You're Fired! But it's not Donald Trump on the Apprentice.

Donald Trump is famous world-wide for those words, "You're Fired!" But if you have ever been terminated from a job, you know the heartache you feel when you hear those or similar words.

I would guess that almost anyone who is successful in their career has been fired at least once in their life. How you react is important. The reasons for someone being fired may be justified or not. Reasons can be for illegal actions or for immoral activities. In many instances, if you are an "at-will" employee, you can be terminated for no reason whatsoever. If you feel you have been illegally dismissed because of your age, skincolor, race, national origin, religious beliefs, handicap, gender or sexual orientation, you may be able to contact someone who specializes in employment law to help you determine what you should do next.

So you got the notice, you will definitely have some emotions. Being fired is about the same stress level as the breakup of a marriage or the death of a loved one.
Anger is typically the most frequent emotion. Don't keep it bottled up. Find a trusted friend who will listen while you vent. Avoid a pay-back attitude. If you are interviewing for new positions, if you share negative comments about a previous boss or company, you could be limiting your chances with that new company.

Here are a couple of things that you should try to do:

• Identify the reason you were fired.
• Reassure potential employers that the problem has been resolved.  

You and your previous employer have two perspectives about your termination.

• Employer - Inability to perform job functions effectively due to excessive absenteeism.
• Employee - My car kept breaking down. It was unreliable.

Whatever happened, if you can rectify a situation to keep it from happening again, you should. If you were not given a reason why you are being fired, you may want to contact a previous employer to find out so that you can avoid making any of the same mistakes.

What do you tell a potential employer about getting fired?

• Don't ever misrepresent your employment history on a job application. It is a legal document and if an employer finds out it is falsified, that in itself, could be grounds for termination.
• Avoid using the word "fired". Other phrases could include "let go involuntarily" Involuntarily dismissed"
• During an interview prepare a one sentence summary of the problem that led to the dismissal and then offer an explanation of how you have resolved the situation.
• Never express anger or make negative comments about your past employers. Instead focus on the transferable skills and improved attitude. 
• When you are asked "Tell me about yourself" you can initiate the discussion with the interviewer using your prepared statement and not have to wait for when the interviewer brings up the dreaded question.

We can be our own worst enemy. Check with a friend whose opinion you trust to see if your attitude is good, your outlook on your job search, and your statements regarding your previous employer. Make sure everything is going to appear positive to a new employer before you go on that first interview.

Are you prepared? Tough Interview Questions

Like every good girl scout or boy scout you need to be prepared for your interview.  The typical questions that you are asked about your previous employment are a cinch. But some of the following may take some thought and preparation.

• Tell me about yourself - prepare a few sentences that gives employers a rounded look at you and your personality.  Don't get too personal or talk on and on.
• Companies want to know if you have done your research about them, so you may end up with questions like: Why do you want to work here; how can you help our company; or why do want to work in _____ field?
• Questions often come up about your weaknesses or your strengths, achievements or disappointments, biggest mistake - prepare one or two for each and how you are coping or overcoming them.
• Often interviewers will ask about previous positions, bosses or co-workers, what you liked or disliked, pet peeves - be very careful to be as positive as possible.  Do not bash, but if there were challenges between you and something at a previous job, make a simple statement and move on.
• What will your references, co-workers, subordinates, or supervisors say about you? With social media, the "checking references" and only getting dates of employment is now secondary.  The savvy employer will know how to search you on the internet and find out what they want to know about you.
• Knowing about your goals and plans are important to employers so asking about where you see yourself in x years or will you be pursuing further education or what do you really want to do in life? How have you improved yourself over the last year? What has kept you from progressing as fast as you would like?
• Then may come the thought process development questions - how would you handle x? What does success mean to you? What motivates you? How do you motivate others? Your philosophy of life, work or your field?
• Knowing how you work is important to employers - whether you are a team player or work alone, help others succeed, offer suggestions to management, lead or motivate others, or how you deal with stressful situations.
• Why did you leave your last position? This isn't a big deal if it was to take an advancement or because the company closed, but if you were fired, you need a diplomatic, yet truthful response.
• How long have you been out of work?  What have you been doing since? Are two questions that a few years ago would not have come into play.  If you have been volunteering, working with a temporary agency, or taken on more domestic engineer responsibilities yet kept active with industry organizations, this will be a bit easier to offer a response. Employers want to know that your skills are still current.
• How do you spend your spare time? They can't ask if you smoke or drink or are involved in illegal activities, but they can  often deduce from your answers whether you might fit within their corporate culture.
• Additional questions may include whether you are willing to relocate or travel, work extra hours, or considering other positions and if your employer knows you are planning to leave.
• Employers cannot ask you:
  

1. Marital status
2. Sexual orientation
3. If you belong to a union
4. If you are on public assistance
5. When did you graduate from (high school or college)
6. Do you have a heart condition? Do you have asthma or any other difficulties breathing?
7. Do you have a disability which would interfere with your ability to perform the job?
8. How many days were you sick last year?
9. Have you ever filed for workers' compensation? Have you ever been injured on the job?
10. Have you ever been treated for mental health problems?
11. What prescription drugs are you currently taking?

If you are prepared, you can answer any question and hopefully, find your way into a new position.

Soft Skill - Are you Professional?

MAINTAINING PROFESSIONALISM – When you are on the job, it is advisable to be professional. This can range from clothing to how you speak to a client.

• Do you do the job to the best of your ability; take pride in the job you do; make a positive impact?
• Do you start your workday neat and clean; report for work on time and stay for your entire shift or workday?
• Do you honestly earn your pay; keep your mind on the job at hand; respect your work?
• Do you treat your customers and coworkers with respect and dignity?
• Do you employ good manners in my interactions with others?
• Do you take care of your tools and supplies, whatever their cost?

If you are the supervisor do you: 

• Set an example of proper performance for your staff?
• Acknowledge and reward excellence among your staff?
• Give meaningful feedback when you see a problem developing?
• Enforce company guidelines evenly across your staff?
• Provide a "measuring stick" of what you expect from your staff?
• Supply appropriate tools to enable your staff to perform their work?

Some aspects need a bit more explanation.

 

• Attendance and Punctuality - Everyone in the business relies on you being ready to work when you are scheduled. Punctuality is an important quality that employers look for in their workers. If you are scheduled from 8AM to 5PM, your employer wants you to be ready to work at 8AM. Calling in frequently not only hurts your employer and fellow employees but reflects badly on you. Being absent or tardy may cause your employer to stop scheduling you or even let you go.

 

• Treat people with respect and act properly. Do not tell rude or embarrassing jokes, gossip, use slang, or use harmful language.

 

• Respect privacy policies. Privacy policies are made to protect individuals and may be required by law in some cases. Breaking a privacy policy may result in termination. If you do not understand the privacy policy, be sure to clarify it with a supervisor or the boss.

 

• Participate in meetings with a positive and helpful attitude. Sit up straight, listen, maintain a comfortable level of eye contact, take notes, and ask questions when the time is right. Speaking up in a meeting may be a challenge if another coworker is more dominant or if you are unprepared.

 

• Dress properly and maintain good personal hygiene for the job. Most businesses have a business casual dress code so employees may be comfortable while maintaining a professional image. Find out what the employer dress code is and adhere to it.

 

• Clarifying roles and responsibilities – understanding what the chain of command is, who is responsible for what portion of a project, and knowing what your specific role is important to being effective in your job.

 

• Above and beyond – going to work every day, doing your job correctly and on-time are key factors to keeping your job. In some economies, it isn’t enough. If you show a willingness to learn new things, take the initiative on projects or to solve problems, or accepting responsibility may give you an edge in your level of professionalism.