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You are here > Home > Job Search Resources > Dealing With Being Fired Dealing With Being Fired Being Fired and Its Impact on You
Learn not to feel as if being fired is such a horrible or embarrassing situation. You will go through a grieving process and will naturally feel some anger, shame, and hurt. This is normal. But try not to walk around with your head hanging down, fearful that someone will find you sitting in the park instead of being on the job.
Many people, just like you, are fired for reasons other than their job performance or ability to function in a specific environment. Often, being fired is a blessing, as it actually enables you to get out of a rut and find a job more to your liking and better suited to your abilities. While this may sound a bit like looking through rose-colored glasses, your job search success will depend upon you finding the positive in that experience and maintaining your equilibrium. Consider some of the reasons why people are fired:
What Should You Put on a Resume?
The only thing worse than having to look for a new job in a tight market is having to look immediately after being fired. Avoid the temptation to sugar-coat your employment history -- employers prefer honesty and a good attitude. Even though you lost your last job, add it to your resume. After all, you did earn the experience.
It is not necessary to state that you were fired on
your resume. Leave those kind of specifics to a conversation that you will have
with your prospective employer - either on the phone or in person.
What Should You Say in Your Job Interviews?
If you are asked about the job you were fired from,
be open and honest about the situation. You are not obligated to disclosed
unless asked, but if you think there could be a risk to your future employment
because of your termination, it's prudent to address the matter clearly and
honestly. Some employers run background checks and may learn, through criminal
history or social networking, the circumstances of your dismissal, so owning up
any negative history may work to your favor.
It is much better for you to hold your head up high and explain the circumstances exactly, without emotion. Be factual and don't blame others or be too hard on yourself. Present the attitude: “I was fired for X reasons but I have gathered myself together and I am moving on now, a better person and a much better employee.” Employers will make an issue out of it if you do not demonstrate the truth, clear facts and a responsible future-projected attitude. Provided you explain it correctly, an employer is more likely to see a person with the right attitude and get-up-and-go needed in the new company, along with someone who has had experience of hardship and moved through it successfully.
The best explanation will openly acknowledge that the situation wasn’t optimal and look for a way to tell the story with a positive ending. Above all, you do not want to get bogged down in a long-winded explanation of how you weren’t wrong in the first place or how other folks had it in for you. Even if you were mostly in the right, most hiring managers don’t want to hear the whole story—and will likely tend to sympathize with your former manager.
Don't forget to tell prospective employers what you did right too!
Take a Thorough Inventory of Your Accomplishments at Your Previous Job
After you are fired, it's important to examine what you need to change about yourself, as described above, but it's even more important to take stock of your strengths and what you did right.
A useful project for you will be to sit down and write an essay about of your accomplishments at your previous job. Be specific and write many pages. This is not for your resume - this is for your memory and self-esteem. Too often when people are fired, they downplay or minimize what all they did right. Write it out! Not only will it buoy you and make you feel better, but it will also train you to highlight these accomplishments when you go to interviews. During down times, it's also helpful to pull these essays out of a drawer and review them. You'd be surprised how much confidence and energy it will bring to your days during your long job search weeks.
Should You List Your Last Job as a Reference?
If a potential employer requests references, you are
not obligated to give your prior employer as a reference unless the recruiter
specifically requests it. In that case, disclose that you were terminated. Some
terminations are unremarkable -- for example, layoffs because of budget issues.
Be prepared, however, to explain terminations for cause, particularly if your
discharge was based on the violation of a law or policy.
A good attitude is the best defense against a
negative employment history. Avoid speaking poorly of prior employers or pushing
off responsibility for your actions. Instead, acknowledge any mistakes you've
made and explain to the recruiter what you've learned from them. Return to: |
