You can take this job and shove it! How to address resume blemishes

Posted by: Mindy Fineout

On Tuesday, Aug. 10, Steven Slater, a JetBlue flight attendant quit his job in a way that many of us might dream of at times, but would never actually do. He swore at a passenger, deployed the emergency exit, got into his car, and rode off into the sunset — or at least part way into the sunset before being picked up by police and arrested for reckless endangerment.

OK, so this is an extreme example, but once you’ve been in the workforce for a decade or two, most of us keep our own “Steven Slater skeleton” in the closet. We all have our buttons and over time, when repeatedly pushed, we might be driven to the brink of sanity, causing a temporary lapse in judgment. No one likes being sworn at, belittled, or told to wear 27 pieces of flare. And sometimes, we might handle it in a way that is less than professional.

Whether you are Steven Slater, or someone who quit with complete professionalism because you didn’t like your boss, you now have a blemish on your resume. And that blemish will come up with future employers asking about your work history.

So how should you, as an employee, address this? Short and sweet is the way to go. Give an answer such as, “The company just wasn’t a fit for me,” and then move on. Getting into a long, detailed story changes the focus of an interview to the one part you don’t want to emphasize.

Also, don’t bring it up unless you are asked. There is a good chance potential employers might never know you walked off without notice, threw a ream of paper up in the air, or set your building on fire over a red Swingline stapler. However, if it does come up, prepare a neutral statement you can use to explain why you left. Be honest, but don’t delve into specifics. And don’t blame others.

For example: “My boss and I had different work styles.” Most likely, the interviewer will dig a bit more into this point. This gives you the opportunity to spin it into a positive. You could talk about how you had an open and cooperative relationship with your previous manager, but that this particular manager took a very different approach. You could discuss how you met every deliverable and exceeded goals, but you and your boss always had a different perspective.

The bottom line is, everyone at some time either has or will work for a company or employer that will not be a fit. This is something that is typically well understood when interviewing. Not every pair of jeans, bicycle, or style of car fits every person. Likewise, not every culture, management style, or team fits every person. This is human nature.

As long as you address your Steven Slater skeleton dispassionately and professionally, take some responsibility, focus on the positive, and stay out of jail, you’ll be fine.