Fired For A Past Job? How To Spin That In Your Favor In An Interview

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No one wants to be fired from a job, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the end of a promising career. You’ll be faced with plenty of opportunities to recover from your mistakes. However, don’t let the issue compound itself by mishandling it in an interview. It is your job to sell your background, mistakes and all, to the potential new employer. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

  • Focus on growth and development. Don’t dwell on the things that went wrong. Specifically focus on the things that you can apply to your career long term. Discuss how this was a learning experience for you. For example, if you were let go due to an issue with performance such as not meeting deadlines on time, discuss how you used that information to learn about time management and desk organizational improvements to give you a better understanding of why these aspects of the job were important.
  • Avoid negativity towards others. Even if you feel animosity toward a former boss or a co-worker in regards to your termination, never say these words to a potential new employer. This will be an immediate red flag. They will have a major concern about your ability to work with others, take direction, and treat people with respect. If you’re negative, this concern will be well founded. Take all of the responsibility for the situation on yourself. Don’t even mention other people’s roles in your termination. Remain positive about your experience and the job for which you’re interviewing.
  • Translate that experience to the new opportunity. When you are interviewing for a new job, you always want to focus on what you can do for the company. If they ask you about your termination, relate the experience to a problem they need solved in their own company. For example, if you found that your work style wasn’t conducive to the conservative and procedural business environment of your former employer, stress that you understand that they are looking for someone who is an out-of-the-box thinker which is more your speed.

Are you ready for your next interview opportunity? CornerStone Staffing is hiring for jobs in Arlington, TX and can help today!

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