Being fired is never a pleasant moment for anyone, especially a job-seeker. It can negatively affect your perception on how you are as an employee, and makes for even more stressful interviews. Most people want to avoid the topic of being fired altogether, but there may be situations when you need to bring it up. Employers want to hear about your most recent job history, so we’ve compiled this post to help you approach the subject in an interview.
For starters, why were you fired? There are several different reasons: your company may have terminated your employment to cut costs, or maybe there was a merger that caused your position to be eliminated. Explaining the circumstances behind you losing your job is an important aspect of your interview, and can determine whether or not you progress further in the interview process. However, there are some instances when you may be fired for performance issues and that’s more sensitive to address.
If you are fired due to poor performance, it’s important to be upfront about what happened. Once you give the interviewer the key points of your termination, explain what you learned from the situation. This shows the potential employer that you took a negative situation and turned it into a positive one by learning things that will prevent you from being in this position again. For example, were you fired because you were constantly late? Let the interviewer know you learned how valuable time is, not just yours but everyone else’s, and prove it by showing up early to the job interview. Finally, make sure you let the interviewer know that you will never let it happen again.
When you are explaining what happened, make sure to not talk negatively about your former employer, even if you have sour feelings. You don’t want to come across as bitter, so take the high road. Keep things short and sweet when discussing the situation, and don’t let it get you down while you’re interviewing. Keep your answer concise, and it will help the interviewer move on to the next question.
Don’t let getting fired discourage you during your job search. There will be an employer who sees your potential. For help getting started, or more tips on approaching the subject of being fired, contact one of our top recruiters today!