Fired?  The Interview Solution
Author: Judi Perkins

So you were fired? Now what? How will you explain it when you
interview?

There are many questions that plague job seekers. "What salary
are you looking for?" is a big one. "Why should we hire you?"
is another. And "Why did you leave your last job?" can leave
you spluttering if you were fired and don't know how to answer.


And most people don't! After they've stumbled through a few
answers—trying in vain to phrase it in an acceptable way—and
are not invited back for a second interview, their fears are
confirmed. No one will hire them because they've been fired.

Except that's not what's really happening. The problem is not
that they were fired, but how they answered the question.

We don't stay at a job our entire lives like most of our
grandparents did. Not only is it common to change jobs, some
believe it's the best way to leverage salary and career. While
most of the changes may be of your own volition, odds are a few
will involve being fired or laid-off.

Companies are bought out, merge, and consolidate, which means
inevitably there's a duplication of staff. It can be as simple
as the new president wanting to bring in his own team. He
probably didn't even look at your capabilities, He just decided
you were …outta there.

These departures aren't as difficult to explain. You can say:

o "Our company was bought and the entire department was
eliminated." (It's not me; a bunch of us were asked to leave.)
Safety in numbers.

o "The new president wanted to bring in his own guy. I lasted
about a week." (It's not me; the president didn't even take the
time to find out if I was good at what I do.) A prospective
company can't possibly hold something against you that's so…
impersonal.

o "The company was losing money and downsized." (It's not me;
if the company had been profitable, I'd still be there!)

The common thread is, "It's not me." Therefore, I am not
flawed, unwanted, performing poorly, or any other reason you
can think up or worry about. But these types of partings, while
they seem impersonal, can still have a detrimental effect. We'll
get to that in a minute.

The instances that cause real damage feel very personal, even
when they aren't. You are the only one who was dismissed, and
what's more, you know they'll replace you. You're caught off
guard, angry, and frightened, too. In an instant, you're on the
defensive, which is usually where people remain. And that's
exactly what causes the problem.

Firing isn't always about the individual, even though that's
who's impacted the most. Sometimes it's about the
boss—especially bosses with issues. It might be about poor
performance, but that's not always negative. It could be the
result of having different philosophies. For instance, the
company may value those who work weekends, nights and holidays.
You prefer to balance your life.

Once you're fired, you can't change the circumstances. But you
can control how you view them. While departmental or
companywide layoffs are easier to explain, they can also cause
damage. You wonder, "If I'd been really good, wouldn't they
have found another spot for me?" In addition, you're in an
insecure place that sometimes is difficult to adjust to.

Take time to clear some tears or anger. If you're tempted to
recoil, rehash, threaten revenge or otherwise communicate with
your previous employer, don't. Remember one word: reference!
Don't burn your bridges. Leave the company gracefully.

Most importantly, detach yourself from the event and honestly
examine what happened. That's the only way you're going to get
any insight and begin adjusting your thoughts and perspective.

There are hundreds of reasons for dismissal, so no pat answer
will suffice. The unequivocal rule is to tell the truth. If
they discover you lied, you'll be wondering for a long time how
you'll pay your bills. So when you're asked why you left – tell
them you were fired. Forthright brevity is best. It's all in
how you phrase it. The trick is a shift in perspective, which
is easier when you've purged the defensiveness and shame.

Don't give a long, rambling story or blame the company, your
boss, or anyone else. Were you –even partially- at fault? Take
responsibility. Did you learn from the experience? Say so. Are
you completely at sea as to what happened? That's okay.

Not every job is right for everyone. There are philosophical
differences, chemistry problems, tough spots, and bosses who
are difficult and self-absorbed.

Regardless of the reason, it wasn't your perfect job or you
weren't quite what they needed. The great thing is that it was
recognized (in whatever form) and everyone is moving on. The
goal is to be real about what works for you and why the firing
took place.

The first step, as trite as it sounds, is to look at it as a
blessing. It may take some time to see, but no matter how bad
it looks or feels, something good will come of it. Maybe it
will be a better job, a chance to grow, or the realization that
you hated your career – who knows?

But if you're too busy being angry and defensive, not only will
you miss the chance to capitalize on the positive outcome, but
you'll also keep experiencing negative consequences. When
you're in a victimized frame of mind, you'll miss recognizing
an opportunity and continue to perpetuate your unemployment.

Let's examine two answers to the question: "Why did you leave
your last job?"

HOLDING-ON HENRIETTA: I don't know. I was doing my job.
Everyone liked me. They always came to me for advice instead of
our boss. When the other manager left, they promoted the
assistant. She's maybe about 28. I guess they thought she'd be
good just because she'd been there a long time, but she really
was a shrew. I think she hated me. She was always talking down
to me. One time she took credit for one of my projects. She's
the one that should have left! I'm glad to be out of there.



OBJECTIVE OLIVIA: I was fired, actually. The assistant manager
was promoted to manager because she had seniority and she was
very good at her job. Unfortunately, she was young and perhaps
she thought respect was automatically accorded instead of
earned, because when everyone else began coming to me instead
of her, it didn't seem to sit well with her. Despite that I
excelled in my responsibilities and met my goals, she let me
go. I'm sorry to have had to leave the company. I learned a lot
there.

Can you spot the differences? As the interviewer, what would
you think?

You must work out a comfortable response. Rewrite it, rephrase
it, and test it. Be able to say it calmly and sincerely. If you
notice hesitation or discomfort, your words, your attitude—or
possibly both—need adjustment.

There is no good or bad. There's only perspective, which is
your choice. Firing is considered "bad," but what's bad about
being fired when a boss has issues? What's bad about protecting
a customer or not compromising your ethics? What's bad about
being asked to leave because the position description changed
and doesn't fit your job preferences or skills? What's bad
about being fired from a sales job for lousy numbers when you
hate selling (and realize later that you're relieved to be
gone)?

When you're comfortable with what happened, you'll be
comfortable with your response, and it will be much easier to
look someone in the eye while you answer their question.


About The Author: Judi Perkins has been a search consultant for
25 years in both the contingency and retained market, with a
short stint in the temporary and local permanent placement
markets. She has owned her own firm and successfully assisted
numerous repeat clients in hiring all levels of management. She
is a Career Expert and Forum Moderator with
http://www.CareerCube.net . To sign up for her newsletter and
learn thousands of powerful concepts to find your perfect job
go to http://www.findtheperfectjob.com.