What to Do When You Have Been Fired and You Are Looking for Another Job

It can be shocking and devastating when you get fired. Don’t lose hope or confidence! You are valuable and another employer is looking for someone just like you. You want to start looking right away, no matter how discouraged you might feel. Having an organized plan in place will help ensure you find the right job instead of just taking whatever you can get. Do research on companies that are hiring and the skill sets they are seeking.

Try to avoid saying you were fired in your last job, if you are on an interview. I am not saying you should lie about it. Just don’t mention it unless asked as it can put a bad light on things. If the subject is brought up, make sure to not talk about your boss or the employer negatively. That will only make you look bad. Focus on the positive aspects of working for the company. Most of the time, if they call for a reference they won’t say much out of fear for being sued. They will just state the dates that you worked there. The best thing to do is come prepared with your response to the firing question. So that you have an eloquent and professional response.

Something I highly recommend is to get a reference from someone at the previous company. You may be able to get a reference from someone that was very pleased with your work or you may have been let go for something that had nothing to do with your capabilities. This can help you in your job search. So it is worth getting a reference from the previous employer. If you can’t, then reach out to other people that could be a source of reference for you to establish credibility through them. Having letters of recommendation to provide at the interview only solidifies you as a capable candidate worthy of consideration.

Take this opportunity to be a fresh start in your career. This is when you want to take your resume out and update it. Think of any skills that you may want to add to it that would be valuable to a prospective employer. Consider hiring a professional resume writer to assist you through this process. Get out there and network with people. A personal connection could get your foot in the door to a company.

Last but certainly not least, move on from this experience. You don’t want to carry this emotional baggage with you both in your personal life or your work life. It will show in your interviews and when you are applying to these jobs. Moving on will show resilience to these employers!