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pantscharlie · Newbie Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

First let me say that I didn't threaten anyone but it was determined that I did and I was fired because of it. I am now stuck with a very nasty termination letter. I am a great interviewer and have been offered several jobs in the past 9 months of unemployment. Everything goes well until my potential employer finds out I was fired and ask for my termination letter. I am very desperate and I need a job now. I am getting the offers but how do I seal the deal when I have this horrible firing in my past. I'm scared to be honest up front as I don't think anyone will ever call me back, but lying only leads me to look even worse in the end. Please someone help me!! How do I overcome this?

lexa10881 · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:07 am Post subject:

Well, I was going to suggest that you omit this job from your life as if it never happened but you said that lying seems to only get you in worse trouble. What you might do, before you tell them why you were terminated, is explain the nature of it thoroughly. And unless I am misunderstanding something, do not show them your termination letter! If they are truly worried let them ask you questions so you cna explain yourself.

http://www.cvtips.com/hard_interview_questions.html

pantscharlie · Newbie Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 3 Career Advice: +0/-0

The problem I am running into is that once they do a background check they usually come across that I was terminated from my last job and no matter what I say after that they ask for a my termination letter. I would never willingly hand over this letter. If it were up to me I would erase that letter from existance. Also if I try and omit the job it also shows up on my background check and it also then looks like i haven't worked in over a year and a half and I don't know how to explain that. This whole issue has been a nightmare to try and figure out. My wife and I are constantly in a moral minefield as to what to do. Thanks for the advice though. I appreciate it a lot.

cv · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:54 am Post subject: Bad Termination Letter

Is there any way of revocating this letter by court if it is that serious ?
Or aapprocahing your ex-employer asking for a new more positive termination letter ?
Are you based in the US ?

lexa10881 · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject:

Your second post clarified the situation to me much more. And then the following post by cv offered a good suggestion. I suggest legal action in some form, as it is unfair that they are keeping you from employment. You may try to approach them first and see if there is a way to work out the problem without going to court. You may be able to qualify for free legal assistance, so do not get woried about the cost right away.

http://www.cvtips.com/cheating_in_your_job_references.html

KA · Expert Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Posts: 226 Career Advice: +2/-0

You indiccated that you didn't threat anyone. Where there any witnesses to the claimed threat? I would certainly do 2 things:
-Get legal advise on where you stand?
-Depending on what the legal advise is, talk to your previous employer & if you are in strong position, you can ask them to reverse the letter... etc. If you are not in a strong position, after getting the legal adviice, try to talk to them nicely & see if they are willing to word the letter differently (at the end of the day we are all human)

If you are in a strong position, I'd suggest that if your previous employer is not cooperating, that you proceed with whatever the legal adviser recommends.

dejaluv · New User Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 5 Career Advice: +0/-0

This is an easy one...

Keep the job on your resume but tell them you resigned without notice due to an unexpected and prolonged illness in the family. Tell them you had to leave to take care of your mother/father in another state that had become unable to take care of themselves. Through therapy your family member is now able to care for themselves and you are back looking for another position.

Seriously, in the US most employers will NOT divulge you were terminated, at most they may say you are not rehirable but will not give details. Since resignation without notice is a common reason for not being rehirable a potential employer wont think twice about second guessing your excuse.

Mark McCormick · Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 3:59 am Post subject:

pantscharlie,

Based on your post, I can tell you are ethically conflicted and it appears the employers are finding out about your termination. For this reason, I would be up front with the interviewers and state what happened. I know it may cost you a few potential offers, but I think it will give you a better chance of getting the job because you will get to state your case. Even if you were able to get by without them knowing about this, the odds are they may find out later you were fired and would hold this against you. It is far better to admit this issue b/c it will be easier on your mind and allow you to start working on building your credibility back. Remember: Lots of people get fired everyday and are able to find other positions. The worst I see happening here is you might have to take a slightly lesser position initially. After you get the job and work well at it for a couple of years, this past firing will make little difference for future jobs.

Hope this helps.
Mark MccCormick
www.interviewquestionsandanswers.org

dejaluv · New User Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 5 Career Advice: +0/-0

Mark, out of curiosity, why do you feel the odds are the new employer would find out about the termination at a later date after hiring? Unless you live in a very small town where everyone knows everyone I would imagine the chances are extremely slim to none that this information would come out at a later date.

Mark McCormick · Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject:

Deja,

In my experience, the job world is a lot smaller than you are characterizing it. In some industries, it is very small. The same people go to the same places: restaurants, bars, cocktail parties, etc. and they like to talk. All it takes is one person from his former workplace to make some comment to somebody and this can easily trickle back to his/her new manager or co-workers. It does not even matter if the former manager does not disclose this information, it could be anybody in that workplace who is a gossip or had a problem with the employee who left.

Plus, even if they don't find out, he will always have this in the back of his mind that it could happen and so he will have to be guarded in conversations with co-workers and management. This is a tough way to live if you don't like to lie and, it seems to be unnecessary. He stated he didn't do the act so by him hiding it, he is essentially admitting fault to something he did not do. If he did nothing wrong, why not act in that manner? It would allow him to work from a position of strength and seems to be more in keeping with his moral compass. As I mentioned in the earlier post, it may cost him a few offers initially, but when he does get the job offer, he will be able to the job without fear of later reprisal. (Also, it seems his issue is that all the employers are finding out about the issue with the background check.) If he does a good job for a couple of years, the issue would essentially go away completely.

Best,
Mark McCormick
www.interviewquestionsandanswers.org

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