How to interview after being fired

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Anonymous

01/13/21 at 4:45PM UTC

Career

How to interview after being fired

I was fired from my job in October. I took some much needed time off and am now applying for jobs. How do I explain my situation? I'll be honest. I work in an at will state and was not given a reason for being fired. When applying for unemployment, the reason for termination by my employer was. "She worked to the best of her ability." I was never on a performance improvement plan or anything like that. My work mentor didn't even know it was happening. So, I'm just looking for advice on how to navigate this. Thank you! Edit: I can't reply anonymously, but I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all who have given me advice. Your kind words have eased my anxiety about what happened and how to move forward.

5 Comments

Tasha

Hoping to freelance my way to freedom!

01/13/21 at 5:36PM UTC

Im sorry you were fired without being given an explanation. That is always tough and can shake confidence. I honestly don’t understand why employers do that. But I am glad that you’re getting back out there and applying for jobs after such a setback! My advice, for whatever it’s worth, would be to just be honest in a very professional way, without putting any personal feelings in the explanation. If they ask, tell your interviewers that you were let go from the position but that you were given positive feedback about your performance and you are looking forward to using your skills to bring value to this new organization (I would take the “she worked to the best of her abilities” comment as a positive!). Best wishes to you - cheers to one closed door being the avenue towards a better open one!

Charlotte F. Polando

150

FGB Community Contributor

01/13/21 at 5:50PM UTC

I have been terminated from a job I know what you are going through. When interviewing and if they only asked, I would just say they did not give a reason or it was due to cut backs. But some employers if they want to be nice so you can get unemployment will say lay off, not fired. Because a lot of state are at will. So when a company looks into your work history and may call your former employer for a reference, all they can say is that you were a good employee. But if someone was terminated and it it was due to policy violation then the employer can say that. Just don't think to much about the questioning why you were let go. Plug away get your resume out there, network your skills and experiences. One door closes and another one will open.

Whippoorwill Farm

165

Fierce IT Leader: HEAR ME ROAR!

01/13/21 at 6:58PM UTC

Honestly, you don't need to really give a reason. You did nothing wrong in this situation. With that said, I would answer the question in a fashion somewhat like this..."I liked what I was doing at my previous employer but due to unforeseen circumstances, I found that I needed some time to regroup." You aren't saying you were fired and you are telling the truth because during your "down time" you were able to reflect and regroup, right? I find that if you give too much information, that first impression will linger. Don't use the term "fired", "terminated", or "let go". You can simply say it wasn't a good fit despite enjoying what you did. As a hiring manager, I don't judge people by previous experiences. I base my decision on their character. If you are qualified for the role, it won't matter what happened in your last position. Hang in there!

Anonymous

01/13/21 at 7:25PM UTC

Maybe characterize it as Covid related layoff, which maybe it was? These are common and require no explanation.

Anonymous

01/13/21 at 7:29PM UTC

I would try to focus your answer more on what you were able to do with the time off, and less about why you were fired. You can be honest and say you don't know why you were let go, but that you adapted. Talk about what you have done and how you have grown since. In that time you were able to do xyz which made you realize you wanted abc which is why you want to work at the company you are interviewing for, because they also value abc. Adaptability is a good thing, and so is showing that your values and wants are aligned with the company you are interviewing for. Lots of people were fired in 2020 because the company simply couldn't afford to keep them around. It could be that your company was in this situation, and instead of furloughing you they thought you would be better off earning unemployment and fired you. This happened to a few of my friends. The reason doesn't matter so much as how you handled the situation and learned from it. Good luck with the job hunt! :)