Recently, I got a great question from an Executive Assistant in Boston. She had been an admin for eight years but was recently let go after only five months in her last role. Her concern:
“How do I address this in interviews without scaring off employers?”
The truth is, in the last several years, short stints have become far more common. Even I have two on my resume. The key is to address them directly, with confidence, and to frame them in a way that builds trust instead of raising red flags.
Here is the three-step strategy I recommend.
Do not dance around it or try to hide it in your resume formatting. If it was a short stint, call it what it was. Skip the blame, skip the long explanations, and take radical ownership.
Instead of defending yourself, use the opportunity to highlight what you learned. Ask yourself:
What did this role clarify about what I want in my next job?
How did it help me understand my strengths and non-negotiables?
Employers value clarity, honesty, and self-awareness.
Short tenure does not mean zero impact. Lead with what went right.
Ask yourself:
Did I fix a chaotic calendar?
Did I streamline a process?
Did I deliver a win early on that still mattered?
Wins still count, even in short bursts. Share the tangible results you achieved, the improvements you made, and how you maintained professionalism even when the role was not the right fit.
As a wise friend once told me: “Effort and attitude are always in your control.”
If you made a positive impression, leverage it. A strong reference from a short stint can be powerful proof that you performed well.
Even if the role itself was not a success story, a testimonial from someone who saw you excel can reassure employers that you are a strong hire.
How you tell your story is just as important as the story itself. Prepare your answer ahead of time, practice it until it sounds natural, and deliver it with confidence.
Not every job will last, but if you leave each one with people saying, “They were good,” you are doing it right.