Got fired Now get hired!

Got fired Now get hiredGot fired Now get hiredLearn how to address a layoff or getting fired in a job interview.Your suit is pressed. Your resume is perfect. Youve done your research on the company and your skills are ideal. But in the minutes leading up to your interview, all you can think is, What will I say when they ask about my termination? And they will ask. How you answer can either make or break your chances at landing that new position.Youre not the weakest linkJob interviews are nerve-wracking enough without the added anxiety that often comes with explaining a termination. You may fear that being let go from a previous job is a kind of scarlet letter that brands you as a failure or a bad employee, but employers rarely do.All careers have ebbs and flows, and terminations are a normal part of the cycle. The reasons vary companies expand and contract, industries boom and bust, and professionals often find themselves in situations where they arent the best fit. Besides, in a tu rbulent economy with a national unemployment rate of 8.2 percent, its unlikely that youll be the only interviewee with a termination of some sort on your resume.The truth will set you freeSo how should you handle a termination in a job interview? Amanda Augustine, Ladders resident job search expert, recently shared these tips with The New Jersey Star-Ledger Be truthful.If an interviewer directly asks you why you were let go from an organization, be honest. You dont want to get caught in a lie during a background check. If you were laid off, say that.Be positive.No matter why you and your former employer parted ways, be tactful when discussing the situation. Never bad-mouth the organization to the interviewer. No one wants to hire an employee with a negative attitude. If things did not end well, you can say that you and the organization had differing opinions about the departments direction, or something to that effect.Be forward-thinking.After youve discussed your reason for leaving your last position, bring the conversation back to your core skill set and how you can provide value to the prospective employer. I was recently laid off from my previous role at Company XYZ, but I am fruchtwein interested in learning more about the director position, as it seems that my extensive program management experience within the telecom industry would be valuable to your client.Remember, getting fired doesnt define you. It shouldnt embarrass you. The hiring manager hasnt circled it on your resume in red ink and the recruiter didnt label you as that guy who got let go. Instead of seeing your termination as a handicap, try viewing it as one more thing you have in common with your competition. How you frame it in an interview will make all the difference.