735: The Right Way to Talk About Being Fired in an Interview: Specific Language That Actually Works

[00:00:00] Scott Anthony Barlow: How do you answer the interview question, "Why did you leave your job when you've been fired?" If you've been fired from a job before, you already know it sucks. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, and that's why we're going to cover how you can address this question head-on. I'm going to break it down for you, along with specific language that you can use, examples of how it sounds in conversation, and even when you should partner with an expert.

[00:00:24] This is Happen To Your Career. Most people let their career happen to them, falling into jobs by accident, staying longer than they should, and wondering if this is really all there is. But a few people decide to stop settling and do something different. This podcast is for you to take control, get intentional, and design your career to fit the life that you want to build. Real stories and real research so you can stop waiting and start making it happen.

[00:00:49] Being fired from a job can feel a little bit like wearing an invisible badge of shame to your next interview. That dreaded question is coming, "So, why you leave your last position?" Your heart races, your palms sweat. What do you say?

[00:01:02] In the next few minutes, I'll give you specific language you can use, examples of how it sounds in conversation, and a simple framework that transforms this potential interview disaster into an opportunity to show exactly why you're the perfect fit for your next role. If we haven't met before, I'm Scott Anthony Barlow.

[00:01:21] I'm a former HR leader. But since 2012, I've been the CEO of Happen To Your Career and the host of the Happen To Your Career podcast. Fun fact, I've fired literally hundreds of people, and before you ask, "How do you sleep at night?" I've also actually been fired myself, and I wouldn't wish the experience of getting fired on anyone.

[00:01:38] But here's the important part. That horrific experience eventually turned out to be one of the best things that's ever happened to me. I think it can be for you, too, but only if you know how to talk about being fired. I've also interviewed thousands of people. I've seen that there are better ways to share how or why you got fired, and we're gonna talk about that in a minute.

[00:01:57] But first, I'm mildly embarrassed to tell you that after I got fired, I actually told everyone that I was laid off and was still dealing with the emotional fallout from being fired unexpectedly, and honestly, I didn't know how to share what happened. I even did this in my first few interviews after I got fired.

[00:02:14] I know, cringey. Don't do what I did. Here's why. Imagine you say you were laid off in interviews. You get the job offer, and then comes the background check. When your former employer reveals that you were actually fired, that offer disappears faster than free donuts in the break room. No bueno. Companies call this rescinding the offer, but what it really means is, "We just discovered you lied, and now we don't trust you."

[00:02:38] Fortunately, you don't need to mislead anyone. There are better ways, and they allow you to maintain your integrity. "Why did you leave your last job?" Let's use my situation as an example. Here's what it would sound like as an answer to the question. "I was with that company for about a year, and ever since the day I had arrived, the entire division was behind in their sales goals, and I wasn't on track for the targets in my region either. It didn't make financial sense to keep four regional managers, and I was the newest at the company, so they let me go. I was sort of upset at first, but honestly, it frees me up."

[00:03:14] Okay, you can't use my story word for word. So let's break down the psychology behind this answer. First and foremost, you'll notice I told them directly that I was let go, is an emotionally charged way to say that you were fired, and it has better social implications.

[00:03:31] So let's use it. The other thing you may have noticed is how I phrased my answer in story form. It felt like it was the logical conclusion that they should let me go. By presenting the business situation first, "everyone was missing targets", then the company's dilemma, the financial constraints, and finally the outcome, the newest person leaves, I created a narrative where my departure makes perfect business sense.

[00:03:54] But the reason this works is I didn't assign blame to me or the company. I shared the most useful pieces information to allow them to draw their own conclusion that this is simply what the company had to do. In this case, everyone was behind on their goals, and they didn't have the money to keep everyone.

[00:04:11] All of those are facts. They're true, and the story sequencing doesn't leave them guessing about whether or not I'm a bad person or bad employee. I was the newest person on the team. There was no money. There was no other option but to let me go. This three-sentence story helped me get multiple job offers after being fired because it allowed me to tell the direct, complete truth without setting off any alarm bells, and I want you to be able to do the same thing.

[00:04:36] Let's cover how you can take the pieces out of my answer and apply them to your situation. If you have any doubt or you're unsure how your explanation sounds, I would suggest working with a career coach who has years of expertise in psychology and interview preparation, as it can be the difference in interviews turning into job offers or not.

[00:04:54] Expert guidance can be the difference between moving on to final-stage interviews and multiple offers or getting stuck every single time in the early stage and eventually settling for whatever job comes along versus having multiple offers to choose from. Whether it's getting fired or discussing your successes, learning to effectively share your stories will lead to continuous offers, and having multiple offers allows you to make better decisions about your career, and more importantly, it helps you build the life you want.

[00:05:23] As always, if you're thinking of making a change in your career and you wanna see how we can help or the very best way that we can support you, just send me an email, scott@happentoyourcareer.com. You can put 'Conversation' in the subject line, and I'll connect you with the right person on my team. We can figure out the very best way that we can support you and help build a plan for what's going to fit you.