Hiring someone who has been fired?

[Lauriebell82]

Do these companies exist? Seriously, like 12 interviews and nada? They like me until the middle I tell them I got let go. And I do into the whole speel about how I learned something from it. What the heck?

 

I actually took Tadxxx off my resume to apply to a few places, but have not heard back. (because it looks like I have no post masters experience now!) I don't know if that was a good move, but honestly nobody will hire me because of them. What am I supposed to do here? I'm ready to give up hope, seriously. Fiance told me he talked to a hiring manager at his company and he said that they would NEVER consider hiring anyone who disclosed they got terminated. AHHH!!!

 

Help?

Edited December 14, 2009 by a LoveShack.org Moderator

[jerbear]

Not all places do that.

 

I had one manager that hired me because I've learned to rise from my failures and adversities.

 

You have learned from this experience and now you just need to learn to rise above it. It is not easy and can easily set you back but you'll figure it out.

 

Another thing you can do is volunteer your time, yes it costs money but at least you can get another reference. I'm not talking Giant or retail. Volunteer at your local shelter or social organization. Another thing you can do is maybe start writing a column in your local paper or blog? something like a Dear Lauriebell82,

[New Again]

LaurieBell I don't know your history (with being terminated or anything), and I'm not sure how helpful this will be to you. But just a couple general suggestions about why this might be happening: First, you know that competition is crazy right now - so if a company has a choice between you and another candidate, and everything else about you two is the same, but she hasn't been fired, they're going to go with the one who wasn't terminated.

 

Also, could a similar situation (to the one that got you fired) occur in at the companies you're applying to? Because they will take that into consideration.

 

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time. I know it sucks and it's stressful. I like Jerbear's suggestion to volunteer. If it's possible for you to volunteer doing something connected to your desired career or education, that would be ideal, because you could network at the same time as you're showing your dedication to your field.

[allina]

It's NOT because you were fired LB, it's your attitude about it! You're all blame, blame, blame, even in this post you say that you can't get a job "because of them." I honestly think it's because you still refuse to believe that you did anything wrong at your old job.

 

I would hire a person who has been fired, but I would not hire someone in your position. Because you do not acknowledge any wrong doing, the interviewer is worried that whatever you did that got you fired you will do again. In order to get a new job you have to demonstrate that you know and understand why you were fired. You also have to make the interviewer believe you will not do these things again.

 

Right now you're running from the past and lying, the worst thing you could possibly do. I'm a little worried about you LB

[CarrieT]

LB, I used to be a Human Resources Director for an aerospace company and -- I hate to say this -- but I would RARELY hire someone who had been fired.

 

Unfortunately, there are too many people out of work who are vying for the same jobs and if the choice is between someone who was laid off and someone who was fired, I'll take the person who lost the job because of cut-backs over someone who did something wrong.

 

I have no knowledge as to why you were fired, but the best thing you can do is continue to be honest immediately in the interview, but be very brief about it and as positive as possible about what you learned from the situation. NO BAD MOUTHING WHATSOEVER; factual, brief, and then move on in discussing your qualifications.

[JamesM]

 

Unfortunately, there are too many people out of work who are vying for the same jobs and if the choice is between someone who was laid off and someone who was fired, I'll take the person who lost the job because of cut-backs over someone who did something wrong.

 

 

THIS is more of your problem than anything. Since there are so many applicants available, companies can be picky.

 

It is not so much about you as it is about how much competition that you have.

[WTRanger]

I would guess it would all come down to why you got terminated. You don't have to put that you were fired on your resume. Why are you telling people to begin with? Seems to me, I would just put the time I worked and see if they ask. If they don't, then why tell them? Legally, I don't think you have to put the fact you were fired on your resume.

[Lauriebell82]

I made mistakes at my job, but really I don't think I deserved to get fired. Sorry, that's the way I feel. I don't care WHAT anyone thinks about that (on here anyway) and you can give me all the flack you want but I won't feel any differently.

 

Allina is right though that interviewers may be picking up on the fact that I don't know what I did wrong. I really don't! Yes, they gave me minor feedback but I do not know the real reason I was fired. They told me I didn't meet standards. That could mean anything. There was no warning I was to be fired, actually they had told me what a good job I was doing! So really I don't know how to explain what happened expect say something to that extent. Any other explanation and I really AM lying.

 

I don't automatically disclose that I was let go, I just tell them after they ask why I don't have a job/left. There is a gap in my resume now so that's the first question they always ask me when I sit down. Hopefully someone will call me without that job on my resume so I can start over again and be given a chance.

 

Here is how I usually explain what happened:

 

"Well, my company decided it was time for me to leave but did not give me an indepth explanation. I made some mistakes, as all new counselors do, and I did learn how important it is to accept feedback and try to stay calm in high stress situations.

 

Honestly that's the truth. I don't know how else to put it!

Edited December 14, 2009 by Lauriebell82

[CarrieT]

Okay, here is a suggestion; have a close friend (one who is very bright and thinks fast on their feet), all your old job and inquire about you. Have them pretend they are looking to hire you and find out what your old job is saying in why they let you go.

 

Honestly, telling them that you don't have indepth knowledge as to why you lost your job (and you are a counselor?) makes it appear that much more questionable that you are out of touch. It may not seem fair, but if you are a counselor, it is important to learn why you did not succeed at that job. Your response is really lame, honestly, and I wouldn't hire you based on such a statement. It needs to be re-phrased and by having a friend doing some reconnaissance on your part could do a world of good and will help you frame what answers you SHOULD be saying in an interview to make the stories jibe.

 

Come back to us with that info from your old job and we can help you with the dialogue.

[JamesM]

Allina is right though that interviewers may be picking up on the fact that I don't know what I did wrong. I really don't! Yes, they gave me minor feedback but I do not know the real reason I was fired. They told me I didn't meet standards. That could mean anything. There was no warning I was to be fired, actually they had told me what a good job I was doing! So really I don't know how to explain what happened expect say something to that extent. Any other explanation and I really AM lying.

 

Here is how I usually explain what happened:

 

"Well, my company decided it was time for me to leave but did not give me an indepth explanation. I made some mistakes, as all new counselors do, and I did learn how important it is to accept feedback and try to stay calm in high stress situations.

 

Honestly that's the truth. I don't know how else to put it!

 

First, don't leave this job off of your resume. When they find out that you did, then no explanation will work.

 

Second, while lying isn't the answer, an explanation IS necessary for why you left that job. Examine their standards and see how you may have fell short. And even if they did not tell you this was the problem, then decide how you may have fallen short and use this in the explanation.

 

So...if your clothes did not meet their standards, or perhaps you ticked off someone, then say something. Clothing wouldn't be a reason for termination usually.

 

Even if their was a personality clash that you did not know how to resolve, then say it. Even if you say it was a mutual agreement due to some unresolved issue, then maybe saying it will help.

 

And I believe that you don't know why. Companies have a way of avoiding conflicts to avoid lawsuits....and even counselors despite counseling others not to avoid conflicts.

 

My guess is...attitude is the reason. And I am not saying you have a bad attitude. It is how you were perceived by those over you. And this may have simply been because a personality there did not like how you acted to them.

 

Clearly, not knowing and saying so will not help you, because no interviewer will believe you. Despite this being closest to the truth, it won't be believed.

 

Ironically, this lack of explanation may be the best way that company shafted you.

[CarrieT]

Okay, here is a suggestion; have a close friend (one who is very bright and thinks fast on their feet), all your old job and inquire about you. Have them pretend they are looking to hire you and find out what your old job is saying in why they let you go.

 

 

I meant to say CALL your old job but it was too late to edit the error.

[JamesM]

I meant to say CALL your old job but it was too late to edit the error.

 

Sorry. .....

[Lauriebell82]

Carrie: Yes, I actually tried that. I had a friend call my old job and pretend he was an employer. He asked questions about my performance and my supervisor said that he couldn't disclose those details, only verify dates of employment. My friend then asked why I left and my supervisor just said "she didn't meet standards." And that sounds like I got fired obviously.

 

James: Actually when they put me back on probation in May (which they did just to fire me at the end of it) they told me I needed to color coordinate better and get my pants hemmed, which was one of the reasons they were putting me back on probation. So I did! And they STILL fired me. I could disclose the reasons they put me back on probation, as in my termination letter they said I didn't make enough improvement.

 

Reasons I was put on probatation (maybe you can help me formulate a response):

 

1. I told a client where I went to high school: they said I "disclosed too much to clients." So I didn't tell any client anything else about myself.

 

2. I was punching in 2 minutes late sometimes, they said my attendence was bad. So I started coming in 10 minutes early everyday from the day I got put back on probation.

 

3. I ran down the hall once because I was late for a group and they said I had anxiety issues. So I tried to remain calm and if I did get anxious/stressed out I went in my office to calm down.

 

4. The way my employers phrase feedback is mainly with insults. It is not constructive. So I used to get defensive. I tried to combat that by accepting feedback and instead saying "yeah, they might be true, how might I do that differently?"

 

I also asked repeatedly for feedback and even asked if my job was in jeopardy. They said no, I was light years away from getting fired and doing a great job. Then two days before my probation was up they fired me on my lunch hour AFTER I had seen all my clients for the day. But of course that sounds hard to believe an employer would do that I know what I'm saying doesn't sound right even though it is the truth.

 

So what other response would be good? I don't even know!

[Lauriebell82]

Oh by the way: how can a potential employer find out I worked there? In high school it was a mutual decision to get let go from a waitress job (I was bad at it!) so I left it off my application when applying for new jobs and nobody ever found out.

 

I think it's only if you lie about getting fired that they can catch you not if you leave a job off your resume. Not sure though...

[jerbear]

Honestly, high school jobs are not heavily weight toward your first job after you have obtained your degree.

[Art_Critic]

LB...

 

Spin...

 

You need to work on your spin so that even though you were let go with cause that the interviewer has no real idea.

 

You can spin a "I got fired for not doing my job" into "They let me go because the company was downsizing and you were having a personality conflict with your bosses boss".

 

Just spin it to look in your favor... Make it look like it was the best thing happened to you and it was just a stepping stone onto better things..

[Lauriebell82]

Honestly, high school jobs are not heavily weight toward your first job after you have obtained your degree.

 

Well, yea I understand that. But how could they ever find that out? I don't think there are records of employment history anywhere. My friend left a job off her resume (a professional one) that she worked at for 8 months and got hired at a marketing firm. They never found out or questioned her about it (she has worked there for 3 years now).

 

I know I will have a gap but it's pretty easy to say that I just couldn't find a job in my field after college given the current economic situation.

[Lauriebell82]

LB...

 

Spin...

 

You need to work on your spin so that even though you were let go with cause that the interviewer has no real idea.

 

You can spin a "I got fired for not doing my job" into "They let me go because the company was downsizing and you were having a personality conflict with your bosses boss".

 

Just spin it to look in your favor... Make it look like it was the best thing happened to you and it was just a stepping stone onto better things..

 

I said the personality conflict at one interview and didn't get hired.

 

I didn't get laid off though, and if they call my work, couldn't they say they would rehire me if I were just downsized. My work is saying they wouldn't rehire me....that looks bad!

[CarrieT]

 

So what other response would be good? I don't even know!

 

Okay, since all they are doing is confirming the dates you work there, that is a good (and they are following the law).

 

You have to turn what they are saying into a positive; "you didn't meet their standards." But in the interview, tell all the GREAT things about the job and the positive things you learned there. It will come across as a bad attitude to say you don't know what the true problem was.

 

ALLUDE to a discrepancy in the wardrobe coordination versus anything emotional or political -- that will make the "not meeting of standards" appear oddly benign instead of directly regarding your job performance. The important thing in an interview is to not dwell on why or the fact that you were fired, but that you loved the job, learned a lot, and had if pressed, had a misunderstanding about the uniform.

[CarrieT]

I said the personality conflict at one interview and didn't get hired.

 

I didn't get laid off though, and if they call my work, couldn't they say they would rehire me if I were just downsized. My work is saying they wouldn't rehire me....that looks bad!

 

 

BIG NO-NO!!!! Never, never, never say personality conflict. Because, as far as the hiring person is concerned, YOU were the one fired so you were the one causing the problems.

[CarrieT]

I don't think there are records of employment history anywhere.

 

Of course there are. It is your credit report and by applying for a job, many employers pull the credit history of potential employees as part of a routine back-ground check.

[Lauriebell82]

Okay, since all they are doing is confirming the dates you work there, that is a good (and they are following the law).

 

You have to turn what they are saying into a positive; "you didn't meet their standards." But in the interview, tell all the GREAT things about the job and the positive things you learned there. It will come across as a bad attitude to say you don't know what the true problem was.

 

ALLUDE to a discrepancy in the wardrobe coordination versus anything emotional or political -- that will make the "not meeting of standards" appear oddly benign instead of directly regarding your job performance. The important thing in an interview is to not dwell on why or the fact that you were fired, but that you loved the job, learned a lot, and had if pressed, had a misunderstanding about the uniform.

 

Yeah, it really wasn't performance related (at least from what they had told me) it was more minor personality conflict type deals.

 

Yours is a good idea, to spin it as the standards were more just company policy related and not due to my performance as a counselor.

 

So what would be a good way of saying something about the uniform?

[Lauriebell82]

Of course there are. It is your credit report and by applying for a job, many employers pull the credit history of potential employees as part of a routine back-ground check.

 

Hmm, possibly. In social services though you generally need to only get a criminal history background check, child abuse, and an FBI fingerprint clearance. I don't know if a credit report check is included or not..I'm thinking no...not sure though!

 

They won't hire me anyway though if I get fired! Kind of a catch 22 I guess...

 

Oh agreed about the personality conflict..it looks like I start fights. I never said that again after that.

[CarrieT]

So what would be a good way of saying something about the uniform?

 

Interviewer: "So, tell me about Job Blah-Blah."

 

LB: "I loved that job. <Expand on all the great factors about the job.>"

 

Interviewer: "And why are you no longer there?"

 

LB: "Unfortunately, I was told it was a discrepancy in following the company's standards regarding the uniform. I have a feeling it might have been more than that, but when I inquired, I was not given any additional information. It is a shame because I loved <and then go back into all the POSITIVE stuff about the job.>"

[Lauriebell82]

Interviewer: "So, tell me about Job Blah-Blah."

 

LB: "I loved that job. <Expand on all the great factors about the job.>"

 

Interviewer: "And why are you no longer there?"

 

LB: "Unfortunately, I was told it was a discrepancy in following the company's standards regarding the uniform. I have a feeling it might have been more than that, but when I inquired, I was not given any additional information. It is a shame because I loved <and then go back into all the POSITIVE stuff about the job.>"

 

That sounds pretty good actually! The only thing that I worry about is that it just sounds terrible. I guess I'm all paranoid now.

 

Oh, actually my fiance just said that they only way they could find out where I worked is if I applied for a credit card and listed my employer. I don't have any credit cards and have not applied for any loans for the time period that I worked at my job. Plus it costs money and social services wouldn't pay for it since most of them make you pay for your own clearances (criminal history, child abuse, ect.) I think I'm safe in that aspect. Anyway, the worst they can do is find out my employment history and not hire me. They aren't hiring me anyway! I really don't have much to lose anymore...