A previous job ended badly – you were fired!
It’s an awkward and stressful situation and reliving it in an interview is not ideal but being fired is more common than you may think. Don’t let it define you.
That being said, many people struggle with how to respond to questions about losing their jobs, particularly when it comes time for their next job interview. Here are some tips for talking about why you were let go.
• Be honest, and be the one to tell them.
It’s risky to try to hide that you lost your job, there is a chance that your potential employer could find out other ways. This could set off alarm bells for them if you’re not the one to tell them.
Be upfront and address what occurred openly early on in the recruitment process. Leaving this information out until the final stages can be interpreted as having something to hide.
• Timing is key.
Being the first to bring it up doesn’t mean talking about it the second the interview starts. An appropriate time to discuss would be when you’re asked why you left your previous employer.
Providing an honest answer to the question is far better than waiting for the employer to discover this at the offer stage or during the reference-checking process.
• Prepare and don’t get emotional.
Be prepared to be asked why you lost your job and try to remove any emotion you may still carry from the experience. Explain in a simple and concise way without any negativity towards your previous employer.
It’s a good idea to plan your response before the interview and practice what you’re going to say, especially if emotions are still on the surface.
• Use neutral language.
When explaining avoid using jarring language such as ‘I was fired’, ‘sacked’ or ‘terminated. Neutral language like ‘Unfortunately the role didn’t work out due to different expectations,’ or, ‘We came to a mutual agreement that the role/company wasn’t the right fit for me’ leads the discussion to what sort of role or company could be ‘the right fit’ and why this particular role will better utilise your key strengths and/or personal attributes.
Implementing these strategies will demonstrate your personal growth since losing your job, displaying a level of maturity and self-awareness that will be attractive to potential employers.
