put short term jobs on resume? Forum

sillymike · Post by **sillymike** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:31 pm

I worked throughout undergrad, but a lot of times I would go home for summers, over winter break, etc.
So, I tended to find jobs that weren't exactly contract jobs, but were more at-will employment and tended to be project-by-project. So I have a LOT of 3-4 month jobs, and I always left on good terms. But it looks terrible on my resume to have like a three month job, and then a little gap, and then a four month job, and then a small gap, and then another three month job, etc. I have basically no long-term work.

What should I do about these short jobs, which make up most of my work experience? leave them off my resume? Or put them, because it shows that I worked through undergrad? Is there any way to explain that there were all left on good terms? How should I deal with these? Total, I was in undergrad for like six years, so I have like 4 years of work experience, but it's spread out over a number of jobs and in little few-month chunks.

advice? thanks

Danger Zone · Post by **Danger Zone** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:36 pm

I would definitely put it on. The concern with having a bunch of short-term jobs is that you either get bored easily or don't play nice with others. That logic doesn't really apply when you are still an undergrad and just filling in gaps of time with short-term jobs. I actually got a lot of compliments from interviewers about my undergrad work experience. It wasn't anything impressive, just a job here or there to pay the bills, but it's definitely something that employers like to see.

ETA: Just realized this is the law school admissions forum. In that case, it literally does not matter. GPA/LSAT rules everything around me.

t-14orbust · Post by **t-14orbust** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:37 pm

Shouldn't be too hard to list that they were projects that lasted a certain amount of time.

sillymike · Post by **sillymike** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:47 pm

yeah... thanks for advice, both of you.

t-14 or bust: good advice, but it doesn't really apply in my situation (sadly). They were 'kind of' projects, like, for example, I did construction where I was a day laborer and I would hop from project to project, and work like 3 days on a project and then a few days on another, and then if I was done with my commitment for that project I could "quit" and not leave anyone in a lurch.

Like, my commitments were 3-4 days at a time, and when I was done, I could accept another 3-4 day commitment or not. So over the course of 4 months, I'd be involved in 30 projects.

Nice for a student, but bad for a resume

t-14orbust · Post by **t-14orbust** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 5:54 pm

sillymike wrote:yeah... thanks for advice, both of you.

t-14 or bust: good advice, but it doesn't really apply in my situation (sadly). They were 'kind of' projects, like, for example, I did construction where I was a day laborer and I would hop from project to project, and work like 3 days on a project and then a few days on another, and then if I was done with my commitment for that project I could "quit" and not leave anyone in a lurch.

Like, my commitments were 3-4 days at a time, and when I was done, I could accept another 3-4 day commitment or not. So over the course of 4 months, I'd be involved in 30 projects.

Nice for a student, but bad for a resume

Idk dude(ette), I wouldn't worry about it too much. I personally would find it interesting that you had a bunch of random/odd jobs. There must be some way you can incorporate an explanation (without an addendum, maybe slip something quick into your PS?) into your application. I doubt it will matter either way though.

sillymike · Post by **sillymike** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:47 pm

hmmm okay.

well, then, I think I have another legitimate question: The consensus seems to be to include a personal interests section, but should I be concerned if my interests include things that I can't easily do at a school where I'm applying?

Say I have an interest in downhill skiing, and I'm applying to university of oklahoma or something. Should I leave it off so they don't think that I'll be taking off back to the mountains as soon as I can?

I'm mostly asking about the t-14, and I think they assume that many of their graduates won't stick around. Should I worry about this stuff? thanks

englawyer · Post by **englawyer** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 6:58 pm

I would put everything on your resume for law school apps, mostly because you may have to explain gaps and whatnot to character and fitness people after law school. Be more selective when it comes to job searches.

xylocarp · Post by **xylocarp** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:04 pm

sillymike wrote:hmmm okay.

well, then, I think I have another legitimate question: The consensus seems to be to include a personal interests section, but should I be concerned if my interests include things that I can't easily do at a school where I'm applying?

Say I have an interest in downhill skiing, and I'm applying to university of oklahoma or something. Should I leave it off so they don't think that I'll be taking off back to the mountains as soon as I can?

I'm mostly asking about the t-14, and I think they assume that many of their graduates won't stick around. Should I worry about this stuff? thanks

The personal interests section of the resume is for talking points with interviewers, and that's only if it has any effect on anything at all... which it probably won't. No adcom is going to admit or reject you based on your interests, unless you list something outrageous/highly questionable (hunting endangered species, dog fighting, child porn)

sillymike · Post by **sillymike** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:11 pm

xylocarp wrote: The personal interests section of the resume is for talking points with interviewers, and that's only if it has any effect on anything at all... which it probably won't. No adcom is going to admit or reject you based on your interests, unless you list something outrageous/highly questionable (hunting endangered species, dog fighting, child porn)

crap. Well, that's three out of my four. I guess I'm left with just skiing, and even that's code for cocaine.

ganja · Post by **ganja** » Fri Oct 25, 2013 1:25 pm

I was interested in this thread because like OP, I've been a job hopper but for the past year or so. My first 2 years of undergrad I worked straight through at an elementary school then got a job a few months after I quit in retail. Worked that for about 7 months from the summer after sophmore year til fall of junior year quit that and stayed happily unemployed for the next year and a half focusing on school. Went back to the same retail job for 3 months (kinda quit on bad terms. New manager was a dick.) spring of my senior year quit to stidy for LSAT then got a job as a telemarketer as I couldn't find anything in my field like most college grads and only lasted month because it was soooo boring. Did a few odd jobs for a few months, now I'm working at Target. I really want to leave these jobs off my resume except for the first retail job and elementary school job because I had some sort of longevity. I did an "internship" at a small firm for a few months after the lsat so I'd rather put that on the resume but I was only there 7-10 hours a week. Should I just leave these off my resume? Sorry for the long post OP

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