How Job Seekers Can Handle Being Fired

Explaining the Situation to a Potential New Employer

Sep 12, 2008 Deborah S. Hildebrand

People get fired everyday for a variety of reasons. It's how they deal with the situation that makes the difference.

For anyone who has never been fired: congratulations. For everyone else, trying to explain the situation to a potential new employer doesn’t have to be as difficult as job seekers sometimes make it.

There are so many possible reasons that someone might get fired and recruiters as well as managers who have been involved in hiring new employees have probably heard a lot of these reasons during the course of their careers. While it’s not a situation that most people want to find themselves stuck in, stuff happens.

Dealing with Being Fired

First and foremost, before job seekers do anything, they need to get their arms around the idea of being fired. This kind of traumatic event can be an emotional roller coaster evoking anger and sadness all at the same time.

Next, it is important for job seekers to step back and objectively assess what went wrong and determine what their role was in the situation. Keep in mind that not every job or employer is right for every employee. Part of what many organizations do when recruiting candidates is to look for individuals who fit within their company culture. Sometimes that fit just doesn’t work out.

Finally, realize that the firing decision of one person shouldn’t limit anyone from finding future employment. After all, sports coaches – professional and academic -- get fired all the time only to reappear with another team. It’s not because they don’t know their jobs. Mostly it’s about meeting a very specific goal and/or fitting in with the personality of the managers and owners.

Preparing for Job Interviews

It goes without saying that preparation is vital. And so is honesty. That means that job seekers need to be upfront about what they tell a potential future employer. Some people may advocate lying. And while stretching the truth a little might be okay and ultimately not harm anyone in the long run, especially if the new employer doesn’t find out, job seekers should be careful about what they say. Taking it too far and being caught in a lie when references are checked could put them back in the job market with another mark against them.

Instead, the best course of action is to briefly tell the truth. Don’t criticize the company, coworkers or the boss. Be objective and don’t lay blame. Most people are fired due to personality conflicts or poor performance rather than gross misconduct (i.e. theft, insubordination). And most people who have conducted interviews realize that sometimes things just don’t work out.

A simple statement about a personality clash or excessive absences due to a personal problem that has been resolved is a good place to start. Next, candidates should be sure to emphasize what they have learned from the experience. After all, getting fired isn’t as bad as not learning from it. Finally, candidates should close the discussion positively by noting they are ready to move on.

While being fired can take its toll emotionally, job seekers should not let it put a damper on their job search. It's about personal insight and preparation. Those are the key ingredients to how candidates can explain being fired to a potential new employer.

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