If you've lost your job - or are going to lose your job -
the last thing that you want to talk about is "why" you
lost your job. In fact, the question
"Why did you leave your last job?"
is one of the toughest questions to deal with - especially
if you've been let go in one form or another.
If you are among the thousands of people who have been laid
off in the last year and a half, you can simply state: "I
was laid off."
This answers the question but still leaves a lingering
doubt in the mind of the interviewer, - "Why were you laid
off?" The more specific your answer, the more effective it
will be.
"There were six rounds of layoffs at my last company. I
survived five rounds, but when it came to round six they
had to cut deep. My position was eliminated along with half
of my group because the project we were working on was
cancelled."
Not everyone will have such a definite statement to make.
Whatever your situation is it will be helped by including
facts and figures to explain the circumstances surrounding
your layoff.
"10% of the workforce was let go," or "One out of every ten
jobs was affected, company-wide."
When you quantify a statement it has more depth. When you
tell the interviewer whether it was 10 or 1000 people were
laid off helps put the situation in perspective.
Fired
If you were fired, you probably dread being asked this
question. Not only have you been fired, you have to talk
about it - over and over. How you deal with questions about
being fired will depend on how you have resolved the issue
with yourself.
Here are examples of how two candidates answer the question:
Candidate #1 "I had a great boss, but he left. From the
very beginning it was clear that my new boss and I were
going to be at odds. We just had different types of
personalities. She kept changing the rules. One day she
would want it this way, and the next day another way,"
rambled Karen. "I don't usually have problems with bosses
but this woman was really overbearing in her management
approach."
This is not the best way to present the situation. This
candidate could be classified as a "whiner." Badmouthing
former employers during the interview is a bad idea. No one
wants to hear about someone else's shortcomings,
particularly someone they don't even know.
A better example of how to handle the situation:
Candidate #2 "I was let go after a major reorganization.
The merging of different cultures had caused a major change
in the way things were done. There were some differences of
opinion between my boss and myself and, in the end, I was
fired.. I take responsibility for my part in the way things
turned out. I learned a lot from the experience, and in
retrospect, I would have handled it differently. But, that
is behind me now, and I am ready to move on with a new
perspective."
This is a much better answer because it demonstrates
strength and self-confidence. Candidate #2 takes
responsibility and deals with the question honestly.
Whether you were let go under unfair circumstances or for
something you did and regret, scripting your answer ahead
of the interview will help you. You don't want to bad-mouth
your former employer or sound like a victim (even if you
were). Practice your answer with someone in a mock
interview and obtain feedback on your comfort-level while
discussing your situation.
Lying
Probably the worst way to handle this question is by lying.
One lie usually leads to another, and before you know it
you are in over your head. You always take a chance
whenever you put a lie on an application. The application
usually has a signature line on the back where you sign,
stating that the above is true, and that any false
statements could be grounds for termination.
Perspective
It is a fact that "people lose their jobs everyday." They
move on and get new jobs. And, you will too. No matter what
the circumstances, put it behind you and move on. Deal with
your feelings about the lay off or firing, and prepare your
answer to the question before it is asked. Being prepared
will make you feel more confident and less emotional about
the situation.
----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin, America's #1 Interview Expert and Coach, can
give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Practice
for your interview FREE at http://www.interviewcoach.com
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