Pongo Resume

Over the past few weeks, we've received questions from job seekers who've spent time in prison, been convicted for driving under the influence, or been fired because of a wrongful behavior on the job. "How," each wondered, "can I overcome the bad deeds of my past and convince an employer to hire me?"

The harsh truth is: It probably won't be easy. Most employers today already have a surplus of good candidates for each job opening, so the odds are not in your favor. But if you're willing to do what needs to be done, here are some tips to give yourself a better chance of success:

1) Own your mistakes.

Whatever the issue was, accept that your own actions caused it. Don't try to convince employers that it was someone else's fault. No one wants to hire a whiner or a blamer. They might, however, take a chance on an honest person who screwed up but sincerely wants to get back on track.

2) Be willing to pay your dues…again.

No matter how much experience you have, you're a less desirable job candidate (on paper) than someone with similar credentials whose record is clean. If you're willing to step back down the ladder, it might give the employer an incentive to take a chance on you. Offer to take a pay cut, accept the worst shifts, or do whatever it takes to earn back your reputation as a good worker. The employer gets an experienced worker at a bargain price, and you get a foot in the door.
 
3) Lean on people who know and trust you.

People who already know you, especially those who've worked with you, are your best bet for employment. They're the ones who know that the good things about you outweigh the bad. According to an Urban Institute study on ex-offenders who found employment after prison:

"Most respondents who found work did so by speaking with friends and family; however, the most successful strategy for long-term employment was returning to a previous employer."

4) Ask employers directly (but not for a job).

If you don't have any family or friends who can help you find work, informational interviews can be very helpful. Blogger J.T. O'Donnell of JT & Dale Talk Jobs had a question from a man who'd recently been fired for disobeying a company policy. J.T.'s advice was to contact the HR department of a company in his field:
 
"Share what happened to you and your regrets about it, then explain that you are now looking for the best way to prove to an employer that you would be a good hire. You'll learn to discuss what occurred in a way that will leave employers sympathetic to your situation."

I think it's a brilliant idea to ask actual employers what would make them willing to take a chance on you. They might give you some great insights to use when you land an interview.

The bottom line is that you need to get employers to see you as a real person who (as we all do sometimes) made a bad mistake, but who nonetheless has the experience and desire to do a great job and be a valuable employee now. It may require a series of small steps, but once you're back in the workforce, each positive action and accomplishment will make your past digressions less and less important.

Have you bounced back after a negative incident in your work history? Please share your story, or ask a question, by posting a comment below.

RELATED LINKS
Networking's Best-Kept Secret: Informational Interviews
Job Searching with an Imperfect Past or Criminal Record
Good Job Seeker, Bad Credit. Are You Screwed?

This addresses my current situation, "sort of". I was fired, my supervisior's behavior was inappropriate and when I didn't consent, he tried to force me to resign, then fired me. It has been nearly devastating. My employment search has not been successful, and I wonder if this whole negative situation I experienced is still lingering around to haunt me. I'm rather at a standstill in what I should do to resolve an apparent negative situation that I did not porfessionally cause.

@Deb --

Wow, that's a classic "damned if you do, damned of you don't" situation. If you say it was your old boss's fault, you look like a blamer, but if you don't explain, it implies that you did something wrong.

But I think some of tips #3 and 4 above could be helpful. Ask your friends and family for recommendations, advice, or leads. And (awkward as it sounds) contact companies that have staff members in roles similar to your old job. Ask for the HR department, politely spell out your situation, and ask them if they can offer you any advice. Something like this:

"My name is Deb ____, and I wonder if I could ask for your professional opinion. I'm not looking for a job, just advice. I was recently terminated as a [job title] because, to make a long story short, my former supervisor behaved inappropriately and when I didn't consent, he tried to force me to resign, then fired me. Since your company has similar positions, I thought you might have some insight as to how I can explain the situation to a prospective employer without sending up red flags or making myself look bad."

Hope that helps. Best of luck. I'm sorry you're going through this!

Julie

Mine was a situation where the job I had was a two-year contract position. When I was done, nothing was ever said one way or the other. I thought things were fine and asked for references, which they were willing to give. Seven months after the position ended, I discovered from a friend that one of my references was giving me a bad recommendation. He didn't know who -- just that it was happening.

I had already been doing some work through a temp agency and was partway through a 4-month placement. I scrapped all of my references and chose different ones, including one person from the 4-month position. I landed a new job within two months of making that change.

@ Melissa

Wow, how unfair for someone to be blindsiding you like that. If the person wasn't comfortable giving you a good reference, they should have declined your request. (And, they should have addressed the issues directly with you while you were working there.)

I guess the lesson is that you have to be more specific when asking for references, and not assume.

Luckily, you landed on your feet!

Thanks for sharing that experience!

Julie

I have been outof work for the past 8 months. This has been a devastating experience as I have worked since I was 15 years old and am now turning 54. I left my last job as a Director of ED had such high hopes. I have been in an administrator position for the past 8 years and a nurse for over thirty years. I found myself caught up in a situation where I was accused of things I did not do - no specific situations. I was given a 30 day final written that came definetly pulled me straight down. I was put in a situation of be fired or resign. I got to close to a situation that the ED Doctors were practicing that was conflict od interest and they wanted me gone. Long story short I feel that I have been "black-balled". The past Medical Director authored a letter to my previous staff and physicians that cited me and other people who had since left the hospital in a less favorable light. This is his own opinion however I know it has affected my interviews when they check references or know collegues who worked there. I go through what seem like great interviews and then am told I am not to be considered. My question is: In interviews I am asked the question as to why I left my old job - my answer has now been I could not support the direction senior leadership was going. I am concerned about the people I put on my reference list - as some require the input of last supervisor. I have two inportant interviews coming up next week and want to be as porfessional as I can - any ideas?

Deb - Your situation is very simular to mine - I really feel you are the professional. Moving forward it is always important to try, as hard as it is, to let the negative flow off. I feel it has been the hardest thing I have ever done - especially keep popping back up after each negative incident. I know the judicial system is difficult to be on our side with "he said she said" situations. I wish I had the answers as I am still trying to stay in the game for survival.

In Janurary, I was fired from my job as a asst manager of a store after a year and a half of employment. At the beginning of the month I called corporate office and reported my manager for cussing me out and getting in my face because I would not work an eight hour shift off the clock for him so he wouldn't have to pay me over time. A few days after I reported him someone from corporate came down and talked to all the employees except me, including my manager. A few days later he said that I had stolen something from the store that cost $5 and he was going to press charges on me for theft and that I was fired. Now when jobs call him to check my work history, he tells them that I was fired for major theft and then I do not get the job. What can I tell these jobs before hand that will not look like I am making up excuses. I DID NOT STEAL ANYTHING FROM HIM THEM OR ANY TIME DURING MY EMPLOYMENT.

@ Tabatha

What a rotten situation! I have a couple suggestions that might help.

1) Try to eliminate the problem by not providing your old boss as a reference. If you really need someone from that job, perhaps you could list a former coworker or a member of the HR department instead. They could vouch for your work record during the year-and-a-half.

2) If for some reason you MUST provide his name, then (awkward as it may be) try calling him directly. Don't be confrontational, just ask if he could see his way clear to providing a reference that won't sabotage your chances at finding a new job.

3) If the old boss is truly making dishonest claims about you that are directly preventing you from obtaining employment, perhaps you need to consult an attorney. There's no law against giving a bad reference as long as it's factual, but it sounds like he's telling lies to cover his own misdeeds.

Best of luck.

--Julie

The comments here and scenario's are helpful in trying to sort this all out in a professional way. Molly, our stories are very similiar, I too worked @ a hospital. I know of several other (women) who also resigned or were termed within a six month period. It's ugly. Fighting it is almost hopeless, and we're 'stuck' with what do we do from here? I go back and forth as to whether I should remove the employer off my resume' or leave them on...My attorney did provide me with a suggestion.~ Leave contact information off your resume'. In an interview if/when asked why you left, have an explanation planned which touches lightly on the situaton. In all honesty, I am considering, " corporate restructuring" and leaving it at that. No blame, viably the truth... and leave it at that. Now to handle the fact that they provide a 'bad' reference, I'm going to provide them with the contact number of someone who 'was' my supervisor prior to all this nightmare. Unfortunatly, I cannot utilize their HR dept. simply because this person worked in that capacity. Certainly is a struggle! Anyone who can come up with any additional suggestions, PLEASE POST! Thanks! Good luck, to all of us!

Do you have any examples of people who have been actually been hired after being fired for poor performance recently? I keep seeing advice on how to handle the interviews, but in this economy it seems less likely that it will work. Basically I'm looking for some hope that I can still get hired again someday...

@Anonymous

You can see from the comments above that you're not alone. In fact, I think almost everyone who's ever worked has been fired at one point or another, and we've all gone on to be hired again. So of course there's hope!

It's humiliating to get fired, but it's not the end of the world. Learn from your mistakes, and file this lesson in your experience bank.

And follow these steps when it comes time to explain your situation in an interview:

1. Describe the situation very briefly and factually. 2. Explain what you've done to correct the problem, or what you learned about yourself. 3. Reassure the employer that there is no risk of similar problems in the future if they should hire you. 4. Redirect the conversation back to your qualifications for the job.

This is a setback, not a failure. You'll do better in your next job, which is out there somewhere. Go find it!

Best of luck,

Julie

I worked for a really great company in a really great job that had so much potential and interesting aspects. Unfortunetly, my boss was impossible! If you can even call her that. It's been recently that she decided to change her title in her email signatures to Supervisor when it's not in her title. Maybe you can better explain this to me better than HR did. Oh, and the next person in command is the VP! HR told me that she has only the right to use the title of Supervisor for administration purposes like hirirng and setting up new trainees but that she can't fire anyone. I worked with her for 4 years and tryed many times to get over her incompentencies as a leader and a co-worker. What really frosted me was the number of times she burnt me. I know now that I could not rely on her for a reference that I deserved. I found that because of my knowlege and hard work that she tryed to keep me there. There were times when I thought we could work together and then one day the straw broke over the camels back and I left. It was 2:15 pm Friday, Feburary 15/10. I went back the following Monday morning to try to come to a resolution and keep my job. When HR told me they would not have me back. I was crushed. I have applied 42 jobs these last 3 weeks and have only received 2 responses. I'm freaking out! Not to mention HR has blocked my emails from getting through to my co-workers and I really need a refrence. What should I do?

I was asked to resign from a federal job due to the fact that I filled out a form for child care myself instead of having HR fill it out. They said I had comitted forgery, I actually thought it was no big deal, I am a single mom and I needed a child care to take care of my 2 year old son so I could go to work. My hours were 4am to 1230 pm and I thought if I put my real hours they would not watch my son, so I indicated on the form that my hours were from 7am to 4pm. I wasn't out to hurt anyone or avoiding to pay the school I just needed day care. That was almost 3 years ago, is it true that after 1 year they clear the bad papers out of your file? Because I did resign instead of having them fire me, will I ever have a chance to re-apply?

@Sheila

Sorry to hear you've had such a tough time lately. If there is a former co-worker you know would be a good reference for you, I would try making contact by phone or snail mail. The other thing that stands out to me is the number of applications -- 42. My advice is to go for quality, not quantity. You need to stand out from the crowd. Find a job description that sounds like it will fit you really well, and edit your resume and cover letter to target their needs specifically. If you take the time to focus your documents on just the jobs that you're truly qualified for and enthusiastic about, you'll likely get more responses from fewer applications!

@Irene

I don't know whether they "clear the bad papers out of your file" after one year, but it doesn't seem likely. As for re-applying, there's no reason not to try -- all they can say is no. It's tough when you're in desperate need of childcare; I hope you can find a situation that will work for both you and your son.

Best of luck to both of you.

--Julie

Hi Julie, I was let go from my previous job with the intention to leave. How can I explain that I wanted to leave due to red tape overload coupled with significant increase in workload? I was a performer in all my previous jobs and never got terminated except for this one. Is it appropriate to say that the knowledge and skills in the project team were limited and project resources were not well leveraged which resulted in significant increase of my workload? The introduction of unnecessary time-consuming procedures also introduced red tape overload (i.e. documentation, decoding 300+ numeric IDs in the business requirements to the real business terminology, etc.) and counterproductive efforts. Is it appropriate to say that the project is unorganized? I just want to be sure that it won't be negative by stating these facts. Also I thought of saying "to apply my skills in a different capacity in an environment that is congenial, structured and team-oriented." But I also took time off after being let go to care for my family? How should I explain the reason for leaving? Thank you very much.

Hi Jennifer,

That sounds like a lousy situation and I'm sorry it happened that way! While I applaud your efforts to use very professional language, your message still comes through loud and clear. ("I worked with a bunch of bumbling, incompetent fools!")

So, no, I would not advise that you mention their lack of knowledge, skills, and resource management, and I would especially avoid mentioning the increases in your workload.

Even though your story is all-too-common and completely true, there's still a good chance that an employer could come away with the impression that you just couldn't cut it when the going got tough.

However, I DO like where you're going toward the end. I think it would be appropriate to say you'd already been thinking of seeking a new opportunity to "apply your skills in a different capacity in an environment that was more congenial, structured, and team-oriented," and that you took time off to care for your family after you left the previous job.

Just make sure you emphasize that you are now ready to commit long-term to a full-time position, and you're enthusiastic the new opportunity.

One last thing... trust your gut. If you sense a strong rapport with the interviewer, and s/he seems like a no-BS type, then maybe you can be more candid about the past. I'm just giving you general guidelines. Best of luck!!

--Julie

I was terminated after 10 years of service based on performance after 9 years of stellar evaluations. It was a new manager of 3 months who was the driving force behind my termination, although I cannt prove it, and he hired his best friend and former co-worker to take my place.

Was there anything I could have done to bring action against the employer?

How do I explain wrongful termination to an employer?

thanks

@Bill R.

It certainly sounds fishy that the new manager immediately found your performance lacking when previous managers had been very satisfied. But I think the key line in your statement is "I can't prove it." Although I am not, in any way, an employment law expert, I do know that bringing action against an employer for discrimination requires fairly solid proof.

As for how to address the termination with prospective employers, I think the key is to be honest, while resisting the temptation to rant about how unfair it was.

Also, it's important to avoid using words like "wrongful" or "discrimination." Why? Because those words strike fear into the heart of every employer ("If he thought the old boss discriminated, will he make the same claim about me?"). And, frankly, it makes you sound like a victim.

A better way to go is to calmly and honestly state the facts, without emotion. Let the facts speak for themselves. You were employed there for 10 years. Your evaluations were stellar for 9 of those 10 years. When a new manager was hired, you were terminated within 3 months and quickly replaced by a friend of the new manager. It was tough, but it gave you the chance to move into a new opportunity, and you're very excited about this job with this company. Then, ask a question about the new position and leave the past in the past.

Employers understand that personality conflicts happen and not all terminations are the employee's fault. No matter how much they may deserve it, badmouthing former employers only makes you look bad.

Best of luck!

--Julie

I was fired at due to poor performance. I was an accountant at a top 10 public accounting firm and it was my first job out of school. I was with the firm for 18 months. Because I barely spoke to anyone in the firm, I don't think I will be able to obtain any references. Being reclusive in the office also had a negative impact on my professional development, in that my skillset is considerably lower than others at a comparable level. I know better now and I want start over in the same field. However, I'm still battling low self esteem and worried that things will not improve, or be able to properly market myself to any future employer. Any Advice?

I was fired due to some write ups. My job is working with kids with mental illnesses. While i do have a couple of write ups we are under no circumstances have to but our hands on a kid who has haultled out at you and gave you a clear punch right in the kisser. While one staff member did he was suspended and I never have retailitated on a youngster I was fired.

I have two strikes against me. I am over sixty and was terminated, without good reason from my last job. How do you get past employment applications that flat out ask if you have ever been terminated or asked to resign? I have found that question to be the "kiss of death."

So what do you do. Typically the way I answer the dreaded question: Yes, a change in managers at this company usually meant the new manager would fire a few people to assert their authority. This is true. I saw it over and over while I was there and I believe this is what happened to me. I had good evaluations, received raises, and was given more responsibility each year I was at this company.

Am I handling this as well as possible? Any advice?

@ Kathy McC.

The answer you've been using is pretty good, but I would make the following change:

Instead of: "fire a few people to assert their authority. This is true."

Just say: "make a few cuts in staff."

This change will make the statement brief, factual, and unemotional, which is the goal.

Regarding the question on an application, you have two options: leave it blank, or answer "yes."

Arguments could be made for either option, but remember, almost everyone who's ever worked has been fired at least once.

In addition, try to give some concrete examples of things you did to "earn" your good evaluations, raises, and greater responsibility.

Hope this helps! Best of luck.

--Julie

I was recently terminated because another employee told a lie about me. I had in anger due to my job responsiblities being given to a new employee said something i should not have in front of the new employee. She broadcasted it to the whole organization. I was reprimanded and was able to keep my job until an employee lied stating that she had received a call from an employer that stated I stated this in a meating. I swear on the bible I did not say this in the meeting. This employee just conjured this up to get me fired. I was then terminated. Being an HR major, it is against the law for an employer to give any information about you other than dates of employment and whether or not you are on a rehire status. Of course noone can prove that they are giving other info out.

@Lyn C.

It's a shame that this person lied about the circumstances, and I'm so sorry to hear it worked out this way.

But as tough as it may be, you'll need to set aside your anger and prepare an explanation for future employers that does not include blaming others for the result. Because in the end, it was your statement that set off the chain of events.

Maybe you can explain it something like this if they ask why you left your last job:

"My department was restructuring and my previous duties had been reassigned. I wasn't pleased about it, but after speaking with my manager, we were able to see eye to eye, and I thought things were fine. Unfortunately, the new situation turned out to be a poor fit. That's why I'm excited about this role, because it really seems to align with my strengths."

That explanation is simple, truthful, and doesn't contain any anger or blame. And it redirects the focus back to the job you want, not the one you lost.

Prospective employers don't care at all about who said what or who was right or wrong at your old job. They only care about knowing that you will be a good employee for them. Keep the focus there,and you'll be fine.

Best of luck!

Julie

I got set up by my boss. While se was gone on vacation a few of the people in the office were trying to get my goat. And it got to the point I had to file a complaint. They just so happen to be the boss favorite. Of course I waited until the Boss came backto file the complaint. The Boss done nothing so i furthered the complaint.

This obviously made them mad. They trumped up charges on me that got me fired and i have been having trouble geting a job since. I admit the part of the situtation that I done but they took it further and lied on me and said it was me that lied. But since they have been there for many years they took their side and I was the one fired.

Now when I explain what happened and they call my previous employer instead of telling them by law what they are allowed to say they lie to them and I don't get another call back and it is very frustrating.

What can I do?

I worked for a company for 18 years. I had excellent annual reviews, which included my annual review given to me 7 days prior to my termination. I did have issues with arriving late to work, 5-10 minutes, but still late. My work site had hours cut and when that happened, all responsibility - legal, financial, etc was placed on me. I found myself working insane hours (up to 15 hrs/day only paid for 8 hrs). On numerous occasions I asked my supervisor for additional help, even part-time and was denied. After 2 years of this, I was transferred to another location. After 7 weeks at this new location my supervisor said my "services were no longer needed" and I was terminated because of tardiness. My question is, how do I explain this in an interview? I am a dedicated person, a very hard worker but unfortunately, I couldn't handle the situation around me and it ended up costing me my job. I'm disappointed in myself that after 18 years I define myself as "fired".

@Concerned

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience in your last job. It's frustrating and unfair when people lie, but unfortunately, it happened and you are stuck having to deal with it.

In addition to the four steps I outlined in the original post above, I would suggest you either stop using your former employer as a reference, if that's possible, or, try calling the former employer and (in a very unemotional, reasonable, professional tone) ask if they would be willing to refrain from giving the details of your termination, because it is preventing you from finding new employment.

I think the key is to accept that, unfair as it is, they hold the power to say or not say whatever they want. But if you make a reasonable request, they will hopefully honor it, and stop being the roadblock to your future livelihood.

Best of luck to you!!

--Julie

@Stacie

That stinks, and I'm sorry you're going through this.

I have a serious question for you: Why you are choosing to "define yourself" by the last few WEEKS of that job, when things spiraled out of your control, instead of by the 18 YEARS of outstanding performance??? You need to stop that, girlfriend!

Tardiness was the excuse they used, but you'll probably never know the truth of why they let you go. But it sounds like a case of good riddance. I don;t mean to minimize your distress of being unemployed, but there are much better employers out there who won't treat you so dismissively.

There's a post on this blog that might help you formulate a positive explanation for your situation:. It's called "Never Tell the Interviewer You Were Fired" http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/615/never-tell-the-interviewer-you-were-fired.cfm

You should be proud of your skills and experience. And if you don't quite feel the confidence just yet, fake it 'til you make it ;)

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have any other questions!

--Julie

Thank You Julie!

I must laugh because I had read that article prior to sending my comment!

I also figure any good interviewer would ask why I was no longer working for a company I was committed to for so long - I just do not want to mislead anyone, but I obviously will not be using my former supervisor as a reference. I define myself that way because my job, my profession was and is who I am. It's who I was before I was a wife or a mother and it's very hard to put so much hard work (and years) into something and in only a few weeks have it fall apart.

I'm working on the good riddance and I love the philosophy "fake it 'til you make it" ~stacie

You're absolutely right that an interviewer will likely ask about why you left. And you can honestly tell them what you said in your original post, minus a couple of details. For example:

“I worked for a company for 18 years. I had excellent annual reviews, including the review given to me 7 days prior to my termination.

A couple years ago, my work site had hours cut. With no one else to handle the legal and financial administration, I found myself working up to 15 hrs a day. After 2 years of this, I was transferred to another location, and 7 weeks later, my supervisor said my services were no longer needed. Of course, it was upsetting after so many years with the business, but I’m actually quite excited to …. “

...and then talk about why the new opportunity appeals to you and how your qualifications fit their needs.

You don't need to lie or mislead, but you also don't need to volunteer negative information that probably wasn't the real reason for the termination, anyway!

I'm sure you'll land on your feet!

Julie

I was dismissed from my job as a Junior Accountant after 2 years and 4 months of working there, for so called "poor work performance".

I took the company to the CCMA, where I agreed to settle on 3 months salary and specifically requested that, for reference purposes the company should state my reason for leaving as resignation and not dismissal. But now after 7 months of job searching I have found out that my former employer has been saying that I was fired and does not recommend to prospective employers that they hire me.

I did talk a lot to my colleagues at work so, there is nobody that can provide me with a reference.

How do I now answer the question, why did you live your previous job at an interview, and how do i dill with the issue of references?

My other problem is that I have fallen behind with my debt payments and now have a bad credit record.

Plwease advice.

@Tau Mabaso

Sounds like a tough situation, but not insurmountable!

When asked why you left your last job, the key is to answer briefly and honestly without making either yourself or your former boss sound bad. It’s tempting to blame the former boss, but that strategy often backfires by making the candidate seem like a whiner. Most people have been fired before, so it’s not necessarily a deal breaker. Just explain the situation truthfully, briefly, and say what it taught you.

For example: “There were some issues with management that I hadn’t realized were as serious as they were, and we wound up parting ways. It taught me to always ask for clarification to make sure my manager and I are on the same page.” Then, you can ask a question about some aspect of the new job to change the subject.

Regarding references, definitely stop listing the former employer as a reference, since you know they are not helping you. Is there anyone who has worked with you in a different job who might vouch for you? Have you done any volunteering, coaching, or side work? Think about who in your life can speak positively about your skills, personality, and reliability – those are the ones who make good references. (And don’t submit references with your resume – save them until they ask for them. Not every employer does.)

Best of luck to you!

Julie

I read Julie's comment and have a similar one. My last employment was terminated and I feel it was planned. I day this because they asked me how old I was at the interview (illegal) then made a very bif thing of the required tasks, which I felt I was and did accomplish but wasn't getting credit for them. When I questioned why they told me it was normal to lose a couple of acct records through normal duplication of work. But we didn't take calls from customers and I got suspiciaous and asked others how many records they usually lost during update and not one of the 8-9 I asked said they ever had a problem with that. That what ever they did for transactions was what they had the next day on the report. So I checked further by asking who did the report, and spoke to them as to how they determined the number of trans per person. I then told them I had several days where I had a 0 trans or a very low number and I know on my write up sheet that I would have 16 to 24 but they would always come back with I checked it and found you had 6 on that 0 day and then some increase of 2 or 4 on the other small trans days. This told me that the analyzing was not accurate and it now would be just my word against theirs. So I started to keep really accurate chk on what I did. Next I told my supervisor about this several times but she did nothing to check it out and get back to me. I was called in to talk about my numbers several times and they suggested I might want to resign. I said at that point, I did not want to quit and I know I had the numbers by my account, but they told to keep trying to bring my numbers up. After this I kept trying to do more than the required but never did they give me credit for what I had recorded. When they call you in to terminate you they don't give you warning so you can take your records with you and they wont' let you return to your desk to get anything. I feel I was treated unfairly.

I have been a supervisor and in management. Never have I treated anyone that way. I know they hired like 60 of us and maybe I was just the 1st to go. But how do I come back from that? Yes, I am older, but I have a recent 4 yr degree in MIS.

My husband worked for a company for 8years but was asked to resign from a well known oil company for using the company's phone to talk with me while I was out of the country. Now he is been jobless for almost two years now and he is scared of re-pplying to the same company for fear of rejection. Please I need your advice.

If your husband is really interested in working for that company again, it may be in his best interest to contact that company’s HR department first. Have him point out all the ways he is qualified for the position and that he is interested in reapplying. They may give him some insight as to how to continue handling the situation.

Hope this helps :-)

- Leslie Pongo Customer Support

I was terminated for "theft" and am completely devistated. This is what happened...I was working for a company in the apartment industry which has been seeing a high amount of occupancy issues and evictions for some time due to the economy. Let me first say I was already looking for another job due to unacceptable business practices and my boss was aware of it. Anyway, we had done an eviction on an apartment that had many items left in there (which is NOT uncommon since most of the time the people up and disappear before they are actually evicted and leave many things behind). There was a very nice couch that was left there and instead of throwing it out by the dumpster I decided to take it home (This is NOT uncommon either for employees to take these items instead of throwing them out and this is done at many of the sister properties by other staff too). Well needless to say, the couch ended up being from a rental company (which I did not know that at the time). As soon as I found this out, I returned it to them immediately. I was fired two weeks later stating "Involuntary Termination due to Misconduct and Violation of Company Policy". First of all, there is nothing in the handbook about taking items that were left behind and was never instructed that we could not. (I had worked for the company previously for 2 years and was never made aware of any policy in regards to this situation). Even the HR director who contacted me about the incident stated that she "Knows that there are often times people take things" but since the rental company contacted them it was more serious. My previous employer is aware of other people taking items at the same time as this incident but they still have their jobs. My question is, please help me with the answer to "Why are you no longer with your previous employer?". I am really struggling with this. I have never been fired in my life and am not a liar or a thief, no criminal record, nothing. Thank you!

This is an interesting situation but one that can be dealt with in a professional manner. As Julie stated earlier in the blog, the main thing you need to do if this issue arises is own up to your mistakes. Whatever the issue was, accept that your own actions caused it. Don't try to convince employers that it was someone else's fault. Also, make sure you have references on the resume so if the employer is on the fence you have someone that will put in a good word and give your potential employer confidence in hiring you.

I was an excellent employee and fully dedicated to my success and the success of my team, but I was demoted for reasons that I felt were unfair and not true and eventually fired for not being allowed to take a day off with seven days notice that I needed the day off. I also called my boss a punk after he said I was fired and told him that Karma would deal with him. My friend says I quit without giving notice, but the company said I was terminated for misconduct. Now I am trying to find a new job and trying to figure out what I should say when the interviewer asks me if I am still employed. I have been stating that I am not because I already gave notice, but if they call the company I'm sure to get a bad review. What should I do?

@ Confused - It's always tough to answer when there is a situation that could hinder your chances at getting the job. You certainly don't want to lie, so I find that being general is most effective. If asked if you still work there, tell them that you do not and don't go into detail unless they push you on it. If they do, let them know that it was a place you were not happy with so you were forced to go your separate ways. These are general statements that can answer the tough questions without you having to "defend yourself." Remember, there is more to an interview than your past work experience. Many employers just want to bring you in to see the type of person you are, so make sure you show your personality and do all the little things right and you will be ahead of the curve!

I'm worried about how to explain my firing. I was employed by company A, who then contracted me out to company B, who staffed and managed a building for company C's employees.

Here's what happened after 1.5 years of work for company B.

I sighed, audibly, in front of my contracted supervisor(company B), one day when I had to drop what I was doing and go clean up conference rooms because some executives were visiting the building and using a conference room. These execs had done this quite often before with no issue. This alone was the tipping point because about 1 month later my actual boss(company A) showed up on a Friday and told me that the client(company B) wanted me removed from the position and that I was being fired from the company(company A). I was also given the reason that I had missed too much work medically on two occasions. These absences were doctor excused and one of them was a work injury. I was very confused and wondered aloud why I was being fired when I had medical reasons. I stopped fighting it because it was evident that I was done.

The kicker is I took great care of company C's employees....around 1100 of them. I reached out to one of these employees on Saturday to let her know that I would not be in on Monday and that it was nice working with her. When asked, I explained the same things to her that I was told upon being fired.

That following Tuesday I stopped in to Company A to pick up my paycheck and was asked, "what did you do?" Apparently on that Monday Company B started receiving angry emails from the employees of company C wanting to know why I was fired when I was such a big help to them? I was then close to threatened in, "be careful what you say cause what was said to you in firing was confidential."

I have professional references from a handful of people from company C, and two letters of recommendation from them as well. But I really don't know how to explain this in terms that aren't going to be too long winded and make potential employers think....."is this a can of worms?"

Sorry for such a long winded rant but I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts.

FYI: I did not sue my former employer for firing me medical reasons.

I am sorry to hear about your recent misfortunes with the various companies that you were employed with. The issue with being let go is always a popular question because people become apprehensive about their position in the job market once they have been fired or laid-off. The question always comes up, should I tell the interviewer or should I not tell them?

We actually have some really great blog articles that address just that same issue. We also have the Interview Tips section of our site that walks you through the interview process and what happens when the moment comes when the interviewer asks why you left your old job and how to handle that question.

One of our best blog articles can be accessed here: http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/615/never-tell-the-interviewer-you-were-fired.cfm

The Interview Section can be accessed on our homepage on the Interview Tips tab on the site.

Hope this helps!

Cassi

I lost my job as an RN five months ago. I had been at the same hospital over 11 years. I had only positive evaluations, no write ups ever. I did have intermittent family medical leave which I only ever utilized appropriately, but I know my employer did not like me using it, as did my co-workers...there were comments I overheard or that were reported to me over the years. I was called in one day and fired for making a documentation error, my first, and for allegedly sleeping in the hallway, and taking too long on my break. I admitted to the documentation error, because I did do it. I did not admit to the other things, because I did not do them. I asked how these other things could be proven, did they have witnesses, and I was told they did, but they would not be produced, that was not company policy. I appealed my termination internally and lost. I have over 16 years experience as a nurse an unable to find work. I have had multiple interviews for positions I am very qualified for, and things go very well, until they learn I was fired. I don't even get to the point of explaining WHY, I can just see the light go out in their eyes when they ask if I was fired, and I answer yes. I do not even include the crap my former employer fabricated, I simply discuss the documentation error, that it was my first in 11 years, what I would do to ensure it does not happen again, what skills I have to bring to the table... all the stuff you are supposed to do. And I never hear from them again. Because I am an RN, my former employer IS allowed legally to disclose exactly why I was fired under a law called the Healthcare Reporting Act. If I were not a nurse, they could only report dates and rehire status. I am starting to think my career is over and am becoming very bitter, especially since I am pretty sure that I was actually fired for being out sick too much, but I have no way to really prove this. I wish someone could tell me what to do. I am ready to start lying in interviews.

Dear Beth,

I'm really sorry to hear about all the hardships you've been through since you lost your job five months ago. I took some time with my response because it seems like you've done everything you possibly could to turn this negative into a positive with no lasting results. Just try to remember every candidate has a weakness to compensate for. The person who wins the job is simply the person who interviewed the best and was skilled at handling the weaknesses that came up during the interview. In this case, your weakness is the fact that you were fired. Instead of waiting for them to bring up the topic, maybe it would be helpful for you to bring it up first--this way they'll see that you aren't ashamed of what happened and have learned a great deal from this experience. Validate the weakness and educate them with the strengths you can and will bring to your new position.

Can you be a little more specific? Do I just jump right in and say, "Hi, I got fired from my last job?" And what exactly have I learned from this, because I don't know at this point, what I have learned, not to get sick? Sorry if I sound bitter...The other thing I am thinking lately is that potential employers are thinking that I could not possibly have been fired for the first documentation error I made in 11 years, so something else must have been going on, and the truth is, they are right, something else WAS going on. But I can't validate that without sounding vindictive or paranoid. Thanks for your response.

Beth, what you want to do in this situation is be up front about it. Let the interviewer know that you have nothing to hide. Explain your side of the story as best you can when asked. You do not need to lead off with this right when you sit down, however, do not shy away from answering their questions. Always try to put a good spin on this as well, explaining what you excelled at during your time at this position.

I was terminated from a managerial job (which ended badly - not a good fit) 2 years ago. I went on state disabilty (due to surgery) for a year.

I recently received a job application to fill out. The application has a section asking "reason for leaving". I've never been fired previously and am concerned if I write termination in that section - my application will go straight to the trash can.

I considered omitting this last job from my application ( I was there 1.5 yrs). I'm concerned this would leave a gap 3.5 years and I'm not sure if this position would show on a background check. I filed a complaint with the state and lost and don't feel comfortable contacting the former employer for a reference.

Is there a way to address that section of the application and get my foot in the door for an interview?

Any suggestions?

Thanks in Advance.

P.S. to my question - Is it acceptable to write "will discuss" or "will explain" in the reason for leaving section? I'm wondering if this would give the wrong impression that I've done something illegal (I have no criminal record).

Thanks again.

In a situation where you are being asked on an application on the reason for leaving a job, you would approach it the same way you would in an interview. You want to put a positive spin on it!

In the box that you are provided you can respond with answers like "differing expectations" or "a mutual realization that it wasn't a good fit". There are certainly ways to put a positive spin on any situation and you would just want to make sure that it fits well with your situation.

We have a couple of great articles that you can review that pertain to answering that same question in an interview and you can apply the same information to the reason for leaving question on the application.

http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/179/how-to-tell-an-interviewer-you-were-fired-spin-to-win.cfm

AND

http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/615/never-tell-the-interviewer-you-were-fired.cfm

Hope this information helps!

I was fired back in 2006 for poor performace as a Manager. It was my first time in a management position and I had no idea what I was doing and had no formal training prior to this position and was not trained on the job either. I was wanting to know how would I go about explaining to an interviewer about getting fired? I have read on some articles to not lay the blame on myself but I just don't know how to word it right to make it a positive outcome.

One great thing to do is to always put a positive spin on the situation and never focus on the negative, an interviewer will notice when you do. There are a lot of ways that you can make sure that you are using a positive spin for your specific situation. A great place to start for information is through our Interview Tips section. We actually provide information on how to handle this situation and a whole section dedicated to it!

Another piece of advice is to always focus on the skills that you learned while you worked at that company and show the interviewer that you have the skills to obtain the position at their company, try to focus your energy on your future and not your past.

I was fired from a country club's fitness center after working there about 6 months. From the start, the job was awful. I was sexually harassed by gym members and residents of the country club's apartments throughout my entire term. I filed a report with security when one member crept into the back door, which had not been locked the night before by the previous attendant, and started to make threatening phone calls to me from the men's locker room. I was called into the office of the management and was reprimanded for filing a report against this member. They said that next time a member harasses me, I should say "I don't appreciate that behavior" and then turn my back to the person. Well, I tried this with two more male members who were also harassing me sexually (name calling, touching me on the leg, asking me out repeatedly). Turning away from these men simply did not work. The country club was crawling with late middle aged men who were very disrespectful towards me. I got cat-called at at 4:30 in the morning by a maintenance worker, who would stop me alone in the stairwell from time to time and ask me out, even after I repeatedly said no thank you. The big day came when I was getting off of work, ready to leave, and another male member started to berate me about the men's jacuzzi being broken. I told him that I could not do anything about it at the moment because women are not allowed to go into the men's locker room. He started to scream at me and threaten to get me fired, accusing me of being rude and stupid. I tried to tell him that I'm sorry but he would have to wait until the maintenance man fixed the jacuzzi, but this man kept telling me I was stupid and he was going to get me fired. I told him that he needed to calm down and lower his voice and that he was disturbing the peace. I eventually had to call security. Long story short, he did indeed have me fired. The management, who would not help or protect me from all of the previous sexual harassment, said that "I did not follow protocol." I guess they were worried about losing renters and members. Basically, now that I am applying to real jobs after graduate school, I find that most of the state and city positions require me to tell whether I've ever been "discharged or forced to resign from any position because of misconduct or unsatisfactory performance." They usually ask for the name of the employer, reason for the discharge and the date. Bear in mind that this information is requested on paper or online job applications and cannot be avoided. Even if I don't list the job on my resume (it was over a year ago and only 6 months long...and has absolutely nothing to do with my current field of interest), the forms usually require me to answer every field or else my "application will be disqualified." What would you suggest that I do in this situation? I have already been facing extreme difficulty finding a job in my field because of city and state hiring freezes and layoffs. I am completely broke and so worried about my financial situation. I can't afford to lose any job opportunities when there are hundreds of applicants vying for the same job position in my field. Please help!

Hi Anna,

Sorry to hear about the bad run of luck you had at the Country Club. I would recommend omitting the Country Club job from the resume because it is not directly relevant to the position that you are applying for, so it would not need to be listed on the resume.

As far as the job application that you would need to fill out when you are applying to positions, you want that to mirror the resume that you are submitting. Most applications will ask if you have ever been fired from a position and you would want to check yes and then not list the position on the application due to it not being relevant to what you are applying for. In the interview if they ask about the position that you were fired for, you can explain the situation to them there.

But since there is no relevance to the position that you were let go from at the Country Club and the position that you are applying for, there is no reason to list it on the resume or the application. You want to make sure that your resume is created to make it as strong as possible for the position that you are currently trying to apply to.

Cassi

Ok, this is all new for me, but I find that after a clean work record, I have just been fired. I was laid-off from a long-term position of responsibility (over 10 years worth of management) because the agency closed. I took a position with less responsibility simply because it was the only one I could find, and I did great work for them for over two years. Fast forward to these past several months, and I was caught using the internet for personal reasons, and terminated.

Now, I feel like I am "dirty goods" and I feel like there isn't a chance in hell I will find a position again. I am 42 with an advanced degree in Psychology, and I just can't take a minimum-wage job, but i feel that is all I will find. Any feedback or suggestions will be appreciated - I need to find a job!!

Hi Trent,

Sorry to hear that you've been having a tough time.

Share what happened to you and your regrets about it, then explain that you are now looking for the best way to prove to an employer that you would be a good hire. You'll learn to discuss what occurred in a way that will leave employers sympathetic to your situation.

Thanks, Bridget

I was fired for "not meeting expectations" after 18 years with the same company. I received excellent reviews and bonuses every year however after a reorganization, I ended up under a new manager and was immediately applying for jobs as I knew it wasn't going to work out. Within months I was put on a performance plan but knew that unless I got another job, I was going to be fired on the end date of the plan. In talking to HR screeners, I have said that I was "involuntarily separated" as well as stating some of the above about differing expectations, that it didn't work out. I also talk about the hundreds of recognition I received as well as great reviews, bonuses and things I was most proud of in my work.

Where I'm struggling right now is with job postings that state that they need examples of work. I was fired and thus don't have this documentation for them. Is there a way to get them to consider me without the examples? Perhaps even using reference letters? Or am I out of luck for those jobs? Any ideas on this would be great. Thanks!

i worked for 5 years at walmart and then this girl started working. this boy who was also new said some inappropiate things to her (she was african american) and asked her if she wanted fried chicken. she laughed and we all laughed. then one night we were talking about history and slavery and i quoted a line from blazzin saddles, then said that abe lincoln actually wanted to send the slaves back to africa, and that my grandmother's ancestors had owned slaves, a terrible part of our history but history none the less. i apologized to her if i hurt her feelings and she said "no your fine". well, she filled a complaint on me after saying she wasn't angry. i worked there 5 years and she worked there 1 month. now i cant find a job anywhere because i have termination on my back, racist on my back and i'm about to kick the bucket because i just don't know what to do. mind you, her white friend back there also called her nappy headed but he still has a job after getting up in peoples faces and hollering at them.

@Amber.. Some things are better left unspoken. It is not your place to speak of your personal history but to do your job. Had you done that you would now be working. I do hate that you are being marked as a racist because you didn't know. But if you felt the need to apologize then you obviously had an inkling that it was inappropriate. I have learned to just shut up sometimes. Your ancestors or the actor from that movie can't pay your bills. Showing up late is wrong even after working 18 years especially if you work for someone. But if you work for yourself, you can start a business, become a millionaire, and fire 100,000 because of an AT WILL law in your state and it is ok. It isn't the executives that play these games its dumb middle management that has to justify their means and support an executive lifestyle on a shoestring budget.

I worked for a school system for 11 years in the cafeteria you are hired from year to year after 11 years of working my A$$ off and never being late and very rarely did I call in the new principle of the school and the new cafeteria manager decide not to hire me back for no known reason and of course they dont have to give you one. they can decide they dont like the way you look and not hire you back I have filled out so many apps and have not had any calls or request for an interview which is very discouraging.

I have worked in the Customer Service field for the past 6 years. In those six years I have been fired from two jobs. The first job I held for almost 5 years and was fired from there for misreading a memo regarding contact proceedures for a customer and my most recent job I held for little under 2 years and was fired for excessive tardies. I now find myself unable to get even an interview and feel that nobody is taking me seriously. I have learned from my past mistakes, however I feel that those two terminations are being held against me and I feel that employers will not even give me the time of day let alone a chance to redeem myself. What do I do???

No matter how much experience you have, you're a less desirable job candidate (on paper) than someone with similar credentials whose record is clean. If you're willing to step back down the ladder, it might give the employer an incentive to take a chance on you.

The bottom line is that you need to get employers to see you as a real person who (as we all do sometimes) made a bad mistake, but who nonetheless has the experience and desire to do a great job and be a valuable employee now.

I HAVE A BURGLARY FELONY FROM BREAKING INTO MY EX BOYFRIENDS HOUSE WHILE HE WAS HOME TO GET MY STUFF. I SERVED 6 MOS PROBATION AND NO PRISON TIME. I WAS OFFERED A VERY GOOD JOB THRU A TEMP AGENCY. I ADMITTED I HAD A FELONY TO THE TEMP AGENCY. I WAS HIRED AND TOLD A BACK GROUND CHECK WOULD BE DONE. MY QUESTION IS CAN I BE FIRED FOR BEING A FELON AFTER IM HIRED? I DIDNT LIE ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT I DONT THINK A CHECK WAS DONE.

After 15 years I quit my job. Last year hotel B was bought out by hotel A. Hotel A proceeded to dismiss several of the senior (older)staff throughout different depts. including the Manager of my dept. An interim Manager was hired who promptly ( the first day) began changing how the dept. was set up and functioned. Refusing any help, be listen to and ignoring explanations as to why the dept. was setup with ergonomically correct workstations. We were told to “move forward.” We did into chaos and dysfunction. The interim Manager then hired a 2nd new Manager and taught her all she (didn’t) know and left. What a mess. This all happened within a 3 month period. Including 2 staff members quitting and a 3rd going to part time. By the 4th month after being written up yet again. This time for not doing what I was told not to do. Confused? So was I. I took some time off to evaluate my situation and decided to quit When I turned in my resignation to the Hotel Manager (also new last year) I never bad mouthed my Manager just said that it was time to move on. Why didn’t I go to the HR manager? She and the new dept. Manager #2 are friends. Now I find myself without a job. How do I get my prospective employers to call my references not my former employer?

Amber- We cannot speak to how a company will handle information discovered during a background check. It is possible that they did not conduct the background check before they hired you.

This is how we suggest you handle the situation: Describe the situation very briefly and factually. Explain what you have done to correct the problem. Reassure them that there is no risk of similar problems in the future if they should hire you. Redirect the conversation back to your qualifications for the job.

Neelia- You do need to list Hotel A on your resume. It is important to give an accurate employment history. Your resume is not what is used for your references and it is perfectly ok to not list Hotel A as a reference.

I recently involuntary terminated from a company I worked for over 5 years. On Sunday my bank was over and I knew I must have forgot to post 1 transaction. I was in a hurry to leave for the day so I kept that and went home. I posted it the next day (Monday) when I came back to work. I did not mention about this problem to my manager. Tuesday I told my other manager about it, I asked him if I would get a write up, he said no. Wednesday morning he told me that I got supended pending investigation. 2 weeks later I was terminated for theft. Can you please advice me on what should I tell employers about this? How can I convince them that I am a good employee?

@ Gigi

This is not something that needs to be mentioned within your resume or cover letter. The way you describe it appears as though it is an honest mistake. If this were to come up at an interview be brief but reassuring. Let them know you made an honest mistake and that after making it you actually proactively seeked out managment to inform them. Focus more on the integrity you showed by going to them first. Be cautious as to who you use as a reference for that job as people may have percieved your actions differently. Being able to own up to your mistakes and show confidence to fix them is what will impress employers!

My friend was just terminated from a job that required a massive amount of paper work. Due to an over load of clients and lack of training, she did not complete the paperwork correctly, and did not understand the filing process of the paper work. Just trained once over a period of 2 years......she was right out of college. While they did tell her how good all of her other skills were during the meeting, her people skills, her professionalism and other skills were great and felt that she would be able to find another job. How should she explain this in an interview? Should she ask her supervisor that said those good things to give her a reccommendation?

I was fired from an ASM position for theft after the district manager said we could have the merchandise (drinks, in this case, because corporate refused to fix the a/c and our store was 95+ degrees all summer which proves difficult to work in).

It's on my record that I was fired for theft and I keep getting interviews but I feel like they balk at the fact that I was fired for retail theft. How do I tell prospective employers about this and that it wasn't my fault? I haven't been able to find a job and have been to six interviews just since I got fired in August with no luck.

@ Lisa

I wouldn't have your friend mention that she had an overload of clients and not enough training to complete her work. Don't try to convince employers that it was someone else's fault. No one wants to hire a whiner or a blamer. They might, however, take a chance on an honest person who screwed up but sincerely wants to get back on track.

A recommendation from a past employer can certainly be beneficial.

@Lakyn

The good news is your are getting interviews so that is your time to be able to explain yourself. Don't feel the need however to bring it up unless they mention it. If they do don't spend too much time discussing it. Briefly mention that you had clearance from a hire up district manager to drink the water there and that you asked permission before doing so. It sounds like an honest misunderstanding and if you are upfront and honest about it employers will appreciate that!

I have had trouble getting a job relevant to my degree, so I have settled with anything while continuing my search. I started working at company A, in July of this month. I was offered a position for company B that was closer to what I desired. I was fired two weeks later for not meeting performance standards. I have never had to do any type of fundraising before, and I told Company B that, but that I welcomed the challenge. Company B told me that it wasn't a right fit, but that they would still give me a good recommendation. I have never been fired before, and all my supervisors can give me great referrals. Should I even mention that I was employed by Company B?

absolutely you can. You need to do the same thing you have to do to get anywhere. You need to find a friend of management where you want to be hired. Become their friend and he will get you the interview and referral. I was terminated from a fortune 10 company a couple months ago. Everyone in the business knows each other . I couldn't even get an interview. When I realized I had a friend who was friends with management at a competitor I had him call for me. I got the job. ALWAYS network. Be nice to everyone. You never know when it will be returned to you and by whom.

@Jody

Because you were at Company B for such a short period of time (less than a month), you do not need to include that on your resume.

Over a year ago, the store where I was working was shut down and the employees had the opportunity to relocate or to be “laid off” and accept a severance package. Because my fiancé’s family owns a very established business in our hometown, it was not an option to relocate. I took the severance package, and I went back to school to finish my Bachelors Degree. I planned to get back into the groove of school and then find a job within a few months. It has been over a year and I have found nothing. I live in a small town, where IF there is a daily help wanted section, it is only 1-2 listings long. I have applied to over 60 jobs in the last year and only had 6 interviews. The jobs matched my experience, and I thought the interviews went well, but no job offer. The question I have is: About 6-7 years ago I left my position as an assistant manager at a retail store. I was employed there for about 4 years, I unexpectedly got very ill, and later had a series of major surgeries. I ended up leaving because I was too sick to work, but I was treated horribly by the manager (who used to be a friend). I have no doubt that she was on the path of firing me. She told the other employees bad things about me, and she also lied and made up stories about customers saying bad things about me (I later spoke to those customers and they advised me the stories were fabricated). This manager tells other employers that they would not rehire me even though I actually left on my own will and was never advised that I was not able to be rehired. Because it is a smaller town, some of the practices of verifying employment are pretty lax (I‘ve witnessed it in previous jobs). Many employers don’t have HR departments and use un-official references to verify employment. I am also afraid she has said unfavorable things about me to other employers that are acquaintances of hers since she knows I am looking for a job. Also I fear that employers think I am being dishonest about the reason I left. I mark ‘left voluntarily’ on the applications, but when they try to verify my employment with her, it looks like I am not being honest. I am now extremely healthy and fit and I also have an outstanding attendance record. I have thought about leaving this off of my resume because it was not in the last 5 years, but it is one of only a few positions I have held and I believe it is valuable experience for an employer to see that I have. Do you have any advice in this situation? And I also am curious what your opinion is of me reporting this ex-manager to the corporate office? Would this be considered payback and be a rude thing to do? I am not looking for revenge, but I think this is really affecting my chances of getting a job. There is not really a way that I can avoid having employers speak to her to verify my employment.

@Violet

Well if there's one thing I wouldn't do its report your ex-manager. At this point it does you no good and only makes you comes across as petty and revengeful. Lets focus more attention to the future going forward. Yes I would list that job on your resume. Although the manager may not be quite a great idea to use for a reference, you can still use any other co-worker who you may have had a good working relationship with.

As for the time off because of illness, limit what you say about it and include only a line or two about it within a cover letter. Be reassuring that you are now fully able to work and eager to get back into the workforce. Remember the bigger deal you make out of it then the bigger deal they will make out of it!

Try a different approach to job searching, the "help wanted" section has really become outdated, try searching some of the big job ads on the internet (indeed.com, monster.com, etc.)

Best of luck with the job search, stay positive and focus on the future!

3 years back my service was terminated from the bank. I was a teller, that is I was dealing with money. I can tell you that I was good at my job. This one time I made a mistake, and that was only realised after a month a month wen the customer came into the bank to complain. The slips were long gone to head office. They requested the slips to be returned for thourough checking. So I was dismissed before they arrived, I appealed the case but they were not responding to my letters until the last day of the application. We met I was on my own, my ex manager brought her superiour, I was not given a chance to say anything. The person conducting the interview let them to speak first " and they just said tthat they were not authorised to handle the case. I just gave up so angry. I'va worked for a contract of one year and now it' s over.

Can I take my chances and ask for the job from her again, plz advice.

@Babs

It sounds like the way they treated the situation was not completely fair to both parties so the question would be do you want to work there again? As for how to handle it in your job search just be prepared in the interview, the question will arise about why you left your last position. Be honest and more importantly be professional.

2 weeks ago today I was fired from a job I had for over 10 yrs. My direct supervisor always told me I was doing a good job on the most part, but as of lately she started to point out mistakes I was making. I understood the mistakes she was pointing out but did not seem on the most part that it was such a big deal (I agree that I should have understood that if she took the time to point out the problem that maybe it was a problem) Days prior to me being fired the customer service manager asked me to write up a service agreement to send to a client, I wrote it up without a problem but did not realize that some of the information was not correct and that there was another document that was attached that was being sent also. I was a collection clerk and the month prior I had charged a wrong amount to a clients credit card, my manager had sent me the invoices in which to charge but I printed out and charged the incorrect ones and the client found out and was a little confused and upset. The biggest problem and one of the main reasons I was fired is that I had a problem with the GM (I worked for 4 Gm'S before and never had a problem) The current GM never respected anything I did, treated me like I never did anything by giving me "busy work". The company I worked for was a small company so the cleaning was done by a outlside company and the GM started her own company and hired herself to clean and since she did that the bldg mostly the womens restroom was neve cleaned (the company is 97 % women). I have to be honest that I never respected her and as time went on I was give her no respect. She and my direct supervisor said because of all of this my services were no longer needed. I realize now that I should have 1st of all given her position if not her the respect that was necessary and that I should have quit before it got to this point. How do I come back from this?

@ Beverly

Being let go from a company can always be a tough time because many people don't know why they were fired. It sounds like you have identified some key drivers of this decision so from this you need to build back up stronger and use this experience as a learning experience.

I was recently terminated from my position as an HR Director. I had been with the company for only three months. All my co-directors were great and I was working well with all of them as well as the rest of the staff. I received compliments on my work from many of the staff. Last week my boss calls me in to say it isn't working. No explanation and I am gone. I asked for a written reason for termination and I received a letter saying the company is an "at-will" employer" and no other reason. Not sure how to address this going forward.

Hi, I'm hoping someone can give me some advice. I was just fired from my job 4 days ago because they claimed my travel expense report did not add up even though I had receipts. Its a long story...but I am for the moment appealing the decision. I worked for a company prior to this company for 3 years and left that company to explore a different career path. I even took an extensive pay cut for this new job I was just released from. What should I do in regards to my resume? Do I add the 3 month job and explain what happened? Or do I leave it out? I would have empty stint of no employment on my resume and would have to explain that. I left my job prior to this three month job voluntarily so I'm not sure what I would say if you think I should go the path to leave it off my resume. Thanks

Hi, I recently got terminated as a bank teller and the reason was for processing a transaction to a fraudulent customer. Apperently, the real customer claimed they broke in her car and stole her purse. the fraudster went to other branches deposited a fake check and came to my branch wherei processed the withdrawal. I followed the procedures and the information matched from entering their pin number to their signature. I had no idea about this until the same day I got terminated. How can I put this reason on my resume or should I keep this off. I would appreciate your advice.

Hi, I took the offer of resignation in lieu of termination with cause for violation of the employer's IT policy. I have since received counselling and treatment for the issue and have not had any lapses since I left that position 3 months ago. My work performance was always stellar--among the top in the firm. I now have another offer with a large multinational which is pending a security check. I indicated in the "ever terminated or resigned' section that I chose to resign after violation of the company's IT policy but that I had received treatment and would be happy to provide the reference of the Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I want to be forthright and own up to my mistakes. If the security check comes up negative and recommends against hiring, do you have any suggestions of what I can do or say to help my case? Thanks so much for the advice you provide here for folks in these difficult circumstances.

I was fired from my job because i was accused of taking something from my work. But in real I was doing something else that made them think that. I was not able to defend myself because It was wrong for me to do that in first place and they would have still fired me. The thing is i had been working here for 3 years so its my main experience in working. MY QUESTION IS what should I say if asked why were you fired? It has been year and i still have no work.

I was fired from a job well over 10 years ago. since that time I have been a homemaker.. I really liked the company I was fired at, and would love to be rehired. When I went to apply for a position I did not hide the fact that I had been previously fired. Long story short, the manager basically blew me off. How can they still hold it against me after TEN + years?? I was fired for no-call no-shows..

Dear Julie, I have recently been applying in the banking industry but I have one problem, I was terminated. I was terminated by trying to help someone out and it ended up biting me back in the you know what really hard. Anyways, what happened was that by trying to help out a costumer with money (because she didn’t have enough) instead of giving them a discount I took a dollar off, in doing so I charged the wrong amount (I don’t know where my head was that day). One thing lead to the next I got really nervous because at the employer I worked at you could get in trouble for being over or under a certain amount of money if your register wasn’t balanced. I ended up taking to money I thought that was going to make me register over. I am not the kind of person who would EVER use that for my personal use. I couldn’t sleep that night, I was even thinking of ways to pretend I found it somewhere my job and put it back in the register. The very next day I went to my boss and gave him the money I took and the recent and explained what happened. He knew I was a very good employee even though knowing me for a short amount of time and even though he didn’t want to terminate me corporate did. Now, when I apply online to jobs I say I left and if they ask me personally if I was terminated I tell them the truth but if they don’t I stay quiet. I feel bad for doing so but it was a mistake and I learned from it, I mean I lost my favorite job. I have had another job and been on register (they didn’t know what happened) and I never did anything like that again and my register was always perfect. Anyhow, now I am applying to different banks and even though one of them didn’t ask me directly if I was fired and I didn’t tell them I am still scared they might find out in a background check. Is this possible? And should I continue filling out applications the way I have? Can I get in even more trouble for my past troubles? Thank you.