I recently interviewed a candidate who announced at the beginning of our call that she was glad we connected because she had been fired the day before. I was very taken aback by this. She gave me a play-by-play of her workdays leading up to her dismissal, and summarized what happened during and after she was dismissed. It was shocking to hear, and I was surprised by how open she was about her experience. This candidate’s termination was a terrible experience and she had very negative things to say about her employer. It wasn’t until later that day that I realized this candidate was venting to me. She had not yet given herself a chance to heal from this experience.
Being fired can be traumatic. It’s like a breakup: It cuts deep, it’s jarring, and even life changing. Even if you’re expecting to be terminated, it still cuts like a knife. [My teammate wrote a compelling firsthand account of own termination experience – check it out in this previous blog post.]
This experience brought some questions to mind: What do you do when you get fired? What should be your next steps? How should you navigate discussions about that employment experience with future employers?
What should your next steps be?
Take time to heal. This is our number one piece of advice for someone who has just been terminated.
Your hurt, pain and bitterness will come across in any interview or conversation you have with a potential employer if you do not allow yourself time to process what has happened. I’ve had many conversations with candidates who were let go from their jobs, and there is a stark difference between my conversations with those who have healed and those who are still upset. The ones who are clear- headed enough to have a factual, dispassionate conversation about what happened are usually the ones who are ready to move on. Those who are still emotional about or embittered by their termination and need to vent about it are often not there yet. When you jump into job hunting too quickly after being fired, you are likely not putting your best foot forward during interviews, and you may miss out on opportunities that you deserve.
Should you keep that job on your resume?
Yes, absolutely. Regardless of how it ended, you still worked there (possibly for a long time), learned, and gained valuable experience. Plus, you don’t want to lie about your work history on your resume, and a selective omission of a job that ended poorly is akin to a lie. When you interview for new jobs, you will be asked questions about any gaps of employment on your resume, so it’s best not to remove that position from your resume in the first place. Never be dishonest on your resume – chances are that your untruths will be uncovered at some point during the interview process.
How do you talk about being fired in an interview?
Once you’ve had time to heal after your termination and you’re ready to start interviewing for new jobs, you must be prepared to talk about your termination. Most employers will ask why you left your last position. When this happens, honesty is the best policy. Tell them that you were terminated, tell them why, and explain how you’ve learned from the experience or from your mistakes, and, if applicable, how you have improved yourself. It’s important to talk about your dismissal factually, not emotionally, and to avoid disparaging your previous employer. You don’t have to get into too much detail about what happened at your last job, but you should be honest about why you were terminated. It’s best not to make a generalized statement like “it was a mutual decision” as that is usually not true, and most employers and recruiters know that. Plus, if you say this, you’re more likely to be asked for a reference from that employer, which may be hard to get if in reality you left on bad terms.
I hope this information helps you on your journey towards a rewarding new job post-termination. While difficult and upsetting, a termination is an opportunity for a fresh start. Your path will have some bumps along the way, but every bump is a learning experience that will ultimately help you get to where you’re meant to be.
