Ask HR: How Can You Explain Oddities in Your Work History?

SHRM President and Chief Executive Officer Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP, is answering HR questions as part of a series for USA Today.

Do you have an HR or work-related question you'd like him to answer? Submit it here. 

I recently accepted what I expected to be a better job opportunity. After one week, I decided to leave. I was uncomfortable with the work environment. Because I was only there a week, how do I address this in my resume or when a future employer asks? —Tina

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.: Not everyone quickly recognizes when a work environment isn't for them. I applaud your awareness of this workplace not being a good fit and your willingness to act. Staying in a situation where you don't fit does a disservice to yourself and your employer.

You do not need to include this position on your resume. Resumes aren't meant to capture the entirety of a person's work experience—otherwise, they would be pages long. Instead, resumes serve to capture essential information in a concise package. Your resume should focus on relevant work experience, skills and achievements to highlight why you are a good fit for a particular position.

When evaluating your resume content, try seeing it from a hiring manager's perspective. What does each element say about you? How does each aspect relate to the prospective position? Each experience should build your value in the hiring manager's eyes and spark their interest.

A couple of important reminders: Even though you do not have to list this job on your resume, you must disclose it on an application for employment. Many people wrongly believe they don't have to include jobs on an application that are not included on their resume. And should an interviewer ask you about the last position, be candid and professional. Share what you learned from the experience and how it can benefit a prospective employer. You may have even realized how vital workplace culture is to you because of the experience. It could lead to a discussion about how well you would align with their culture.

While such a short tenure might be new to you, experienced hiring managers and HR professionals have likely encountered similar situations before—you weren't the first, nor will you be the last. Make it clear you are looking for your next position to be mutually beneficial. Focus on how your skill set translates to any new role, and you will have a better chance to elevate your career.

I supervise nine employees at a commercial photography studio. We dropped the ball on a client project a couple of months back. While I'd like to learn from it and move on, two of my workers are determined to blame each other for the mishap. Their bickering creates tension at work. Normally, they are both good workers, but they can't seem to get past the incident. How should I deal with the situation? —Wilando

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.: Feuding co-workers can undermine workplace culture and business performance. As a people manager, you are charged with empowering workers and advancing the interest of your business. Be willing to listen with empathy to understand both sides and candidly share your perspective as a people manager. In addition, I recommend you seek assistance of HR practitioners, as they are specially trained to help manage employee conflicts.

Schedule separate meetings with each employee to assess the situation better and identify the source of the discord. Your employees should be more open about their issues in a one-on-one setting. They need to be fully aware of their feud's toxic impact on the broader work environment. In this case, the aftermath sounds more damaging than the original incident. So, make it clear further distractions and disruptions to the workplace are not acceptable.

Following the individual meetings, arrange a joint meeting to address the unresolved issues. Set the tone by conveying your willingness to move on from the incident. Lay out clear boundaries for the conversation and their behavior going forward. Share your expectation for each to take the lessons learned from the mishap and apply them.

Encourage the employees to find ways to address their differences without disrupting the workplace and other workers. Their anger may stem from a drive to perform their work well. This desire may be their common ground and offer an opportunity for resolution.

Ideally, they will be able to resolve the dispute or reach a mutual understanding. However, if the hostility persists, review your company's policies and consult further with HR. Your company policy may address workplace conduct and outline corrective action steps ranging from warnings to termination.

Hopefully, they will be able to settle their differences and focus on doing great work. Sharing perspectives and truly listening can help all involved make better choices and avoid the need for termination. Ultimately, the goal is to build and preserve a positive and productive workplace.