I was terminated from my job a few months ago.

18 Comments

1. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 5:37PM UTC

   I decided to leave my role as I could see the writing on the wall. During this time, there are so many people looking for work that instead of focusing on the termination, I would spin it to you're seeking a role in X and what you can offer the company. You wanted to advance your career, have more control of the work, team etc. Find out what each company needs and that's your answer. If worse comes to worse, your position was eliminated and / or it wasn't the right fit. Good luck and if you were doing your best, there might have been an internal situation. Focus on the future instead of getting stuck in the past.

2. Claire McCabeNovember 29,2022 at 6:52PM UTC

   Briefly touch on the reason in interviews and move on. "I thrived in the role until it wasn't a fit and it was time to move on." "I decided to take some time away as I contemplated what's next." "I hit a ceiling in that role and decided to look for something that better aligned my skills and strengths." As long as you don't dwell on it, bash your former employer or focus on the negative, the interview will refocus to connect to what YOU will bring to the table versus an old role that no longer serves you!

3. Sharon GrehanNovember 29,2022 at 7:14PM UTC

   Just frame it as a positive, show loyalty and don't say anything that could be perceived as something you may then feel about a new company down the road. An honest and positive 'reason' could be something like "I was a top performer and had consistently positive performance reviews. I was continuing to get growth and development opportunities and my hope was to stay longer with my prior company but unfortunately my position was unexpectedly eliminated which leaves me in a great position to bring my strengths and transferrable skills to a new company and team"

4. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 8:25PM UTC

   Love this response! What a great way to positively show that you are moving on and ready for the next challenge! Great advice.

5. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 7:31PM UTC

   I'm so sorry this is happening to you. 1) Get any co-workers, former or just before you were let go, to vouch for you "off the record" if at all possible. 2) You may need to get an attorney to speak to them re the actual reason if your former employer refuses to tell you. Do not sign anything until/unless you and an attorney review it. As for looking for a new job, your embarrassment and insecurity might be showing through and unfortunately employers tend to take the side of the employer and don't want to deal with your side of it. You have to be VERY diplomatic as to why you're not with the firm anymore; it is very likely your firm will be too, out of fear alone that you'll sue them for keeping you from getting rehired anywhere else. Good luck!

6. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 1:41PM UTC

   totally agree. if they offer you a severance package, you MUST have an attorney look at it! the language in these severance documents can be very edgy. Been there/done that. Very glad I saw an attorney.

7. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 7:52PM UTC

   You say it was not a good fit.

8. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 1:41PM UTC

   that sounds cliche, and edgy. She was terminated without cause. it was not a good fit for her or the employer? I would not say this.

9. Barb HansenNovember 29,2022 at 8:32PM UTC

   Say ...

   "While I was able to meet and exceed my set goals and the goals set for the team during my time at Company XYZ, the position wasn't a good fit for me when the team's direction was changed by management"

   .. or something like that.

10. Kimberley Ferretti HammettDecember 1,2022 at 2:25PM UTC

    Yes, this! Most likely, objectively, this is what happened. There may or may not have been shady activity or simply poor communication on their part but if expectations changed or business needs changed then essentially you and the position became misaligned and it no longer made sense to keep you in that position. This is exactly how I described it in my interviews after being let go and it didn't seem to be an issue. When I had started that position it was essentially a catch-all and I did some admin items like take notes but I helped a global team in multiple big projects, communicated changes, advised, led leadership training etc etc, then as the team grew and they hired specialized roles the need from my role was suddenly way more administrative. I went from running around helping facilitate a company-wide spin to being stuck at my desk trying (and failing) to learn how to process invoices. One of the Directors I worked with was transparent enough to tell me I was an overpaid admin. I would have preferred they found a better place for me of course but instead I was let go. It made more sense for them to hire a lower-paid admin who had experience processing invoices and coordinating supply orders. I know not every interviewer will withhold judgement but I landed a great job where they appreciated that I was able to objectively see the situation in a business perspective.

11. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 1:39PM UTC

    I had this happen to me. I was a top notch performer (and thank goodness, I saved a copy of my recent eval from the VP) and was outperforming my peers by 25% (had that in writing also, just four weeks prior). The reason was a creepy corporate move; had to hire an attorney to get to the bottom of it, got EEOC involved, etc...What a mess! Ahhh. but I digress. Here is what I learned: on the day of your termination, your employer is required, by law, to give you a SERVICE LETTER. the Service Letter states that you were employed, in good standing, and not terminated for cause. This letter is critical. My former employer did not provide this. it took 9 mos and legal fees and EEOC involvement but once my employer was advised, HR produced the letter. And so, moving forward, I was able to give potential new employers my resume, letters of reference (if asked) and the service letter. In interviews, I explained that the employer was going thru a business transition and struggling; some of us were let go (which is the truth; 1 year later, the employer filed bankruptcy, but none of us knew this at the time...and me, being a top performer, economically, stood in the way of the company's plan to file bankruptcy)---So...get a good haircut, sit up straight, be/act confident, offer no excuses for your termination (because you didn't do anything wrong) and get that SERVICE letter. Each state has different laws surrounding the Service Letter requirement (again, this is a letter given to folks who are terminated without cause)...the majority of states require this letter on day of termination (by law)---if you didn't get one, and your state is one of the many that requires it...you need to call HR and advise them that they are NOT in compliance with the law...and you will get an attorney to force it, if they don't respond. Good luck and God bless. I know you are bruised, very bruised. Been there/done that. Since it's happened to me, I am so much more empathetic to how ruthless the business world is...Chin up, be your best self and you've got this.

12. BethBNovember 30,2022 at 1:55PM UTC

    Please be careful giving legal advice. The requirement of a service letter isn’t federal and varies by state.

13. AnonymousDecember 2,2022 at 7:28PM UTC

    i clearly stated that.

14. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 2:25PM UTC

    Reasons matter very little. So stop focusing on the past and trying to make sense of why you were terminated. You didn't fit. No big deal unless you make it one.

    If you easily say it wasn't a fit and move on to explain your successes other people won't focus on it. You need to move on and not focus any energy there.

15. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 9:56PM UTC

    Well said!
    she wasn’t a good fit. In a lot of cases the employer’s excuse for terminating an individual doesn’t matter and won’t factor in at the next workplace. I technically have 3 jobs right now. People that I know who work multiple jobs can see the difference in workplaces. While one place may claim performance is poor and give excuses another may like you and want to promote you. A lot of excuses come down to poor marketing strategies, business models which is why they may underperform and may have little to do with the worker. Just a hunch if the op was blindsided and all of a sudden told she was underperforming.
    One company that I work for cut hours and said they haven’t recovered from Covid. I just interviewed with a company in the same industry and business is booming for them. We need to keep our eyes open!!!

16. Julia AsquithNovember 30,2022 at 4:44PM UTC

    Keep it simple! I agree with others here that shared to say, it simply wasn't a good fit. I would definitely stay away from the "service letter" situation. In my mind that could backfire and gives the matter undeserved attention. Let the focus be on you, your skills and talents and what you bring to the table now.

17. BrandieFarmerDecember 1,2022 at 10:43PM UTC

    Hi there I would say new management had different expectations for my role, and brung along someone whom they felt were more fitted for the role.

18. Sabrina CortesDecember 2,2022 at 12:43AM UTC

    I'm sorry you're in this predicament! I agree with much of what was said in some of the comments. You got some sound advice!

    One thing about your post that stands out to me is that you're having a hard time finding a new job. I'm a professional Resume Writer and wanted to offer some thoughts.

    Please make sure you tailor your resume (and cover letter) to each job you apply to. This greatly increases your chances of passing the applicant tracking system's (ATS) scanning process. When these systems scan your resume, they look for skills and keywords in your document and compare them against the terms in the different roles.

    I'd love to offer you a free resume review. Once I see your resume, I can give you additional tips. :)) If you're interested, feel free to email me at sabrina@writewithsabrina.com. I won't spam you or anything like that because I hate getting spam - and no strings attached either, ok?

    Sending your positive vibes!