Could unrelated experience in retail look bad on a CV? [duplicate]

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  Do previous, unrelated jobs look bad on a resume once you have had a real job?
  
  6 answers
  
  


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  Should my resume list work experience from unrelated fields?
  
  5 answers
  
  

I am finishing up a master's degree in the social sciences, and I decided to take a year off to get some work experience before going into a PhD program. But I made the mistake of gaining little work experience while I pursued my studies for 6 years. Aside from a couple of really fulfilling part-time positions, and a bit of volunteering experience, I don't have much recent job experience. (My income has come from student loans and scholarships). I have been working with an employment coach, but I haven't gotten anywhere in applying for jobs related to my field during the past two month. So I've recently taken up a job as a retail sales associate. If I stay in this position for a year, will it look bad on my CV in the future (i.e. when I apply for a job more related to my field during or after a PhD program)? Would having this job for a year before going into a PhD make me look unambitious? My concern is that leaving it off would raise eyebrows regarding what I did during that year.

EDIT: I'm not just wondering about the irrelevance of the retail job. I'm wondering if staying in it for a year before entering a PhD would look bad, like I don't have the drive to enter a field relevant to my degree.

resume work-experience retail

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edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

marked as duplicate by Masked Man♦, gnat, jimm101, IDrinkandIKnowThings, Richard U Aug 31 '16 at 18:09

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you read this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/38697/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:22
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  and this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/55775/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:24
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Do previous, unrelated jobs look bad on a resume once you have had a real job?
  
  6 answers
  
  


• 
  Should my resume list work experience from unrelated fields?
  
  5 answers
  
  

I am finishing up a master's degree in the social sciences, and I decided to take a year off to get some work experience before going into a PhD program. But I made the mistake of gaining little work experience while I pursued my studies for 6 years. Aside from a couple of really fulfilling part-time positions, and a bit of volunteering experience, I don't have much recent job experience. (My income has come from student loans and scholarships). I have been working with an employment coach, but I haven't gotten anywhere in applying for jobs related to my field during the past two month. So I've recently taken up a job as a retail sales associate. If I stay in this position for a year, will it look bad on my CV in the future (i.e. when I apply for a job more related to my field during or after a PhD program)? Would having this job for a year before going into a PhD make me look unambitious? My concern is that leaving it off would raise eyebrows regarding what I did during that year.

EDIT: I'm not just wondering about the irrelevance of the retail job. I'm wondering if staying in it for a year before entering a PhD would look bad, like I don't have the drive to enter a field relevant to my degree.

resume work-experience retail

share|improve this question

edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

marked as duplicate by Masked Man♦, gnat, jimm101, IDrinkandIKnowThings, Richard U Aug 31 '16 at 18:09

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you read this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/38697/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:22
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  and this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/55775/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:24
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Do previous, unrelated jobs look bad on a resume once you have had a real job?
  
  6 answers
  
  


• 
  Should my resume list work experience from unrelated fields?
  
  5 answers
  
  

I am finishing up a master's degree in the social sciences, and I decided to take a year off to get some work experience before going into a PhD program. But I made the mistake of gaining little work experience while I pursued my studies for 6 years. Aside from a couple of really fulfilling part-time positions, and a bit of volunteering experience, I don't have much recent job experience. (My income has come from student loans and scholarships). I have been working with an employment coach, but I haven't gotten anywhere in applying for jobs related to my field during the past two month. So I've recently taken up a job as a retail sales associate. If I stay in this position for a year, will it look bad on my CV in the future (i.e. when I apply for a job more related to my field during or after a PhD program)? Would having this job for a year before going into a PhD make me look unambitious? My concern is that leaving it off would raise eyebrows regarding what I did during that year.

EDIT: I'm not just wondering about the irrelevance of the retail job. I'm wondering if staying in it for a year before entering a PhD would look bad, like I don't have the drive to enter a field relevant to my degree.

resume work-experience retail

share|improve this question

edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Do previous, unrelated jobs look bad on a resume once you have had a real job?
  
  6 answers
  
  


• 
  Should my resume list work experience from unrelated fields?
  
  5 answers
  
  

I am finishing up a master's degree in the social sciences, and I decided to take a year off to get some work experience before going into a PhD program. But I made the mistake of gaining little work experience while I pursued my studies for 6 years. Aside from a couple of really fulfilling part-time positions, and a bit of volunteering experience, I don't have much recent job experience. (My income has come from student loans and scholarships). I have been working with an employment coach, but I haven't gotten anywhere in applying for jobs related to my field during the past two month. So I've recently taken up a job as a retail sales associate. If I stay in this position for a year, will it look bad on my CV in the future (i.e. when I apply for a job more related to my field during or after a PhD program)? Would having this job for a year before going into a PhD make me look unambitious? My concern is that leaving it off would raise eyebrows regarding what I did during that year.

EDIT: I'm not just wondering about the irrelevance of the retail job. I'm wondering if staying in it for a year before entering a PhD would look bad, like I don't have the drive to enter a field relevant to my degree.

This question already has an answer here:

• 
  Do previous, unrelated jobs look bad on a resume once you have had a real job?
  
  6 answers
  
  


• 
  Should my resume list work experience from unrelated fields?
  
  5 answers
  
  

resume work-experience retail

share|improve this question

edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

edited Aug 30 '16 at 21:28

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

asked Aug 30 '16 at 21:17

Hagshrto

42

42

marked as duplicate by Masked Man♦, gnat, jimm101, IDrinkandIKnowThings, Richard U Aug 31 '16 at 18:09

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

marked as duplicate by Masked Man♦, gnat, jimm101, IDrinkandIKnowThings, Richard U Aug 31 '16 at 18:09

This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you read this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/38697/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:22
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  and this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/55775/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:24
  

  
  
  
  

suggest improvements | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  4
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you read this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/38697/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:22
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  and this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/55775/…
  – AleX_
  Aug 30 '16 at 21:24
  

  
  
  
  

4

4

Have you read this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/38697/…
– AleX_
Aug 30 '16 at 21:22

Have you read this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/38697/…
– AleX_
Aug 30 '16 at 21:22

1

1

and this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/55775/…
– AleX_
Aug 30 '16 at 21:24

and this: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/55775/…
– AleX_
Aug 30 '16 at 21:24

suggest improvements | 

1 Answer
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No, it's fine on a CV, it's not as good as 'relevant' work experience, but any work experience is better than none. A job in an unrelated field shows an employer a few things.

You can actually get out of bed in the morning and put in a full day.

You have the social skills to work well with others.

You would rather work at anything than sit at home waiting for a knight in shining armour to hand you a job.

Those are some, there are others.

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answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

suggest improvements | 

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
4
down vote

No, it's fine on a CV, it's not as good as 'relevant' work experience, but any work experience is better than none. A job in an unrelated field shows an employer a few things.

You can actually get out of bed in the morning and put in a full day.

You have the social skills to work well with others.

You would rather work at anything than sit at home waiting for a knight in shining armour to hand you a job.

Those are some, there are others.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

suggest improvements | 

up vote
4
down vote

No, it's fine on a CV, it's not as good as 'relevant' work experience, but any work experience is better than none. A job in an unrelated field shows an employer a few things.

You can actually get out of bed in the morning and put in a full day.

You have the social skills to work well with others.

You would rather work at anything than sit at home waiting for a knight in shining armour to hand you a job.

Those are some, there are others.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

suggest improvements | 

up vote
4
down vote

up vote
4
down vote

No, it's fine on a CV, it's not as good as 'relevant' work experience, but any work experience is better than none. A job in an unrelated field shows an employer a few things.

You can actually get out of bed in the morning and put in a full day.

You have the social skills to work well with others.

You would rather work at anything than sit at home waiting for a knight in shining armour to hand you a job.

Those are some, there are others.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

No, it's fine on a CV, it's not as good as 'relevant' work experience, but any work experience is better than none. A job in an unrelated field shows an employer a few things.

You can actually get out of bed in the morning and put in a full day.

You have the social skills to work well with others.

You would rather work at anything than sit at home waiting for a knight in shining armour to hand you a job.

Those are some, there are others.

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

answered Aug 30 '16 at 21:25

Kilisi

94.3k50216374

94.3k50216374

suggest improvements | 

suggest improvements |