Summer job application, how can I respond about a previous job that went wrong?
My previous summer job was with a cafe of which's ownership was legally skeptical involving the breaks provided and taking tips, in addition to them consistently messing me around by cancelling shifts, and essentially isolating me when it came to conversation and tasks- at a time of very low mental health, it was a terrible job. After leaving I did something rather childish through a state of upset and annoyance and wrote a google review stating the lack of breaks provided, poor pay, unclean environments, taking tips, and cancelling shifts- to which we messaged in a light argument about it once he saw it, and I took it down in the end when he understood what I was saying and how my time there WAS hell and a waste of time.
I'm not here to discuss if that was a childish move, what my question is here is how to talk about it with a new employer for this summer, hopefully my last summer job before I can get a career after Uni.
I put "working at another cafe" in addition to previous experience on my CV for the casual interview im attending tomorrow, because it was a different environment there and I wanted my time there to at least be able to go on my CV. But what is the best solution to responding to "what job was that" if they bring it up in the interview??
Theres a good chance they dont even mention it, but my current plan is to say it was work from a family friend but we didn't end up getting along well. I don't want my potentially childish-revenge decision to mess up getting a job because I do need it and I would love to work there, but I'm unsure how to talk about it in this interview if it pops up.
Is saying "it was for a family friend's place but we didnt get along too well" too question provoking? I may just be thinking may too much about this. Thanks :)
Posted Jun 8, 2026, 10:09 PM UTC