Trending post
Stephanie K
Bullet point
Follow

Getting laid off or fired is tempting to dwell on what happened. That can be a dangerous road to go down, as focusing on the past can prevent you from achieving your future.

Yes, you're going to be asked why you're unemployed during an interview and it may be tempting to use that as an opportunity to tell your side of the story BUT.. that is a bad idea. Take the high road.

Be upbeat even if you were wronged by your previous employer. Tell the truth but keep it brief and focus on your desire to find new challenges, not any bitterness you have over what happened.

NEVER DISPARAGE YOUR PAST EMPLOYER - In many industries - especially the major players know each other. The person who is interviewing you may know your past boss was difficult to work with or that company has a terrible reputation. If this ever happens to you and they start to critique your former employer - don't take the bait. Take the high road with an answer like, it's fair to say there were challenges but I prefer to focus on what I learned from handling them. Just because the interviewer opens the door, doesn't mean you have to walk through it.

DON'T BASH YOUR OWN CHOICES -Focus on the opportunity ahead of you, not for what might have gone wrong in the past. You may have regretted that you didn't leave the company sooner - before a layoff happened. Don't bring it up. Keep the conversation on the opportunities ahead of you, and use your past to demonstrate how you've built the skills for whatever is next.

Show that you're excited about your future and that you're not moving on because you have no choice. Employers want employees who want to be there, not people forced to do something else.

DON'T BE OVERLY WISTFUL- It's ok to express admiration for your past employer but you don't want to act like a jilted bf or gf. Maybe you would have been an employee at the former company forever if it was your choice but your new employer doesn't want to hear that any more than a new person that you're dating want to hear how you'd take your ex back in a heartbeat. You just blew your chances with that person and they, of course, will run and not look back.

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE - Answer their questions truthfully, but try to make your interview about the future. Layout how your skills and experience make you a great candidate. Have a positive attitude, even if you just went through hell and let the past be the past.

YOU GOT THIS!!

6
5 Comments
about 6 years ago
Like
Comment
Share
mmm sss
Bullet point
Follow
Director at Symantec

Always talk about the good things that happened with the company, focus on the positives. Never bad mouth or be negative and actually why spend energy doing that . It’s better to move on and find the right fit

6y
Like
Reply
1
Sonja Nieves
Bullet point
Follow

Ageeed. I love my last company I worked for. I was let go, but I will always recommend them.

6y
Like
Reply
1
Sandra Revell
Bullet point
Follow
Site Manager Director Of Housekeeping at Robins Afb U S A F Clinic

Yes Ashley that is absolutely right!!. Instead, job candidates could say in an interview, the contract ended or budget cuts but NEVER speak harshly about your former employer. Remember, less is more. Only answer the questions the interviewer asks. Keep it simple!. Good luck everyone :)

6y
Like
Reply
1
See all replies
Ashley Wilson
Bullet point
Follow
Content Manager at Jobcase

Yes I couldn't agree more Stephanie K ! It's so important to realize that you should never, EVER speak badly about your past boss. They will then in turn think that one day you will speak the same way about them. Always take the high road!

6y
Like
Reply
1
Add