Getting fired can be a traumatic experience. Not only is the reliable income whisked away, but you are not left to try to figure out how to salvage your experience at the company in future job interviews. That can be easier said than done.
Getting fired from a job is generally seen as a huge red flag among hiring teams. While it isn’t the end of the world (especially when you have a decent explanation for what happened), it certainly makes an already difficult job hunt that much harder. The average opening already receives about 250 applications. Only 2% of applicants are called for an interview on average. It’s hard to stand out, but having a recent firing in your history makes it even harder.
There are a few steps that any recently-fired person can take to prepare themselves for the job hunt and better position themselves to land their next job. While being fired is unfortunate, using it as motivation to improve yourself and your presentation to potential employers can have a net positive effect on your professional life overall.
Reach Out to Your Network
Always start with your network. Don’t be afraid to reach back some years into the past to speak to people within your professional network, either. Reach out to anyone that you think might be in a position to recommend you for a position or recommend an open position to you. Inform them that you are between jobs and are currently looking for work.
A big mistake that many make is not being willing to reach farther back in their past to connect with people that they haven’t spoken with for a number of years. When you are between jobs and need to find something quickly, any positive relationships should be leveraged to help you find that next job.
Try to Secure a Reference
One of the biggest heartaches of being fired is that all of your time spent with that company feels like it has been wasted. Listing the company on your resume will be required if you have spent a decent amount of time there, but you’ll be forced to explain the firing. Additionally, people within the building will not be eager to provide a reference for someone that was recently fired.
Still, you should try to find a person that you worked with at your previous company to provide you with a reference if you can. While a direct superior would be best, you’ll likely have a tough time getting them on board so quickly after your firing. One option may be to reach out to people that you worked with there who left for another company in advance of your firing. Consider reaching out to other managers that you worked with in the company or previous members of your team. Focus on securing a reference from anyone that can speak positively about your time at the company.
Practice an Explanation
Your firing is almost certain to come up in job interviews. If you’ve listed the experience on your resume they are without a doubt going to ask about it. If you haven’t, they will inquire about the big gaps in your employment history. Either way, you’re going to end up having to talk to them about your experience with the company that fired you.
Have an explanation ready and prepared. Actually, go through the process of rehearsing the explanation. While you may be tempted to spin the firing in a way that reflects positively on you, be careful not to wander from an explanation to an excuse. Don’t blame or complain about your former employer, that’s a sure-fire way to lose your opportunity. Own up to any mistakes you made. Highlight what did go right during your time with the company. Being able to secure a reference that can back up these positives could go a long way toward facilitating a positive outcome.
Consider Backwards or Lateral Moves
When you’re fired from a company you can almost guarantee that your next job search will be a bit more difficult. You’ll find that many companies will flat-out avoid bringing you in for interviews and may view you as too much of a risk to hire. For that reason — and especially if you need to land a position quickly for financial reasons — you should consider positions that may represent a small step backward or laterally, career-wise. This will speed up your job hunt, make companies more willing to give you a shot and allow you to quickly move on with your career.
Add New Skills
If you want to be more hireable, bring more skills to the table. Adding new, relevant skills to your repertoire will improve your chances of landing a new job and allow you to broaden the number of positions that you can apply for.
A Tough but Manageable Position
Getting fired is awful. It can be heartbreaking. The weeks and months that you spend afterward in your job search will only further these negative feelings for most people. But by embracing your situation, working to improve yourself and your presentation to employers, and working to mitigate the damages, you can put yourself in a position to come out of a recent firing successfully.