I was recently let go from a job I’d been in for only six weeks before I needed unexpected surgery. While I was recuperating, I got a letter saying they’d terminated my position because they’d determined they could cover my workload with their existing resources. How should I explain this when applying for jobs? I’m concerned that such a short-term job will look bad on my resume.

A resume is a marketing tool, not a dossier accounting for every moment of your work life. You may — and should — leave it off your resume, and out of your cover letter, too.

Stuff happens in life, but you’ve only got seconds to make an impression, and explaining that you had a job for six weeks, then had to have surgery, then had the company eliminate the position while you were recuperating — blah blah blah — is not the way to make a good impression. The gap is short enough that it doesn’t require an explanation. And if an inquiry is made during an interview, you can simply say you took time off to take care of a personal matter.

That is not a lie — health issues are personal and private. And not volunteering that you worked somewhere for six weeks isn’t lying, either — just like not volunteering any other info you deem irrelevant to the job for which you are applying.

It seems like everyone who gets ahead where I work is a competitive jerk who treats his staff badly. Should I take that as a sign that I need to follow suit to get ahead?

You know the saying “When in Rome,” about following the customs of wherever you are? Well, don’t do that. For every ruthless career climber, there are 100 nice guys finishing first. And for every employer who rewards such behavior, there are countless others who reward employees for being hardworking, respectful and professional. It starts at the top, so if you don’t have leadership you respect, then your choices are to become one of them (which will make you miserable), languish there (which will make you miserable) or take your talent to a place where doing as the Romans do is something of which you can be proud.

Gregory Giangrande is chief human resources officer for Dow Jones. E-mail questions to gotogreg@nypost.com.