It can be the elephant in the room.  Talking about the reason why you were fired.  You know the interviewer is going to ask what happened.  They will want to know why it didn’t work out.  They will want to know what the problem was, and will it happen again?    

The reality is, during an interview, you will also be asked your reasons for changing jobs.  Therefore, if you were fired from one of your previous positions, expect it to come out and expect it be discussed further.  With this, lets look at the best way to talk about getting fired from a previous job when in an interview. 

1. It’s important to be honest.  You ideally will want to bring up the firing to the interviewer without them having to dig for it.  Being transparent will help build trust between you and the interviewer.  However, while you should absolutely be honest when you explain being fired, you do not to give every specific detail.  Rather, you will want to explain the situation briefly and then move on. It will be important not to overemphasize your firing or bring any unnecessary attention to it.
2. Don’t portray yourself as the victim and blame others.  Further, it is important to resist the urge to speak poorly about your previous employer. Even if you feel that you were not at fault for being fired, remaining objective and not placing blame is vital. If you do, it will only make you look defensive and trying to hide something. Stay positive during your explanation.
3. Take responsibility for your part of the situation. You should take a mature and professional stance on the situation by showing how you grew personally and professionally through this experience.
4. Flip it on its head and talk about what you are looking for in your next role to make it work.  Highlight your motivations, address what you think will be the best fit for you moving forward and ultimately tie what it is you are looking for into what this new opportunity can offer.

Hope this helps.  Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about this or any other job searching topic, be sure to contact us.

Happy Job Hunting and Good Luck!