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k
Newbie
Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 2
Career Advice: +0/-0
Location: RI
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 Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject: Question of "Why did you leave your last job" |
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Could someone help with this question...I have an interview tomorrow and I've already found myself bumbling when asked this question in an interview.
I know I don't want to speak negative...but I was fired from my last job, with the reason of "not a good fit"...this was after a year and a half, and doing a good job...and being praised for doing a good job by the person that fired me.
So, long story short, what do I say? Also, I do not want any potential employers calling them for a reference...I don't trust they will be "legal" in what they say...I will say, they are not the most professional orgainization.
I'm just feeling kind of screwed here and I'm totally stressed. I feel like saying, honestly, they were a difficult company to work for and I found myself constantly facing road blocks and brick walls set up by management...also, I was tired of the blame game. I was looking to get out, but they beat me to the punch...
Can someone suggest anything to "sugar coat" it?  |
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Randy
Expert
Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 405
Career Advice: +2/-1
Location: Vinton, VA
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| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:39 am Post subject: |
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Chances are slim to none, but *if* you have anything in writing from the previous employer--a copy of a review, etc--that documents you did indeed have every reason to believe things were going well, then take that w/ you to the interview and tell 'em the truth--you got blindsided! Employers, and employment, are all pretty much the same and the bunch you're going to be talking to has done the same thing to someone else somewhere along the way.
If not--and here I go again---lie! Lie like hell...okay, if you're good at the rather delicate art of lying. Tell 'em you left for whatever reason (that's lie number one) and that you were shocked at how badly the former employer reacted (lie #2) and that you would prefer they not contact that employer (truth) because you're afraid they'll give you a bad reference (truth) or might even say you were terminated!
Employers are, for the most part, spiteful, petty, and vindictive and you're going to have to learn how to manipulate words, I'm sorry to say. And if I'd never worked a day in my life, I'd never say these things but everything I know, believe, and practice about half-truths, lying, and innuendoes are things I learned from employers....
Tell 'em you had to take time off for a personal, family "crisis" and when you got back, you were told you were no longer needed, something, anything...Be creative and imaginative, just like they are. After all, they lie like hell when they tell you what a great and wonderful company they'd be to work for, don't you think? |
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cv
Site Admin
Joined: 30 Apr 2005
Posts: 391
Career Advice: +7/-0
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lexa10881
Expert
Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Posts: 1785
Career Advice: +1/-0
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:15 am Post subject: |
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Well, be semi-honest. Say that the working conditions were undesirable and you did not like the environment. If they ask you to elaborate, you may go into further detail but choose words carefully as you do not want to bad mouth the former employer, no matter how much they may deserve it. You may also say that sometimes it felt like they were issuing non-essential challenges, if they ask you to elaborate.
http://www.cvtips.com/hard_interview_questions.html |
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