HR people - resume question

katiewhompus

Which looks worse, to have a 2 year gap in your employment history or list a job that has absolutely nothing to do with the job you are applying for.

JessAndTrav

Yes, someone answer this. I'm always curious about this.

AmoroAgain

I'll find out the answer to this soon hopefully.

[Deleted User]

Why is it an either / or situation? Are you saying that you want to remove the unrelated job and this would cause the gap? If so, please don't do this. Leaving jobs off of a resume for whatever reason, is always a bad idea.

SteveandKris

I think it opens up the question of what were you doing for 2 years?  Where you in prison? or working with homeless children in Africa? 

When interviewing, the interviewer just typically asks...

angned

I think it is better to show you worked for 2 years than did nothing.  And usually on an application it asks to explain all gaps in employment.  It's probably better to say "I flipped burgers for 2 years because it was a job, but now I am applying to be an administrative assistant because this is the job I went to school for/want to do". 

ggmae

I addressed my 1-year gap in employment in my cover letter and on any apps that asked about it. I was also asked a few times about it in interviews.

SarahPLiz

ok, i typed this and then TK ate it.

As a hiring manager, not in HR, I'd rather see that you were industrious enough to work for 2 years in an unrelated field. All positions build skills that can be universally applicable, so I'd include it if I were you.
 
I have to admit, though that I did judge one applicant that put "Waitress at Tilted Kilt" on her resume when she was applying for a job in my accounting office, at a Christian univeristy. It was during college, and I really wouldn't have asked her about her work history that far back. If I applied for a job now, I wouldn't put on there that I was a car-hop at Sonic, but that was 4 jobs ago, during HS, so that doesnt' really count anyway.

aMrsin09

I hope a two year gap is forgiveable.  ::crosses fingers::

SarahPLiz

Its usually forgivable unless you have been in jail or on the run for those 2 years, they just want an explanation.

ThePinkSuperhero

I think a gap is worse.  You can do your best to spin unrelated experience to show the ways in which it would correspond to the new job, but you can't flip not working into working.

ms nobody

gouda and baby swiss. i like harder soft cheeses.

Catwoman708

Even if the job is unrelated to your current field, it's still relevant. 

You can explain why you took an unrelated job easier than you can explain a 2 year gap in employement.  You can explainyou were working your way through college, taking a break from a high stress job, it worked better with your schedule/circumstances at the time, wanted to work on other skills, or just that you needed a job and it paid the bills (but found it rewarding in other ways, or you didn't want to leave them without a replacement, or you grew to miss the field you are applying for, or something to that effect - if asked).

katiewhompus

Thank you ladies. I'm sprucing Dh's resume. He's applying for a warehouse job but worked as a real estate agent for 2 years, hence the question.