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A One-Year Job on My Resume – Will it Hurt My Chances of Admission?
There is a common maxim that says the minimum acceptable time on any single job is two years. As a result, candidates who have a one-year job stint on their resume worry that it will be a barrier in their chances of admission. Let’s discuss how this is – and isn’t – true.
Whether or not a one-year job will hurt you will depend on various factors. For starters, was the job intended to be a one-year job — an internship, a fellowship, or something similar? If so, you probably have no reason for concern. If not, and for some reason you left your job after a year, other questions will begin to pop up.
For instance, what was the root of you leaving? Were you affected by downsizing? If so, again, there is likely little to worry about if your resume shows a fair amount of steady, longer-than-one-year work experience before or after your one-year job. In our current economy, leaving a job due to downsizing won’t be seen in an overly harsh light.
If the reason why you stayed at a job for only one year is not related to an internship-type job structure or an economic-related reason, the stint will likely raise a few questions. Fortunately, these questions can be overcome. For example, the admissions committee may want to know why you left the job so soon. The assumption might be that something went wrong. You can minimize these sorts of concerns if your record shows other steady, longer-than-one-year work experience after the job that lasted only one year. Concerns will also be reduced if you obtain a glowing recommendation from a supervisor at the job that lasted only one year. Lastly, concerns can be indirectly addressed if your current supervisors are raving in your recommendations about how strong you are professionally, making the one-year job seem less relevant.
Use these tips to make sure the admissions committee has no reason to deny you admission. Make your application flawless!