stretching the truth

[learningtofly]

Hi all,

I may have committed a faux pas at an interview.  As many of you know I was laid off this year and rehired by the same company.  As far as my employer is concerned I've never left.  Reinstated with my original hire date and seniority after a few months.  Yippee!  But I had resumes floating around out there and one company called about my dream job shortly after I was rehired.

I've been asked where I work and I answer truthfully.  My resume was critiqued by HR since it didn't say X year until present, it said X year until 2012.  Well, when I sent it out that was true.  I don't want to tell them about the layoff and rehire since my company is ignoring that detail.  I don't want to seem flakey for being willing to leave my job so soon after rehire.  I recently realized that people can get fired for lying in interviews.  How far have I pushed it and should I come clean in the next round if I make it or should I follow my company's lead and pretend it didn't happen?

[yokozbornak]

I think it's okay just to be honest -  you were downsized and you were rehired a short time later.  Let them know you sent the resume while you were downsized.  I think most hiring managers would be understanding of why you are looking for a job.  Even though you were rehired, it sounds like your place of work is a bit precarious.

[Deetee]

I think you should just tell them what happened. You were laid off and then they asked you back. The details of your senority are irrelivent.

As for the flakiness come up with excellent reasons why this new jobs suits you so well.

[learningtofly]

I just don't know how to work it in.  Only HR asked me specifics.  The people I would be working with just asked if I was there now, which I am.  Had my resume said X year to present, it wouldn't have come up at all. 

If I get the 2nd interview I would have to meet with HR again.  Also, if I can't work this in do I ask my references not to mention it as well? I'm getting ahead of myself, but I'm nervous.

[rashea]

I think you can come clean pretty safely. You were laid off, and even if you were rehired, I think most people can understand why you might still be interested in moving on. I think most people in that position would no longer feel confident and secure in their job.

[LazyDaisy]

I think it works in your favor that the company that let you go hired you back in a short time, and is reinstating your seniority as though they never let you go. That speaks highly of your value to them. Be honest about the situation with the new company. If they ask why you're still looking, be honest that they are your dream job and you're not sure how long your current position will last. On the phone or face to face, ask if they want an updated resume and have one that lists specific dates for your unemployed time and rehire. It really doesn't matter what your current job lists for seniority purposes. I assume you have letters of termination and rehire if pressed for proof, but I can't believe it would be necessary.

[TootsNYC]

the "layoff and rehire" is a HUGE plus for you!!
Huge.

So don't hide it. Your company isn't "hiding it" as if it were shameful. Because it isn't shameful. It's honorable, actually.

They're creating continuous employment in order to keep your benefits active and in force. So that you don't have to start over earning less vacation, or wait to be eligible for a 401k, or for FMLA/vision/dental benefits (which either don't or may not kick in until you've been employed for a year).

Trumpet that!

They laid you off for monetary reasons; they didn't FIRE you. And then they rehired you in 1 of 2 ways: 
 • Either SO rapidly that you are considered "continuous" (which means you're so good that they couldn't live without you)
   or
• After that sort of deadline but they like you so much that they gave you this perk to be sure to get you on board (which again means you're so good that they couldn't live without you)

(Also, some companies have as a POLICY that if you're rehired within X months, they have to consider you continuous; again, this is an honorable thing for your company to do, and has nothing to do with the mistaken idea that "being laid off by them, or unemployed by them, was shameful.")

So in your next contact say, "I realize I may have been unclear--My resume ways 'until 2012' because I was laid off in April. But I've since been rehired and am considered continuous because it was so short."

I love LazyDaisy's idea that you should use the "updated resume" bit. And do update your resume to indicate the layff and rehire, because that is really important. Then just email it to HR and say, "here's an updated resume that reflects my current employment situation."

The only *risk* to you is that they might think you're disloyal. But given that your company has shown that it is vulnerable to financial layoffs, it's not that odd that you would want to explore other firms--and specifically, you might be really interested in THEIR job, because now that you were looking for work because of the layoff, you are awake to the idea of other possibilities.

It gives you big negotiating strength as well--you *can* be lured away, but it had better be worth it, since you have the advantage of being so very well regarded by your current employer.

[Pippen]

You are fine. These things happen all the time and it does work in your favour. One company I worked for was constantly 'restructuring' and it had nothing to do with workers performance. It was more a way of conning shareholders into thinking management were running a tight ship and not top heavy with workers. Make someone redundant and rehire them as a contractor the next week. It doesn't appear on the books as wages for FTEU hours put gets hidden as 'consultancy fees' or 'contact whatever'. People were clamoring to be made redundant. One senior manager got hired back on 3 times his annual wage and he was jumping with joy. I told him he was a Jammy Person of Questionable Parentage but he didn't care.