You may not be able to do your job properly if, for example, you: I can’t wait to see how this new skill translates into working with teams again.” - Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.There are some situations when your employer can dismiss you fairly. Even if you had to pivot into a different field temporarily, you could share something along the lines of, “While I worked in online sales for a short time, I quickly learned the power clear communication has with helping others. State the facts and then outline what you took away from the experience that you plan to incorporate moving forward into this new role. Don’t drag an interviewer through your horrible, toxic work situation or a personal problem that pushed you to move. If someone gets fired because it’s not a good fit, it can be a huge step in them learning what environment they need. Most hiring managers know that what works for each person can be different. Other people thrive on reporting to someone who’s more of a generalist. They needed peers around them with similar jobs so they could thrive on the camaraderie. Upon reflection, I realized they would do well in a company where they had a manager with a similar role so they could have very specific coaching. I had to fire someone in the past because they were ineffective in their role. Sometimes getting fired is about you and sometimes it’s about the situation. Also, share what you would do differently now. Firas Kittaneh, Amerisleep Mattressīe super honest and open. The best candidates acknowledge that and find ways to break through those hurdles instead of blaming everyone around them. Sometimes your peers or manager make a job harder, but how can you overcome that and still succeed? Life isn't always fair. When we recruit new talent who have been terminated in the past, we expect them to be candid but also painfully self-aware about what they did wrong and how they would address the situation in the future. Many times though, that's just misdirection and a red flag. They may project blame on their former co-workers, employer or the situation in general. It's very easy for people to become defensive when talking about their termination. Jennifer A Barnes, Optima Office, IncĪdmit the failure and don’t be afraid to show your shortcomings. It was a red flag and, needless to say, I did not hire them. Instead, they bashed multiple employers and weren't honest. If they had just said it wasn't a fit for them and they weren't performing due to X,Y and Z, I would have looked at them differently.
I recently interviewed someone who wasn't honest about their last job and I found out they were fired. I think it's always best to take the high road, be professional and not talk negatively about where you worked or who you worked with. If someone is honest with me and tells me what happened with their ex-employer without bashing them, that goes a long way. As long as the reasons are valid and truthful, I don't see any reason why an employer shouldn't consider them if they are qualified for the job.
Being fired doesn't mean the employee is at fault all the time. Bringing the issue up first tells your interviewer that you are transparent and trustworthy. Instead of "I got fired," say "I parted ways with my previous company because." As much as possible, don't play the blame game.
Just tell the truth, but use positive words. Ideally, you should not wait for the new employer to ask what happened with your former employer.
Be confident and share with the recruiter how you've grown since then. Don't feel pressured to overshare because you could end up accidentally presenting yourself in a negative light. State your reasoning and answer the recruiter's questions as straightforwardly as possible. You're looking for a new opportunity and that's great. Everyone makes mistakes and getting fired is nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes, you can get so worked up that you overindulge to the point of sharing so much that you make a bad impression. When explaining getting fired during an interview, make sure not to over-explain.