Gather round the monitor kids, because I’m about to break off some knowledge that a lot of you don’t fully understand.
Let’s start with a general rule: If you’re interviewing for a job you really want and you’re not currently employed, the elephant in the room is why you aren’t still employed with that company. Now let’s enhance that a bit and say your previous company did not lay you off, and they won’t be willing to say you were laid off. That means you left or were fired.
Which means you have to talk about why you aren’t at that company any more.
With that in mind, here’s your 5 Rules For Candidates to Talk About Previous Jobs Gone Bad:
–Rule #1 – Never go on a rant about how you got screwed by a company, manager, co-worker, etc. at your previous job (A rant is described as a speech where you dominate the airtime for more than 30 seconds with information that seems negative).
–Rule #2 - Never go on a rant about how you got screwed by a company, manager, co-worker, etc. at your previous job. The bottom line is this – every company has some dysfunction. If you dominate the interview session with a bunch of negative stuff about how bad it was at your last job, how you got screwed, etc., I’m only thinking one thing as a hiring manager – what will you think about our freak show in your 3rd week after the afterglow of the orientation period has faded? Am I going to take a chance on that? I think not.
–Rule #3 – The reason you are no longer with that company is always about FIT (and no one’s to blame for a mismatch in FIT – not them, not you). Fit is your graceful way to say that your past employer was an absolute freak show. Whether the issue was company culture, your manager, your job, whatever – it doesn’t matter. Your talking points about why you aren’t at your past employer anymore always revolve around fit. Examples – “I wasn’t a fit at ____ because they were looking for someone who _____.” Then be positive – “I really liked the company, but the FIT just wasn’t there”. PS – make sure the FIT points you’re detailing aren’t the most important things at the company you’re interviewing with. #duh
–Rule #4 – Once you tell them you weren’t a fit at your previous company, make a graceful transition to the strengths you possess that weren’t being utilized at that company. ”So I wasn’t a fit for ___ for those reason, and I’m really looking for an opportunity that will allow me to <insert your strengths>. From what I’ve heard, I think the role I’m talking to you about might have that fit.” PS – make sure your cited strengths line up with what’s needed in the role you’re interviewing for.
–Rule #5 – You do not talk about fight club. Or go on a rant about how you got screwed by a company, manager, co-worker, etc. at your previous job. Seriously.
Rules #1, #2, and #5 are about not going negative when asked why you’re not at your previous employer. It’s that important – they (we) are trying to bait you. If you want to bash, you’re not going to get hired most of the time. Leave the whining on the shelf, then talk about mismatch in fit, then get your positive points in as quickly as possible.
You got fired. Not the end of the world. Don’t pick at the scab by going negative (and you may not even realize you’re going negative, BTW) and by all means – stay on message.
Good luck out there, fired one. Follow these 5 Rules to maximize your chances of landing on your feet.
All good points. Likability is a huge factor in interviews, and negativity won’t get you there.
Great tips on how to talk about leaving (or being fired from) your last company. The key in interviews, whether they’re in person or through online video, is to stay positive. Make sure you focus on the mismatched fit in your last position and how you WILL fit in the position you’re interviewing for. Remember, a positive attitude will get you much farther than a negative one.
Good, Kris. I think that rule #3 is great; however, I have never had anyone actually give a thorough explanation, but remain as vague as possible. After an explanation is given, I find myself asking, “What do you mean?” Another vague answer. “What do you mean?” Even more vague answer…and so on…until you find out the real reason, “My boss was my ex-mother-in-law…” Enough said.
Good advice to a point. As someone who has hired employees, I would not be satisfied with the “It was not a good fit,” response. I would follow up with, “In what way was it not a good fit, can you tell me more about that?” My point is that anyone who is going to use this as a response to why they left a job either willingly or unwillingly should be prepared to expand further. If the manager was a total jerk or if the company was an absolute looney bin, perhaps a response might be, “At this stage of my career I really want to be in a highly professional environment where I can grow and learn from my coworkers. The previous environment did not provide this.” Or something more than it was not a good fit.
“Not a good fit” could also sound like code for “I can’t get along with people.”