Being fired is a tough situation no matter what the circumstances, but if you find yourself in a position of being wrongfully fired, you may be unsure where to turn or what to do. Wrongful termination could include for things like being discriminated against, accusations of stealing or employer retaliation. If you are pursuing legal action for any violation like these (and more), you will have your hands full dealing with legal procedures. The good news is being wrongfully fired doesn’t have to change much about your job hunt, but here are a few things to keep in mind.
Don’t volunteer too much information. First of all, you never want to lie during a job interview. Not only is it the wrong thing to do but if you get found out, you’ll for sure not get the job. But, you also don’t have to volunteer information that isn’t asked of you. If your interviewer does ask if you were let go from your last job, try saying you just parted ways and that the job wasn’t a good fit for you anymore. If they press for more information, just stay calm and keep bringing the subject back to the job wasn’t right for you but the new job you’re applying for is a great fit.
Wow them during the interview. Ultimately, whether you were wrongfully fired or not, you’ll have to impress your interviewer or you won’t even get out of the gate. So, brush up on your interview skills and be prepared going in. Research the company and dress for the part. Watch your body language and take cues from your interviewer on how to respond to his questions. Does he joke around? Then laugh at his humor. Does he have a serious tone? Then make sure you are too.
Call your references. In case you are asked for them, it’s important to have strong references going into job interviews. This is especially true if you’ve been recently fired. You may not be able to have references from the job you were wrongfully fired from, so make sure you have several from past positions ready to go. Give your references a call ahead of time to remind them that they are on your reference list.
The subject of being wrongfully terminated can be a tricky one. If you choose to take legal action, it may be a long process. However, like many people, you’ll have to look for another job while you’re in the middle of that, and it may be daunting to think about facing an interviewer with a recent firing over your head. The most important thing to remember is don’t stress about it and only provide information when it’s asked of you. Otherwise, treat the interview process like you would if you hadn’t been wrongfully fired.
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