Job interviews are stressful enough. When you have been fired and a recruiter or human resources manager asks why, your stress level may skyrocket.Just as you prepare answers for other common interview questions, it’s important to prepare an answer for this one. Rehearsing some go-to phrases will help you craft a professional answer during your interview.
Here are some tips to help you explain a termination to a potential employer.

1) Honesty is the best policy
Review the incident or issue that caused you to lose your job with an unbiased eye

2) Don’t bash your old boss
You want to portray yourself as a valuable addition to their team.

3) Don’t pass the blame
Along with bashing, blaming is a bad way to go. Your potential new employer wants to see that you take responsibility both for your past actions and for your performance on the job.

4) Stick to the point
A big mistake candidates make when answering this question is trying to explain every nuance of the situation.

5) Don’t sound bitter
You’ll make yourself unattractive to a potential employer if you come across bitter and defeated

6) Explain what you’ve learned Including a “lessons learned” sentence in your answer shows potential employers you’re aware and adaptable. It turns a negative into an asset.

7) Promote your positives
It’s difficult to turn talk of your termination into a way to showcase your skills and experience.
Getting fired is an emotional experience, and it’s hard to talk objectively and calmly even weeks or months after the event. Practicing your answer helps you keep emotions at bay so you don’t derail your interview.

For further details see Debra Auerbach’s article at CareerBuilder.com

Go to www.TADPGS.com, click on the “Looking for People” tab, then view “Veterans Solutions”. To see more information for Veterans, please join our LinkedIn group, Veterans Hiring Solutions for Veterans at http://linkd.in/Sg346w. If you have specific questions, contact me at [email protected]