How to answer this question in a job interview...

[MadBiker]

Hi all. I have a question about job interviews. I am looking for a new job right now and find it awkward to explain how I left one of my jobs.

I was fired in Jan. 2005 from a job I had for four years. My performance was shit, period. I was trying, but the magic was not there for me with the company, the people, the tasks, anything. I could not see a place to move up or out within the organization, so I had begun to look outside, but before I could say "I quit" they said "you're fired."

I fell into another good job right away so I did not have to explain myself too much about being fired from the last job. I recently quit the subsequent job to change careers and return to grad school in September, but need to have something to carry me through the summer. I am interviewing for temp positions but the question of "Why did you leave XYZ company in 2005?" comes up and I am not sure how to answer - I am not a good liar so it is difficult for me to say anything other than "I was let go."

I am not sure a potential employer would want me seen as how I was fired for poor performance from a pretty big, private firm with a good rep in the corporate world...

[JPMNICK]

I would just say you were let go because you did not fit into the mold that specefic company had in mind. Then turn it into a positive for yourself, maybe by saying you thought they were all about quantity instead of quality.

[Furtherman]

"Well, I gotta tell you: I'd be very, very careful who you talk to about that, because the person who wrote that... is dangerous.

And this button-down, Oxford-cloth psycho might just snap, and then stalk from office to office with an Armalite AR-10 carbine gas-powered semi-automatic weapon, pumping round after round into colleagues and co-workers. This might be someone you've known for years. Someone very, very close to you.

Or maybe you shouldn't bring me every little piece of trash you happen to pick up."



Or... just say you were unhappy... there was a period of corporate transition, and they decided you were no longer needed but you were happy it happened because you had already started looking for a job and that gave you more time to do so.

[DonInNC]

"I could not see a place to move up or out within the organization"

There's your answer. If you're pushed further, or if the "Have you ever been fired?" question comes up, explain that it was a mutual decision or a manpower issue.

[Badinia]

You can say you were laid off without fear of reprisal. XYZ company can't release any information apart from arrival and departure dates without begging for a lawsuit. Best of luck in your job search!

[pennington]

You say you fell into the other job right away.

Q: "Why did you leave Job A?"

A: "To take the position at Job B." DON'T START EXPLAINING ANYTHING.

Q: "Were you happy there?"

A: "Yes and I miss a lot of the people there." Add a few aspects about the job you liked if they press you and then LEAVE IT AT THAT.

If they check, the only thing your old company is supposed to give out is dates of employment and job title. If they ask for a contact person, give them the name of whoever is in charge of Personnel, not the person who fired you.

[J.Clints]

You could say you aired a couple having sex in a church.....ohh wait .... never mind.

[AnnoyedGrunt]

I always answer "Why, are you writing a book? Mind your own fucking business."

Pennington is right, my company won't tell anyone anything except for when you started and when you left. Won't even give you a letter of reference. I know you don't want to lie, but in that case I'd say something like "They were reorganizing the department and they had to let a few people go for budgetary reasons. Unfourtinately I was one of those people."

[MadBiker]

I know you don't want to lie, but in that case I'd say something like "They were reorganizing the department and they had to let a few people go for budgetary reasons. Unfourtinately I was one of those people."

That is what I have been saying, but it makes me feel shady...however, I know that companies can only say "Yes, she worked here, and these are the dates" etc. So I guess I can exploit that to my benefit.

Thanks all! Hopefully I will have a paycheck again come Monday.

[PapaBear]

I think you should stick with what Badinia said.

[OneEyeJack]

how about....you were banging the boss and his or her spouse found out.

glad to be of service..