Ten Reasons I'm Grateful To The Managers Who Fired Me

• 2-minute read •
I got fired several times in a row, early in my career. I was on a subsistence budget anyway, so getting fired really put me in a financial bind. Each time I got fired, I had to hustle to get a new job. I didn’t have time to mope about having been fired.
I had to react fast just in order to pay the rent!

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Handling The Question - “Have You Ever Been Fired?”

Still struggling to frame a proper explanation for your termination? Here’s how to clear the air while taking the hiring manager by your side.
Have you ever been fired? If yes, be prepared to confront curiosity in future job interviews. Of course, it is never a comfortable issue to explain and there's always the risk that the interviewer is judging your competency based on your answer.
The key to getting past the question is to frame it up in terms of what you've learned—not what happened. The best strategy to explaining your point in an interview is to prepare yourself, acknowledge the situation, and move on. Here’s where to start:

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From Fired ... to Fired Up

The days following those fateful words, "We have to let you go," are dismal ones indeed.

Some mornings, it's tough to even get out of bed. As you scour the skimpy classifieds and job boards, grim scenarios play in your head on a repeating loop: "We'll lose the house" ... "We'll have to move in with my parents" ... "I'll never find work in this economy." You also wonder, "Are things really as hopeless as they seem? And if they're not, how can I clear away the dark clouds and see the light on the other side?"

I have been where you are right now, and I have some good news: The layoff you think is bad today will actually lead to great events in the future with the right approach and action plan.

It doesn't mean that you shouldn't allow yourself to get down. But rather it's all about implementing the strategies that will help you focus, make changes and turn things around.

Getting fired

During the dot-com crash, I lost my job. I was two months away from being bankrupt. I had a mortgage, two kids, no insurance and very little savings. I was a paycheck away from losing it all. I thought it was the worst event of my life. But one day I decided that I wasn't going to let this challenge take me down; that's when I knew I had to change what I was thinking and doing.

I saw that what I was viewing as so terrible didn't have to be that way. It was what I chose to make of it. So I made some decisions that changed everything and led me to do the work I do now as a writer, consultant and speaker. I often joke that I went from fired to fired up. My layoff led to my life's mission and purpose.

The moral of my story is that what you think is a terrible event can actually be a good thing. There is a myth that most people embark on a quest to find their destiny. But more often than not, through adversity and challenges, our destiny finds us. It is during these times that we ask the important questions and make decisions that change the course of our life.

If depression, anger and fear are your motivating factors during your layoff, you will be making a tough journey even tougher for yourself and your family. Worse, you'll hinder your own progress. Negative beliefs lead to negative actions, making bad choices and shutting out friends and family. Fortunately, the opposite is also true. Positive beliefs lead to positive actions.

Getting fired up

You may not find the positive energy switch right away. But keep looking and you will find it. Here are a few life-changing tips that can help you change your outlook and go from fired to fired up:

1. Jettison your anger

Allow yourself to be angry, sad, bitter and upset for a few days and then let it go. Release the bitterness. Recognize that you can't create your future by focusing on the past. After I was laid off, I made a conscious decision to forgive my company for letting me go and for only giving me two weeks of severance pay.

Making the decision to let that bitterness go helped me to think more clearly and have more energy to take positive action. Recently I spoke with a gentleman who told me that he wished he had made the same decision after losing his job. He said it took him a year to finally move on and that his negative energy caused him to waste a lot of valuable time.

2. Say to yourself, "I have a dream" -- then start working to achieve it

Having studied many successful people, I've found that they all can pinpoint the moment where they decided what they truly wanted to achieve in life. It's a practice that should be

required for all of us. After all, if you know what you truly want out of life then you will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Obvious as this may sound, many people never take the time to discover what they want.

When I lost my job, I realized that though I was initially sad to lose it I hadn't been truly happy. I asked myself what I truly wanted to do with my life. "What was I born to do?" I asked. "Why am I here?" I realized I could open a franchise restaurant, which would hopefully allow me time to write. And off I went toward achieving my dream.

3. Choose to have faith in what you want, rather than what you don't want

Solve this riddle: What do fear and faith have in common? The answer: a future that hasn't happened yet. So why would you choose to paint that future bleak and empty, when you could paint it vibrant and fulfilling and fun?

Fear believes in a negative future while faith believes in a positive future. Even if you're not a spiritual person, why would you choose to believe the worst is going to happen? It just feels better to look to the positive future.

4. Start each day with one question

Ask yourself this one question every day: "What are the three things I need to do today that will help me find the job and create the success that I desire?" Then, take action on those three things every day until you've achieved them.

You may not get there in two days, a week or even a month. But each day you'll be one step closer to your goal. And you will get there eventually ... or maybe even find yourself somewhere better.

5. Take on a "glass is 92 percent full" approach

Today's employment-related statistics can be hard to get out of your head when you're searching for a job. But unlike the pundits on TV who seem all too pleased to focus on the most negative numbers available, you can choose to focus on the flip side. Rather than fixating on 8 percent unemployment, focus on 92 percent employment.

6. Choose to be humble and hungry.

Be humble. Know that you don't have all the answers and can learn something from everyone. Realize that there are always new ways to learn, improve and get better. Be open to advice, to learning a new skill and trying a job you haven't thought of before.

Also, be hungry. Seek out a mentor, take him to lunch and model his success. Think of his life as a blueprint you can follow. Continuously improve and seek out new ideas and new strategies.

By remaining humble and hungry after my job loss, I was able to focus on and learn the things that made it possible for me to run a restaurant, write, speak and achieve another great "H" word: happiness!

Of course, maybe you're not the one who's been laid off. We all know someone who's lost his or her job. If you're wondering, "What can I do for that person?" the answer is to encourage, uplift and support. It will not only bolster your loved one's spirits, it will make you feel good, too. Leadership, after all, is a transfer of belief.

You're Fired; Be Ready, It Can Happen To You

"We feel you would be happier working for another company."

"Sorry, business is falling off. We no longer need your services."

"Operations are being consolidated in Mexico. The Bedrock Plant will be closed Feb. 1."

Sugar-coated or not, the message is the same: You're fired! You have been sacked. You are out of a job!

Anyone can get the axe at any time. It happens to good people and bad ones...hard workers as well as slackers.

13 Steps To Survive and Prosper

Therefore, it makes common sense to know what to do to survive and prosper should you ever get the dreaded "pink slip".

1. Keep in mind that in the current environment the idea of tomb to womb job security is as dead as a hammer. Be loyal to your present employer, but never develop a romance with the organization. Know that the relationship can end at any time. There is enough suffering in store for anyone over the loss of a job without adding the pains of an unrequited love. Look out for yourself first.

2. Be alert and well informed at all times about the outlook for your employer and your job. If you know things are going down the drain, begin a below-the-radar search for other opportunities. If the axe falls, you'll have a head start on finding another job.

3. Stay prepared financially. Always try to have enough cash in reserve to cover at least three months living expenses.

4. Keep your skills up to date with the needs of the job market. Capitalize on opportunities for additional training. Read the literature of your field.

5. Maintain an up-to-date record of your accomplishments so you can produce a resume in 24 hours.

6. Nurture contacts with people in your line of work and with those likely to employ your type of qualifications. Be visible through outside activities and positive publicity.

7. Help others who lose their jobs. Also, be of assistance to those who are looking to recruit employees. They may help you some day.

8. Understand your emotions.

Psychologist Bill Weber says getting fired is very much like dealing with the death of a loved one.

"The first reaction is denial, or wishful thinking. There's been a mistake. This can't be true," Dr. Weber says. "Then the shock sets in, followed by anger, depression, frustration and fear. Worst of all is the loss of self-esteem."

9. If you get fired, allow some time for grieving; but not too much. Don't just sit there feeling sorry for yourself. It's natural to be angry with your employer, but don't let your feelings show. You still need him. Negotiate the best possible severance package possible for continuing pay and benefits, particularly insurance coverage. Don't forget good references, too.

10. Start immediately to launch your search for another, better job. Use this time to reassess the goals you have set for the rest of your life. Define the job that will enable you to achieve these objectives.

11. Prepare a plan to market yourself. Let it be known you are available; "advertise" what you have to offer. Involve your network of friends and family in the job search.

12. Be patient. Recognize it will take time to find another acceptable position.

13. Don't panic. If you possibly can afford to wait, don't jump on the first opportunity that comes down the pike, unless, of course, it really matches up with your objectives.

Finally, try to remember two things.

1. It can happen to anyone.

2. A high percentage of people end up with better jobs than the ones from which they were fired.

How to Address Being Fired on Your Resume 6 Tips for Minimizing Damage to Your Job Prospects

Most of us have been let go from positions because of circumstances beyond our control or as a direct result of our actions (or inaction). Whatever the reasons for termination, the challenge facing you now is to minimize the damage on your resume, while making it an effective marketing tool.

1. Let the resume format work for you in downplaying a job loss.

Instead of using a reverse-chronological format that accentuates employment dates, use a combination format (part functional, part reverse-chronological) that showcases what you know. The functional area directly below the opening summary would include your skills. For an accountant that would mean account reconciliations, tax returns, internal controls, etc. The fact that these skills were attained at XYZ Company is minimized as employer names are not mentioned until the very end of the resume in a reverse-chronological listing.

2. Use dates of employment to your advantage.

If you were fired from a job of short duration that fell within the same year as your last position, it can be completely excluded. For example -- you worked at ABC Company from March to September of 2008. Before that, you worked at DEF Company from July of 2002 to February of 2008. Simply list the second company (DEF) with the years of employment (2002-2008) -- no months. This will show an unbroken employment record.

3. Never explain on a resume that you were fired.

As much as hiring managers want to be fair and open-minded, they are only human and will tend to dismiss any candidate who admits to being fired. No matter how you try to explain your dismissal (e.g., "It was office politics." "My manager didn't like me; I have no idea why." "It's because I'm old; they wanted someone younger."), the explanation will still sound negative and self-serving.

4. Don't confuse being laid off or let go due to downsizing as being fired.

If your company was bought out by another firm and you were let go, that's not the same as being fired. If your position has been eliminated (for whatever reason), you weren't technically fired. Hiring managers tend to look at "being fired" as a negative that was caused by the employee (e.g., they stole company funds, they were always late to work, they didn't fulfill their daily duties). It's important to note the distinction and to list those jobs on your resume when economic conditions beyond your control were a factor.

5. When there's no way to avoid the fact that you've been fired.

If the industry you're working in is a small one and everyone knows about your job loss, or if the potential employer does a background check on you, then it's essential to showcase the positive (what you achieved at the job), and to minimize the negative (confrontations with management or co-workers). An interview is not the time to prove that you were treated unfairly at the last company -- rather, it's the time to prove to the new company that you can excel because of your unique set of skills and qualifications.

6. How to answer: 'Why were you fired?'

Avoid the negative and accentuate the positive. Never criticize former employers, past management, or colleagues. Always turn the firing into an opportunity that allowed you to seek something better, whether your goal was monetary or one of personal satisfaction. Keep your answer short and stick to it, especially if you're going through multiple interviews within the same company. Your interviewers will compare notes and you don't want them wondering why your story kept changing.

5 Lifestyle Activities That Can Get You Fired

Can having a bacon double cheeseburger and a cigarette put your job at risk? Maybe. It may sound surprising, but many off-the-job actions and lifestyles could put your job in jeopardy.

Fair Game?

Employment experts point out five key areas that a company may scrutinize:

• Smoking, drinking, and overeating. Due to the cost of health insurance, more and more employers view "unhealthy" habits as a threat to their bottom line.
• Risky behavior. Likewise, a company might see your bungee jumping hobby as a liability.
• Speech. Will your employer consider your blogging to be destructive griping?
• Romantic relationships. Dating someone at a competitor's company has landed employees in hot water. And some employers might take issue with unmarried coupling or even same-sex relationships (federal law doesn't protect employees from discrimination based on real or perceived sexual orientation).
• Political activity. Volunteering for Obama could be trouble if you have a pro-McCain boss, and vice versa.

Job- or industry-specific behaviors can lead to termination as well. A Ford worker who drives a Toyota is probably safe -- unless he or she is president of Ford. But a bank employee who bounces a personal check could get the boot.

Cause or Just Because

If these reasons for termination seem unfair, they must be illegal, right? Not necessarily. Just because most employers don't let valued employees loose for off-the-job activities and lifestyles, doesn't mean they can't.

"Most workers in the private sector don't understand that, unless they live in Montana and Arizona, their job is at-will," Paul Secunda, an assistant professor of law at the University of Mississippi, told. "At-will means an employee can be fired for good cause or no cause at all," Secunda said.

Federal job protections include gender, race, religion, and national origin, as well as disability. "Some state laws forbid discrimination on other bases, including sexual orientation, or status as a smoker," said Rick Bales, a professor at Northern Kentucky University/Chase College of Law. Smokers in the tobacco-growing state of Kentucky, for example, are safe from termination, he said.

Don't Be Fooled

Although union members and public sector (government) workers generally have more protections, employees in the private sector -- the bulk of the U.S. workforce -- can be fired at any time, and usually without recourse.

"Unless you were fired because you are a member of a protected class under federal law, or under another state statute, it's likely not illegal," said Kimberly Malerba, an associate who litigates employment cases with Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., a law firm on Long Island, New York.

The good news is that most companies don't go out of their way to snoop into employees' lives, Malerba told. "A company is most concerned with (off-the-job) behaviors that directly conflict with business interests."

5 Tips to Consider

Legal experts have advice for protecting your job from unexpected dangers:

• Understand the concept of at-will employment. Don't assume that termination must be illegal just because you think it was unfair.
• Be fully aware of your company's policies and terms of employment. Read the employee handbook, and ask HR if you have any questions.
• Be familiar with the company's internal dispute mechanisms (if any) for filing grievances.
• Think before you act. Could your employer see your actions off the job as potentially destructive to the company?
• Don't disclose. "You don't have to disclose lifestyle choices or off-the-clock activities unless there is a clear link to your ability to perform the job," Secunda said.

"My general advice is, don't do anything on your own time that, if reported in the local paper, would reflect poorly on you or your employer," Bales told.