Expert: Andy - 4/16/2007

Question
I have a dilemma, I have been out of work since last oct as I quit my
job because I hated it, the thing is I have been very lazy since then
and I have done absolutely nothing, I now have interviews coming up and
im at a loss on how to explain this gap and why I left my last job.I
cant tell them I hated my last job and that I did nothing so I will have
to lie but if I do lie im afraid of getting caught out I was thinking of
telling them I went traveling for a few months but that good really
open up into a informal discussion of what my experiences were so thats
what putting me off there, another excuse is that I had to take some time
off to care for a sick parent who was suffereing form a non terminal
illness, I jsut dont know what to do, any ideas?

Answer
Mark,

Right off the bat, let’s accentuate the positives because your resume has been seen by employers who are interested in meeting with you. So don’t get caught up with what has taken place over the past 6 months.

Many people stay in a job & are miserable. You did what was best for you & the company. An unhappy employee is less valuable in any organization. So you did the noble thing & resigned. I would make sure you explain during the interview process that your decision was a win-win for all involved. Be sure not to “knock” or be negative about your former employer during these interviews.

The absence of a job for the past 6 months can be easily explained as you wanted to be careful in your career selection as you want this position to be your last. You want to be a productive member of the organization, learn new skills & continue to grow into more important roles within the organization.

Beginning a new career relationship by lying is not exactly what I would call getting off on the right foot. Remember this Mark….if you always tell the truth, you won’t have to remember what you said. The relationship you will have with your boss & your peers should be based on honesty & integrity. If you abuse either of those qualities, it will catch up with you sooner or later. So don’t go down that road my friend.

I hope you find this advice helpful & please let me know if I can further assist. I wish you all the best Mark in your interviews & the next step in your career. When time permits, please fill out the allexperts.com questionnaire. Best of luck to you Mark!

Regards,
Andy