What To Do If You Have Been Fired

With the economic downturn, layoffs are inevitable. Here is some advice should you get that unfortunate pink slip.

Writing your resume and going out on interviews is stressful enough, but the process becomes even more difficult if you've been fired in the past. Employers like to see candidates with pristine job histories, but we all know that in the real world, this isn't always possible. Maybe you were unfairly terminated due to race or gender issues, or perhaps you butted heads with what you considered to be an incompetent boss. Whatever the reason for your firing, you're going to have to decide how you'll portray the incident to future employers.

Practice what you'll say

Job firings are never pleasant experiences - no matter how long ago it happened, you may still find yourself feeling angry, frustrated or anxious about the situation. However, if you let these feelings stew without properly addressing them, you're likely to be blindsided by their return at the worst-possible moments - such as when you're sitting down to interview for a new position. To prevent this from happening, talk about the firing with a close friend or family member until you feel more comfortable discussing the issues. Try to find some sort of understanding for your bosses actions, then practice how you'll discuss the issue when it comes up in future interviews.

Don't dwell on it

If you've been fired in the past, it's bound to come up at some point in the employment process, whether on an application that asks for your reason for leaving or later on in the interview. The most important thing you can do post-firing is to move on and not dwell on the issue. Even if you feel you were completely wronged in the situation, no hiring manager wants to be caught in the middle of a ten-minute long rant on how your former boss was a total jerk. Instead of being understanding, they may wonder whether or not they'll wind up having similar issues with you.

Instead, try to explain the reason for the firing as calmly and as succinctly as possible. This could be something as simple as, "My former boss and I disagreed over the best course of action for the company and decided it was best to part ways." Try to leave your judgments out of it - you'll come off as far more mature if you're able to demonstrate empathy for your boss's position and that you've learned and grown from the experience.

Talk to your former employer

If the bridge between you and your former boss hasn't been completely burned, it might be worth it to try and contact your previous employer to see if you can come to some sort of common ground over your firing. In some cases, your former boss may be willing to concede that, although there were differences in your opinions, your work was good and your job performance acceptable. If things go well, they may even consent to being contacted by potential employers, eliminating a big black mark from your application.

Obviously, this won't work in all situations. If you're still too angry or unwilling to concede your own role in the firing, there's no point in calling up your old employer - you'll just re-open wounds that are better left alone to heal. If you aren't able to talk about the situation without getting upset and invoking cuss words that would make a sailor blush, it's best to just move on and write the job off as a loss. If this is the case, try to accept that no one's perfect and do your best to move on with your life.

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