Were you fired? Here's how to avoid saying it in an interview

A lot of emotions go along with being fired from a job. You may feel sad or angry about the situation, or you may even feel shocked. Regardless of how you feel, you’ll still need to search for a new job, which means navigating around being fired. For the most part, you’ll want to develop a strategy for learning how to avoid saying you were fired in an interview.

In this blog, we’ll look at:

• What to put on your resume as your reason for leaving

• How to avoid saying you were fired in an interview

• Interviewing after being fired dos and don'ts

What to put on your resume as your reason for leaving

Before you can interview for a new job, you’ll need to craft a new resume. After you’ve taken a couple of days to emotionally deal with being fired, work on your resume. If you have been out of the job search market for some time, that may mean creating an optimized ATS resume from scratch.

When you are designing your resume, you probably will have lots of questions, especially when it comes to listing the job you were fired from. You should stick with the positive aspects of your job. Highlight the skills you gained and the achievements you made in that position. You can also put the dates of your employment on your resume, but you shouldn’t mention you were fired. In short, there’s no need to include the reason you left a job on your resume; it’s just not standard practice.

This is also true when you are applying for a job. On an application, a box or section may ask about your reason for leaving your last job. It’s always best to leave off that information if it’s optional, even on jobs where you left on good terms. It’s better to handle these types of questions in person than on paper. When you are required to add a reason to your application, try to keep your wording as neutral as possible. 

How to avoid saying you were fired in an interview

You should expect discussions about your prior jobs to come up during an interview, including why you left your last position. One of the great things about waiting until an interview to disclose that you were fired is that you now have the opportunity to explain in person. You also can show how your skills and the changes you’ve made since being fired will benefit the company.

To ensure you are prepared for these questions, prepare in advance. Your response will depend on the reason for being fired, and you should plan accordingly. 

Here are two options that show how to avoid saying you were fired in an interview:

1. Response for being laid off

If you were let go from your job due to the company downsizing or relocating, remain professional and positive. You should focus on the circumstances instead of any personal shortcomings or hard feelings about your prior company. 

Here’s an example of what you might say:

“Due to budget constraints, the company restructured and my position was unfortunately eliminated. While it was unexpected, I used the opportunity to enhance my skills. Now, I’m excited to bring those skills to a new role.”

2. Response for being fired

Even if you were fired due to poor job performance, carefully address the situation. While you want to remain honest, there are still ways to stay professional and approach the situation. The goal is to show that you are self-aware of your shortcomings, commit to improvement, and take accountability for your past work. 

When asked about being fired, here’s an example of what you might say:

“While it was difficult for me to realize, I understand that my performance didn’t align with the expectations of the position. I’ve used this experience as a learning opportunity and have been actively working on my weaknesses and developing new skills. I’m committed to continuous improvement and am dedicated to contributing positively in my next role.”

Interviewing after being fired dos and don’ts

During any interview, present yourself as the best candidate for the job. Navigating that process after being fired can be challenging. But, there are some important dos and don’ts you can follow so you can go through the interview process with confidence.

The most important thing you can do is to be honest. You never want to lie about the reason you left your last role because an employer is likely to find out the truth. You’ll then be left with the sticky situation of explaining why you lied or potentially being fired yet again for your dishonesty.

Finding a new job after being fired can be stressful, but Career.io’s job search strategy tool can help streamline the process.

Key takeaways

1. When writing your resume, focus on your skills and achievements instead of your departure from your last job.

2. Anticipate questions about your last role and have answers that explain being fired prepared in advance of your interview.

3. During the interview, remain positive, professional, and honest, even when faced with questions involving the reasons why you were fired.