything. Now a days, HR does not want to see 3+ page resumes.

On a background check, I would still list it.

GarudaMin

I know what you mean. My resume is 3 pages (2 and a half). I only list description for 3 jobs (current companyA job, company B job and previous company A job), and just titles and dates for the rest (all relevant).

I can't find a way of making it into two pages. Education/Certification takes half a page (gonna keep growing since I keep getting them).

Also CompanyB job takes half a page, you may or may not believe it but I achieved a lot in the short 6 weeks (tangible results), admitted by the person the I reported to (maybe the person was being nice).

srabiee

I highly recommend against exceeding two resume pages unless you have decades of experience.

GarudaMin

srabiee wrote: »

I highly recommend against exceeding two resume pages unless you have decades of experience.

I don't see a way to narrow it down. I have more than a decade of experience and I only listed description for past 3 jobs (all tangible results). The other jobs are just titles and date. Unless I don't list my education and certifications, I won't achieve 2 pages but they are very, very relevant. I don't mind posting my resume after some redaction since I have to post on job search/recruiting sites without redaction, if the community is willing to help me out with resume vetting.

srabiee

Create a new thread and post it. I'm sure you will get some good feedback.