Dear Frenzied Fresh Start, 

I get asked this question a lot. Interviews are scary enough as is. If you add on the additional pressure of having to explain an unflattering blemish on your resume, they can become terrifying. The good news is that being fired does not mean you don’t deserve or will never have another job you love.

Here’s my top tips to nailing your come-back interview:

Take time to reflect on what led up to the termination and craft your story. You really should have answers prepared to a lot of potential questions prior to actually doing the interview, and “why were you terminated” should definitely not be an exception. 

Take the time to look at the situation from unbiased eyes (that means not looking at it from your angry/sad/hurt perspective). Were you let go because you didn’t perform the job duties? Maybe you got into a disagreement with your manager that escalated? Whatever it was, remember that honesty is always the best approach. 

And I’m serious about that. Do not, under any circumstances, think it is appropriate to lie about the situation. Do not try to frame it as a layoff, or deny it happened at all. Even if you moved across the country, changed industries, blocked your boss on LinkedIn, the truth will come out. You’ll sleep better at night knowing you are starting out on an honest foot with your new company. 

Also inappropriate would be casting all of the blame and bashing your former company or boss. An interview is not a reality TV show. The hiring manager is looking for facts, not a sob story. Even if you feel your firing was unfair or unwarranted, it still happened. 

The way to make sure it doesn’t come with any long term side effects is to handle moving forward with grace. Practice your answer over and over again and take out any extra information or any hint of language that could be interpreted as bashing your old boss, company or coworkers. 

I’d even recommend doing a mock interview with someone you trust and having them ask you the dreaded question. Give them a note that you want your answer to be simple and factual. What we interpret as to the point can be way off the mark, and practice does make perfect. 

Here’s my final piece of advice: when you’ve said your simple answer to that question, use it as a springboard to pivot to a strength you can bring to the table. You can do it in a really clean, simple way. Try this one out: “Company X really helped me develop my skills in ABC. I’m excited to bring that experience here.”

You know the old saying, when life gives you lemons, if you also have water and sugar, you’ll be able to make lemonade. My advice is your water and sugar. Go make lemonade. 

Sincerely,
Jenny