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For some, the question “Have you ever been fired?” can inspire a pit in the stomach when the answer to that question is “Yes”. You may be among an unfortunate bunch who had a horrific experience at a company (or with a certain coworker or boss), ending in a not so ideal ending. And whether your termination was your fault or not, it can continue to haunt you in your search for future prospects. So what is the best way to field this tough issue?
Be Honest
First things first: don’t lie. It may be tempting to dismiss the topic altogether, hoping that the company you’re interviewing with never finds out – but what happens if they do? If they find out during the interview process, you’re certain not to get the job. And if they find out a few years down the line, no matter how great an employee you are, they may still decide to let you go. A second termination is not what you want on your record, so do yourself a favor and be upfront and honest from the get go. It’s much safer, and you’ll stress about if far less in the long run.
Provide Some Context
Explain the circumstances surrounding the incident. If it was a conflict of interest, let the interviewer know. If it happened 15 years ago, tell them that you now have a lot of distance from the incident and that your stellar work performance since then speaks for itself. If it occurred in the more recent past, explain that you have learned quite a bit from the incident, but don’t spend your time making excuses. Lay down the facts, and focus on what you’ve done since and will do in the future to demonstrate that you are a valuable employee who understands what it takes to be an asset to a company.
Don’t Give Away Too Much
While it’s important to be forthcoming in your response to this question, you also don’t want to spend too much time addressing the matter. Keep the focus of the interview on what makes you the ideal person to hire, and spend as little time as you can conveying what the interviewer needs to know about that particular incident. People who feel the need to defend themselves tend to over-explain, and this can portray lack of confidence and lead you down the wrong road. Certainly stray away from speaking ill of your former boss or company, remaining as objective and succinct as possible.
No one likes getting fired and everyone wants to find a new job. Don’t let one obstacle in your past set the tone for the rest of your career. Concentrate on what you need to do to land your next job and on the reasons you’re a perfect fit for it, and the rest will follow.
Have a wonderful day,
The Doostang Team
