Fresh grad considers quitting first full-time job after six months due to lack of ‘meaningful tasks’

SINGAPORE: A fresh graduate recently shared on social media that she’s seriously thinking of quitting her first full-time job after just six months, as she has not been given any real responsibilities.

In her post on the r/askSingapore forum, she explained that the reality of the role turned out very different from her expectations.

“I haven’t been given any real responsibilities or meaningful tasks. [About] 10% of my work [involves things] like updating software and moving files around etc, while 90% is spent on online materials for examinations,” she wrote, adding that this has already pushed her to start looking elsewhere.

“I’ve been actively job hunting. Now, a potential new company I applied to is requesting my full employment history.”

Uncertain about how to move forward, she reached out to the online community for guidance.

“Should I list my current role even though I don’t have much to show for it? Would leaving it out raise red flags, or is it better to be transparent and explain the situation briefly?”

“Some experience is better than no experience”

In the thread, several Singaporean Redditors encouraged her to include the position in her résumé.

“Yes, some experience is better than no experience. Try your best to list your tasks and how it contributes to the department’s overall book of work,” one said.

“Something is better than nothing. I’d rather hire someone who had gone through the experience of waking up, commuting to work, being punctual, and being able to communicate with, and work alongside other staff. As compared to a blank CV,” another commented.

“When you applied to the programme/job, they would’ve given you a job description. Use that to create your resume,” a third chimed in.

Omitting jobs from your resume

Many people wonder if it’s all right to leave certain jobs off their résumés, and the truth is, it’s actually quite common and usually fine. Not every position you’ve held needs to be included.

Short-term gigs, very old jobs, or positions that aren’t related to the career path you’re pursuing often don’t add much value. In fact, including too many unrelated roles can make your résumé look messy and take attention away from the skills and achievements that really matter.

Additionally, Rohan Mahtani, the founder and lead career coach at Resume Worded, says that including short-term positions may even raise “red flags” and lead some employers to perceive you as a “job hopper”.

So, what jobs should you include then?

According to job site LinkedIn, you should focus on including jobs where you were employed for a year or more, where the experience is relevant to the role you’re seeking, or where you made notable accomplishments. 

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