It Just Didn’t Work Out: How to Address “Those Jobs” in Interviews

Everyone’s got at least one skeleton in their career closet – a job that for whatever reason just didn’t work out. But leaving a job under duress can open the door to some very dicey questions when it comes to interviewing for your next position. Here are five techniques to help diffuse the situation – and help you get hired.

1) Don’t Use the “F” Word – Fired is a tough word. But unless you were doing drugs, stole company property or assaulted someone, you were likely “terminated”, not “fired”. As career coach Bettina Seidman explains, “. . . people use the word fired when they don’t understand how to use it. Fired and terminated don’t have the same meaning. Terminated means the company let you go. They could be downsizing or went out of business. Terminated usually means no fault.” If at all possible, go with the softer terminology – though it’s important not to lie.

2) Resist Ranting – If a date spent the entire evening blaming his or her last relationship’s failure on their previous partner, you’d likely avoid future encounters. The same is true for job interviews. Even if your former boss sported horns and a pitchfork, or the company was a dysfunctional madhouse that made reality shows look tame by comparison, an interview is not the place to badmouth anyone. Bitterness, even justifiably acquired, is not an attractive attribute.

3) Focus on Fit – Whether the problem was you or your employer, the gracious way to explain a departure is to attribute it to the very amorphous “wrong fit”. This technique works best when combined with a positive statement about your previous engagement, as in “I really loved what the company was doing, but the fit just wasn’t right.” Then you can move on and explain why the interviewer’s company looks to be a great match for your skills.

4) Avoid TMI – Explanations about a lost job should be brief – you want to focus on what you can bring to the interviewer’s company. This is where rehearsing comes in handy. If you are flustered, your tendency will be to ramble – which can easily lead to ranting (see #2). Practice in the mirror or with friends – paying attention to body language as well as words – until you can deliver a brief, calm explanation that focuses on fit (review #3 above).

5) List Lessons Learned – Share any positives you have gained from the experience. Perhaps you now pay more attention to company culture or alignment of goals when choosing a job. If you’ve been out of work for a while, explain how you’ve sharpened your skills with classes, volunteer work or freelance projects.

The technology employment specialists at Triumph Services can help you develop strategies to handle tough questions and land the IT job you really want. To learn more about our services or the positions we have available, talk to us today!