How to Talk About, and Embrace, Short Stints on Your Resume
The average time executives stay in their roles continues to decline and it’s not unusual for any leader, at some point in their career, to...
The average time executives stay in their roles continues to decline and it’s not unusual for any leader, at some point in their career, to experience a very short tenure, whether six months of perhaps a year or two. You as an executive may have had a short stint. The reason may have been out of your control, such as from an M&A or organizational restructure. Or the quick exit may have been your doing, whether you left for a better job, experienced a “bad fit” with an employer, or even had a performance issue.
Whatever the reason, it can be difficult to explain a short stint on your resume to future employers. While executive tenures are shorter in general, employers still value stability and sustained success in a candidate’s past. And, for better or worse, they’re likely to view a short stint on your resume as a red flag. This is especially true in nonprofit and organizations not publicly traded, which are not motivated as much by short-term wins that impact quarterly earnings statements; they expect more loyalty and longevity.
As someone who interviews leaders nearly every day on behalf of clients, I can vouch for the fact that most employers scrutinize stints shorter than, say, three years. As a candidate it’s important to put your experiences in the best light without being evasive or inauthentic. Here are my recommendations to avoid letting a short stint on your resume derail your future:
- Lead with transparency and honesty about prior employment moves. Veiled responses do more harm than good. Even if you’re not proud of the reason you left a job or employer early, own up to it. Admit a mistake if you made one or, if not, provide proper context. You can do this in interviews, or even in a cover letter if you want to be proactive and head off misinterpretations. Above all, don’t be defensive if a hiring manager or search consultant inquires about why you left a job abruptly – it’s our job to do so.
- Prepare and get advice on how to talk about job changes and short stints. If you have one or more mentors or professional confidants, confer with them and even practice how you would respond to a pointed or difficult question in an interview. Another person can provide insight as to whether your explanations about career moves sound genuine and informative. Feel free to ask a search consultant for advice on how to discuss job changes – we’re happy to counsel you on your resume and how specific items may be interpreted by employers.
- Highlight past successes and lessons effectively. Hiring authorities will evaluate your ability to drive proven success in all positions you’ve held. For past tenures, long and short, emphasize tangible results and defined metrics around pillars like quality, safety, culture, growth, and financials. As you share key metrics, don’t leave out how you achieved the outcomes. (The how is just as important as the what.) Tie your behavior to past employers’ strategic and mission goals.If you have an employment tenure that was simply too short to achieve success, acknowledge this while sharing any positives from the experience. Maybe you struggled in that role – fair enough, then what did you learn from it and how will you be better because of it in the future?
- Enlist the help of your references. Your references, ideally, are individuals who can speak to your abilities amid potential red flags. Enlist the help of references who can reinforce your strengths and help a hiring organization see beyond a short stint on your resume. Coach your references – let them know an employer may ask about a difficult career move and talk through what you learned from that situation and what you hope they’ll convey to employers. Again, authenticity is important. You want references to speak honestly about you; they can do this if you provide them insight into your past experiences.
Just as every leader is unique, no career path is the same. Your experience is what has gotten you to where you are today – embrace it, even for its flaws. If there’s a short stint on your resume, be ready to explain it. Show you’ve learned from every job you’ve ever had, good or bad, long or short.
