Ask The Work Buzz! Explaining a Peculiar Layoff
By anthony balderrama on Aug 4, 2009 in Ask The Work Buzz!, Featured, Interviews, Job Search, Work
This question comes from Anita: I am a 51-year old female who was recently fired after 10 years with a very small company (less than a dozen employees). I had recently had surgery, which coincided with a very busy time at the office. I was out of the office for 3 days for the surgery, which I was told I would be paid for, and had to call in sick one day the following week due to recuperation issues. I was fired without warning and told that the reason was “poor performance” and taking too many sick days was cited. How do I respond to the question of why I left my previous employer?
I’m sorry to hear that you had that experience, Anita.
Your concern is understandable, though. You probably feel like you’re in a Catch-22. How can you be honest without sounding like your employer was right to let you go or like you’re whining about a policy you didn’t like? It is possible; it just takes careful wording.
Here at The Work Buzz, we’re proponents of the truth. Lies are hard to keep track of. You can get caught and end up losing the job. Nobody wants to hire a liar. (Hey, that rhymes!) We may not eat our vegetables like our parents told us to, but in this case, they were right. Tell the truth.
The trick in this situation is to be honest without badmouthing your previous company while keeping yourself in a positive light. Here’s a possible answer to guide you:
INTERVIEWER: So, Anita, why did you leave your last job?
ANITA: I took three days off to have surgery. Although I had the time cleared with my boss, the fact that I was forced to take an additional day off shortly after returning upset them. As a result, they let me go. Despite my best efforts to discuss the matter, they had their minds set–which is unfortunate because I truly enjoyed my work and my colleagues.
I’d suggest tailoring the answer to whatever you feel is most accurate. The idea is to strike a balance between the truth and an emphasis that you’re not holding a grudge. If you were talking to a fellow job seeker or a colleague at a new office, you could probably get away with being as angry as you want because both of you would be viewing the situation from the same perspective. Employers, even when they seem to be on the same page as you, are still employers. Whatever you say, they hear as the boss, not as a fellow worker. Any mention of your boss is essentially a mention of them. Think about how no one talks about past relationships on a first day. Why? Because the whole, “I HATE MY EX!” thing comes across as a warning sign to the new romance to stay away.
Good luck with your search, Anita.
Readers, any tips or experiences of your own to share? Questions you want to ask us? Drop us a note in the comments.
The Work Doctor | Aug 4, 2009
Another possible response for Anita: The employer said it was poor performance and too many sick days, but who is to say my employer was being truthful. Your guess is as good as mine. I believe he might have been trying to cut payroll due to economic conditions and at the same time tried to prevent me from collecting unemployment benefits so his unemployment tax rate would not increase. A savvy employer.
sfsinger | Oct 8, 2009
I’m sorry that happened to you, Anita. I think the author’s idea for an explanation is the best to give during an interview, though the The Work Doctor’s is probably closer to the truth!
I’m pretty sure it’s illeagal to fire an employee for being sick, four sick days surrounding a surgery is not excessive! If it were me I’d consider looking into suing for wrongful termination, but when you’re low on funds and need a new job, that may just not be feasible.
Firekracker68 | Nov 10, 2009
I am in the same type of pickle. I went from being ranked in the top 10% of my region to being put pn a performance plane and subsequentlly harrased out of my position by my D.M. {documentation on file with the EDD}. But what do i thell them? how do you explain a resume that screams acomplishments, awards, and recognition. to leaving the company where I was doing so well? I had 5 years with them and then in 4 months is was GONE? So am i honest? do i tell them that well… we didnt fit together he and I? then i look like i cant work with a varity of different management styles? AND now its been 3 years a nd countless.. COUNTLESS interviews, career fairs and hiring events and i cant get a job watching grass grow~ the feedback I do receive is So positive and glowing.. but they chose a differnt person.. help~~
Firekracker68 | Nov 10, 2009
please excuse the above typo riddled rant.. I can assure you that all resumes and cover letters are properly SPELL CHECKED! lol
rockstarxxx | Dec 1, 2009
of course the author would say honesty is the best policy, whats going to happen is the new employer is going to see you as someone who is always taking time off and not fit to work, no offence also take into consideration your age, we are living in an agest society like it or not, i say lie through your teeth, at the end of the day you arnt lying to your mother are you. as your boss would say, its business xxx
rockstarxxx | Dec 1, 2009
excuse me, i am off to purchase my reference.
rockstarxxx | Dec 1, 2009
also, over here the goverment recently took 30 million pounds of tax money, called it expenses and bought bought things like duck houses and what not, see they lie al the time to get what they want why shouldnt we?
Lil | Feb 10, 2010
A similar thing happened to me. I left early one day on APPROVED time, and the next day was terminated for leaving early since the reason I left was that the company didn’t pay us and I had to stop payments to avoid overdraft fees. Loved my job, loved my co-workers….now I’m searching!
dcp | Feb 11, 2010
I was working in an ‘at will’ position and terminated without cause. I was told ‘things are financially tight’ and you are in an at will position. I have been putting as the reason for leaving as ‘budget cuts’ but now I learn that they are getting ready to fill my position with someone who had worked for the company previously and decided they wanted to come back.
How do I answer the ‘why did you leave’ question in the interview? Also, should I contact my previous supervisor and ask what she will tell prospective employers who call?
Wheels | Mar 29, 2010
I often interview prospective employees. What I am really asking when I say “why did you leave your former employer” is not anything about their former employer, it’s “Explain to me why I am not going to be firing you myself anytime soon”.
For Anita, another option might be partly what you already heard adding the “and this is why it wont happen here” bit.
“It was a very small office, and I needed to take some time off to resolve a health problem but once I returned I had another unexpected day I needed to take. The timing was bad and unfortunately it caused some bad feelings. What I’ve learned from this is that I need to communicate better with my employer if I need to take time off, and although I have had relatively little sick time, I understand that a business relies on people to be there and I wouldnt want to let anyone down.”
That would work for me.
personally, I think your employer was unreasonable. But, if you explain too much and try to show that the reaosn you were fired asn’t reasonable, the interviewr will be thinking “but that doesnt make sense. What is she not telling me?” Just explain why it wont be a problem for them, and smile.