Job applications bug me: "Reason for leaving"

Raydere

In my ever-hopeless quest to find work, I have all of one job to my name, and it was a position that was seasonal-ish (basically, it was a position that ran for one semester).

I've noticed that I have never seen a single online job application interface that lists "Position was seasonal or temporary" as a valid reason for leaving a job. Let's see the issues of the available options in the above example:

• Current employer - Obviously, it isn't.


• Better opportunity - Implies I found work someplace else after this position, which I didn't.


• Terminated - Read: Fired. Which I wasn't.


• Promoted - To what? This is my only formal work history.


• Resigned - In other words, I quit of my own volition, which I didn't. I couldn't continue this job if I wanted to, because it was a semester position.


• Laid off - Pretty sure wrapping up a temp or seasonal position doesn't count as a layoff.

lrdgck

Looks like two last options are what you should have aimed at.

Or pick "terminated" and try an Arnie impression in the explanation box.

glennmagusharvey

Maybe try "resigned"?

 

But yeah, this drop-down list is really bull for any seasonal or contract work.

Noimporta

What's the difference between terminated and laid off, in this context?

InsanityAddict

Being fired for reasons other than general downsizing, I suppose. 

Bee

Yeah, all the good places I've applied to have that as a text field instead of a single select.

Raydere

So some of these job app interfaces have a field for "[Job] Description", so I clarify that the option to state "temp/seasonal position" wasn't available. If the employer finds a problem with it, or chooses not to hire me based on this clarifying footnote, that's their own fault.