Dealing with the ‘F’ Word: How to Explain Why You Got Fired

Being fired from a job can happen to anyone and can occur for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you had a personality conflict with your immediate supervisor and your supervisor prevailed. Or, the job description was completely different from the one given to you during the interview and it was absolutely the wrong fit.

Or, how about this: You really screwed up and deserved to be fired!

First, don’t obsess over it. You are undoubtedly not alone. I was fired from my first job (Sears, retail) when security accused me of using my employee discount on friends. I was mortified when it happened because it was untrue. But, being only 18, I was ill-equipped to convince management and security otherwise!

All I wanted to do at the time was hide under a rock and re-emerge when I was … 19! Soon enough, however, I learned that being fired was not the end of the world and certainly not a reflection on my overall skills and character.

Instead of dwelling on the fact you’ve been fired, focus on what you plan to do next and how you’re going to secure another job. Instead of dreading the inevitable question of why you left your last place of employment, understand that there are effective ways to address the issue with a prospective employer. Work on how you can turn the negative incident into a positive event, or at least learn how to neutralize it to your benefit. But remember, no matter what you fear may happen when you utter that dreaded “f” word — and chances are your fears will never come true — you must always tell the truth!

Here are 6 suggestions to help you be prepared for handling the question of why you were fired:

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