SUMMARY POINTS
You’ve been on the job hunt now for longer than you’d like. It’s a real fucking struggle. Every day you put in serious amounts of time and effort to send out resumes, submit applications, reach out to old business contacts, etc. It’s all to get a job - any job that is remotely reasonable at this point.
One of the things that has been in the back of your mind is how to answer the question of why you’re not working at your former company anymore. You know it’s going to come up during the interview and honestly, you don’t know exactly how to deal with this question.
You know the truth of why you’re not working at your former company. However, you don’t want to just blurt out how you ended up unemployed. You’ve gotta get your story set up and ready so that when the inevitable question comes up, you’ll be ready.
One of the things that has been in the back of your mind is how to answer the question of why you’re not working at your former company anymore. You know it’s going to come up during the interview and honestly, you don’t know exactly how to deal with this question.
You know the truth of why you’re not working at your former company. However, you don’t want to just blurt out how you ended up unemployed. You’ve gotta get your story set up and ready so that when the inevitable question comes up, you’ll be ready.
The Difference Between Being Laid Off vs Being Fired
It’s crucial to understand the distinction between being fired and being laid off. Getting these two terms mixed up can either make or break your interview. And, interview opportunities don’t come often so don’t eff this up.
A firing is typically targeted at a specific employee for a reason, such as misconduct, failure to adhere to company policies, having sex at work, stealing, lack of performance or more simply an asshole boss who fired you. Whatever the reason, you were specifically fired and let go from the company.
Layoffs, on the other hand, occur en masse and are usually the result of department or company-wide restructuring or financial cutbacks. When companies are struggling financially, laying off employees is one of the quickest ways to boost the bottom line. This is why you gotta learn how to spot the warning signs of layoffs so you stay ahead of the cuts.
In either case, being laid off or fired both sucks. However, the stigma associated with being fired stings more than layoffs. It can feel like a personal attack or validation that you’re somehow incapable or worthless.
The truth is that none of that applies here. You do have value and a skillset that can help companies succeed. Your career is effin’ way more successful than you think. You’re just not in the right place.
A firing is typically targeted at a specific employee for a reason, such as misconduct, failure to adhere to company policies, having sex at work, stealing, lack of performance or more simply an asshole boss who fired you. Whatever the reason, you were specifically fired and let go from the company.
Layoffs, on the other hand, occur en masse and are usually the result of department or company-wide restructuring or financial cutbacks. When companies are struggling financially, laying off employees is one of the quickest ways to boost the bottom line. This is why you gotta learn how to spot the warning signs of layoffs so you stay ahead of the cuts.
In either case, being laid off or fired both sucks. However, the stigma associated with being fired stings more than layoffs. It can feel like a personal attack or validation that you’re somehow incapable or worthless.
The truth is that none of that applies here. You do have value and a skillset that can help companies succeed. Your career is effin’ way more successful than you think. You’re just not in the right place.
Addressing The Issue Of Being Fired Or Laid Off During An Interview
When discussing previous employment during an interview, the language you use significantly impacts the impression you create.
If you come across as being defensive, vengeful, depressed, aggressive or any kind of emotion that is negative, it won’t paint a very positive picture for the interviewer. You gotta keep things framed with positive vibes or at the very least neutral tones.
This is particularly important when they bring up why and how you left your former employer. It’s a valid question on their part. They want to know the circumstances of why you’re no longer working at your former company. They want to avoid potential problems and risks of PITA employees.
If you were laid off, it communicates that your termination wasn't due to your performance or conduct but it was because of organizational restructuring and/or financial constraints. It's essential to use the right wording here when explaining your employment situation to recruiters or interviewers.
Knowing how to explain your job loss depends on the situation. If you were laid off due to cutbacks or reorgs, you should be candid about it. In most cases, recruiters and interviewers can relate to and understand the circumstances of restructuring and cost-cutting. Layoffs are common practice across all industries.
If you were fired, the situation becomes a bit more complicated. Just because you've been fired, doesn't automatically mean that you’re unemployable. You have to frame your termination in a way that doesn’t make you look like a cyberloafer or slacker who doesn’t get their grunt work done.
If you were fired because of poor performance, the best explanation that you should use is that the job wasn’t a good fit for your skillset. For example, asking an electrician to balance the financial books or asking an accountant to re-wire the main circuits in the building isn’t a good idea. In either case, both could attempt each other’s job but the results won’t be pretty.
If you were terminated because of an asshole boss, then one valid explanation is that you just didn’t get along with your boss due to conflicts in personality, not anything to do with performance. However, you gotta be careful here and not point the finger at your former boss as being a bullshit micromanager with unrealistic expectations (even if they were).
Just chalk it up to working styles that didn’t mesh well despite attempts to compromise and make adjustments. How you saw success in your job tasks and for the company was just at odds with your boss.
Think of all of the entrepreneurs who got their start because their former boss didn’t see eye to eye with them. Nicola Tesla and Thomas Edison didn’t get along. Edison fired Tesla. Then, Tesla won the electricity war with his alternating current (AC) format over Edison’s direct current (DC) format.
Whatever the case, you need to provide explanations, not excuses. Avoid blamestorming others or the system while explaining your past experiences. By taking ownership of the situation and acknowledging it, you demonstrate personal growth and resilience, qualities valued by any prospective employer.
Don’t dwell too much on the past. Keep the narrative brief and honest. Use the experience as an opportunity to highlight the lessons learned and how you intend to apply them to your future roles. Showcase your determination to succeed, despite setbacks, and your readiness to contribute to a new team.
If you come across as being defensive, vengeful, depressed, aggressive or any kind of emotion that is negative, it won’t paint a very positive picture for the interviewer. You gotta keep things framed with positive vibes or at the very least neutral tones.
This is particularly important when they bring up why and how you left your former employer. It’s a valid question on their part. They want to know the circumstances of why you’re no longer working at your former company. They want to avoid potential problems and risks of PITA employees.
If you were laid off, it communicates that your termination wasn't due to your performance or conduct but it was because of organizational restructuring and/or financial constraints. It's essential to use the right wording here when explaining your employment situation to recruiters or interviewers.
Knowing how to explain your job loss depends on the situation. If you were laid off due to cutbacks or reorgs, you should be candid about it. In most cases, recruiters and interviewers can relate to and understand the circumstances of restructuring and cost-cutting. Layoffs are common practice across all industries.
If you were fired, the situation becomes a bit more complicated. Just because you've been fired, doesn't automatically mean that you’re unemployable. You have to frame your termination in a way that doesn’t make you look like a cyberloafer or slacker who doesn’t get their grunt work done.
If you were fired because of poor performance, the best explanation that you should use is that the job wasn’t a good fit for your skillset. For example, asking an electrician to balance the financial books or asking an accountant to re-wire the main circuits in the building isn’t a good idea. In either case, both could attempt each other’s job but the results won’t be pretty.
If you were terminated because of an asshole boss, then one valid explanation is that you just didn’t get along with your boss due to conflicts in personality, not anything to do with performance. However, you gotta be careful here and not point the finger at your former boss as being a bullshit micromanager with unrealistic expectations (even if they were).
Just chalk it up to working styles that didn’t mesh well despite attempts to compromise and make adjustments. How you saw success in your job tasks and for the company was just at odds with your boss.
Think of all of the entrepreneurs who got their start because their former boss didn’t see eye to eye with them. Nicola Tesla and Thomas Edison didn’t get along. Edison fired Tesla. Then, Tesla won the electricity war with his alternating current (AC) format over Edison’s direct current (DC) format.
Whatever the case, you need to provide explanations, not excuses. Avoid blamestorming others or the system while explaining your past experiences. By taking ownership of the situation and acknowledging it, you demonstrate personal growth and resilience, qualities valued by any prospective employer.
Don’t dwell too much on the past. Keep the narrative brief and honest. Use the experience as an opportunity to highlight the lessons learned and how you intend to apply them to your future roles. Showcase your determination to succeed, despite setbacks, and your readiness to contribute to a new team.
Spin It Positively & Move On
Losing a job might feel like the end of the world, but it's not. It's merely a pivot point in your career. With the right approach, it could even be something really great for you. You won’t know until you go through it.
You gotta get in the zone and work through the challenges. And one of the key hurdles that you’ll have to overcome is answering questions from the interviewer or recruiter about why and/or how you left your former position.
When you have the story set in a way that makes sense and positions you positively, then the question becomes a simple one to answer. The topic becomes less significant, even a moot point.
Remember, losing a job is only a temporary setback, not a reflection of your worth or abilities. With the right attitude and approach, you're not just searching for a new job, you're paving the path for new beginnings and possibilities.
Keep pushing forward, one question at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. Just don’t forget to press pause and give yourself some me-time once in a while.
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]
You gotta get in the zone and work through the challenges. And one of the key hurdles that you’ll have to overcome is answering questions from the interviewer or recruiter about why and/or how you left your former position.
When you have the story set in a way that makes sense and positions you positively, then the question becomes a simple one to answer. The topic becomes less significant, even a moot point.
Remember, losing a job is only a temporary setback, not a reflection of your worth or abilities. With the right attitude and approach, you're not just searching for a new job, you're paving the path for new beginnings and possibilities.
Keep pushing forward, one question at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. Just don’t forget to press pause and give yourself some me-time once in a while.
Feel Better,
[Cubicle|Therapy]