How to Explain a Job Termination

Losing a job under any circumstance is difficult, but to be terminated for a personality conflict or poor performance adds a particularly difficult angle to your new job search. A company-wide layoff is just easier to explain. The good news is that plenty of people who have been terminated at one job, find happiness at the next place of employment by employing strategies that shows how much they have learned from the termination, or finding a way to phrase it in the most positive light.

Instructions

1. Ask for a reference. It may sound counter-intuitive, but if you've been fired because a new manager wants to people the department with his previous colleagues, he may be able to give you a reference. You also can ask another person at the workplace to write you a letter of recommendation. Check your company's policy about information given out about terminated employment. Many companies have a policy to only confirm employment dates, and that information will help you craft your response to job termination questions. It is important to say you were terminated from a previous job (because withholding that information could impact future jobs), but keep the details as succinct and positive as possible. If you have a reference in hand you can explain that you were terminated, but that a supervisor wrote this letter of reference on your behalf.

2. Be honest. Many career coaches suggest saying as little as possible about a job termination while keeping your answers honest. If you were fired because of a personality conflict TSA Career Coach Sue Aiken suggests saying you were fired because of a disagreement with a supervisor, but then immediately follow that with the positives of your previous jobs including awards that you won, sales goals you met, etc.

3. Be prepared. "What Color is Your Parachute" author Dick Bolles recommends answering the question before it is asked. Offer the information quickly and in a way you can control and then move on to your strengths. Practice what you are going to say looking in the mirror and make eye contact with yourself, in the same way you'll need to make eye contact with your interviewer at the new company. You will likely be asked why you left your previous job so it's important to be truthful and prepared.

4. Be brief. There's no need to go into specific details of your firing, but do be prepared to answer additional questions, if asked. For instance, career experts at Susan Ireland's Job Lounge suggest if you're terminated for sub-par account sales, you can explain that you've taken a class or worked with a mentor to improve skills that may have been lacking. Again, practice what you're going to say in advance and stick to the script as it's likely you'll be interviewed by more than one person.

5. Keep it nice. Do not insult your previous place of employment or your previous boss. Even if you believe you were terminated unfairly keep the editorial portions of that to yourself and simply state the truth of the situation: "I was terminated when my supervisor blamed me as team leader for losing a big account."

Tips & Warnings

• Look the interviewer in the eye. Eye contact goes a long way in sending the message that you've put the past termination behind you and are willing to work hard at the new job.

• Remember that lying during a job interview is often cause for termination.

References

• Susan Ireland's Job Lounge

Resources

• What Color is Your Parachute by Dick Bolles
• Job Interviews for Dummies by Joyce Lain Kennedy