how to handle this in job interviews? HR / hiring managers - please weigh in!

[Anonymous]

I am currently employed but my last day at this company is coming up in three weeks. I will have been at this job for a grand total of 3 months when I leave - it was a bad fit, but it has ended as well as it could in that I wasn't fired, I resigned, and I feel like I at least preserved my integrity throughout the whole yucky situation (this is me: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/179949.page).

Anyhoo, with job interviews coming up, how do I address this? In some cases I will still be employed when I interview (like next week) and I don't want to lie about my current employment status - and even after I leave here I don't want to lie about my work history, as I feel that sets a bad precedent and could also be problematic from an HR perspective. I know that these kinds of "bad fit" scenarios aren't uncommon, and I would hope that anyone with a strong work ethic wouldn't see my situation as a sign that I'm unreliable or not a hard worker or what-have-you! I don't want to dwell on it during an interview, but I feel like I should at least acknowledge it and then move on to talking about other past experiences relevant to the position at hand - but is that naive?

Would love some perspective from HR professionals or hiring managers, or others who have BTDT - thank you!

[Anonymous]

I am not officially in HR, but I do hiring for my office. I think if you are a strong fit for the positions you are applying for, one "bad fit" on your resume isnt going to hurt you. You could either leave it on your resume, and then explain, or Leave it off, and then if asked, explain it was a bad fit, and why. The explanation either way should be a "bad fit" and a couple PC reasons why it didnt fit your skills, transitioning quickly into why you think those skills are better suited for the position you are interviewing for.

[Anonymous]

If your resume doesn't show you as a job hopper, you should be fine. Just say it wasn't the right fit. Look for positive words, and try to spin it in the best possible light. Sort of like the way you answer the question, "what are your weaknesses"?.

Don't fret about it at all, it happens more than you know.

[Anonymous]

Ahh, thanks - I like the way you framed that, PP - to address it the way I'd address the "weakness" question. And I'm most definitely not a job-hopper, so thanks for pointing that out too!