Son needs a Job - but I have a question about a job he lost

[Luvchefmic]

He'll never get an interview if he says on an application he was fired. He's probably having a hard time getting interviews because he graduated a year ago and only has unrelated customer service work on his resume since then.

Every application asks " have you ever been terminated from a job "

So what does the son, or any applicant , do then ?

 

[kymom99]

My husband was fired. He still got called for interviews and found a job. He was at the job 7 years. Too long to just act like it didn't happen.

 

[wvjules]

Every application asks " have you ever been terminated from a job "

Not true.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Not true.

No disrespect, but have you filled out a job application recently ? In the past year ?

 

[wvjules]

No disrespect, but have you filled out a job application recently ? In the past year ?

Yep. I have applied for a lot of jobs recently as a matter of fact. Most are just resumes. Others are resumes and putting your employment data into their system. None have had that question on them as far as I can recall.

Applications for jobs in the mall, fast food, labor, etc. I'm sure do ask that question when you go in to fill out the application but no professional application I've done recently has asked that in any way. So your claim that EVERY application asks that question is false. Do some? Sure, but by no means do all of them, or even most (in my experience.)

 

[JanaDee]

He does not have to say 1 word about being fired and what he said. He just needs to say that he is now pursuing a different avenue. His former boss can not tell any future employer that he was fired and the reasoning behind it. BTDT from experience.

Former bosses can say exactly what happened, including why the person was fired. It all depends on company policy, but don't believe former employers can't tell the truth about you or what happened.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Yep. I have applied for a lot of jobs recently as a matter of fact. Most are just resumes. Others are resumes and putting your employment data into their system. None have had that question on them as far as I can recall.

Applications for jobs in the mall, fast food, labor, etc. I'm sure do ask that question when you go in to fill out the application but no professional application I've done recently has asked that in any way. So your claim that EVERY application asks that question is false. Do some? Sure, but by no means do all of them, or even most (in my experience.)

I have no idea about fast food, malls, labor, etc I'm talking professional applications, government jobs and civilian, ok than I stand corrected. I amend it to in MY experience this is what I am seeing.

 

[wvjules]

I have no idea about fast food, malls, labor, etc I'm talking professional applications, government jobs and civilian, ok than I stand corrected. I amend it to in MY experience this is what I am seeing.

I have a government job (started in July) and I do not recall that question being on usajobs.

And yes, it is your experience, but by no means ALL applications ask that question.

 

[kamik86]

I'm in a very similar field (my undergrad degree is software engineering but the differences are subtle between that and computer science and we apply for the same jobs)

The one I hold now is the only one that asked about EVERY job I had. But that because it requires a security clearance so they try to prescreen who would be able to get a clearance once hired.

Most of them didn't. i didn't include all my jobs on most of them. The sub shop I worked at during high school was not important given that I had done 3 6-month long co-ops with different companies.

Does your son have any field related experience from internships or co-ops? That may be part of the problem. With a tougher job market those with experience are getting hired first. My school required us to have co-ops and when I graduated in 2009 the only students that didn't have a job lined up were the C students that barely scrapped by (and some of them that had good co-op references still were hired).

If he doesn't have co-op experience then he really isn't going to have his pick of places and is going to have to move to an area that has a shortage of people.

Does he have any volunteer work or previous jobs that show leadership experience? Does he know what he wants his focus to be... meaning does he want to stay very technical or is he more of a process focus? These things matter too

To explain that last question: I could program don't get me wrong but if I had to choose between being in charge of being all the coolest tech stuff done or making sure that my product did what my customer (or professor) wanted, was structued the way they wanted it, had all the documentation in order, etc I did that every time. I would purposely pair with students that were in the opposite in group work (I had a good friend that was BRILLANT technically, however he got lower grades then me half the time becuase he didn't comment his code right, missed some of the smaller "not important" (his words) requriements etc.

We paired up once on a project. He had the hard part coded (that I never did understand) in less then 30 min. As he finished the other parts I commented everything, did the documentation, tested his to make sure it met all the little requirements etc. We got a great grade.

At graduation he went to a very technical job/career. I haven't programed in a few years but I get paid quite well to know the requirements of my projects inside at several levels (gov contracts there are multi levels of regs) and to do all the planning for testing the systems and making sure they work before we deliver them. I have established relationships with the customers so I know what they will expect and tailor events to them etc.


Which way your son wants to go will also answer the question on if you learn a bit about many languages/processes (my approach) or get REALLY good at a few.

 

[Luvchefmic]

I have a government job (started in July) and I do not recall that question being on usajobs.

Well first of all Congratulations I am very happy for you and you give me hope. It's still a very tough thing to find a good job here in FL but I am plugging along.

Yes I go through usajobs and here in FL peoples first and countless others, the question is there. Maybe you just forgot..I know when I finally find a job all this will be a distant memory too

 

[davedmaine]

I have no idea about fast food, malls, labor, etc I'm talking professional applications, government jobs and civilian, ok than I stand corrected. I amend it to in MY experience this is what I am seeing.

Most job apps DO NOT have that on them, especially professional applications

 

[SirDuff]

Most job apps DO NOT have that on them, especially professional applications

This is true in my experience as well - I've never seen it. Of course, maybe we've all just forgotten seeing it!

I second/third, Linkendin and any other form of networking that your son has access too. Good luck to him.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Most job apps DO NOT have that on them, especially professional applications

As was already determined, ALL of the professional applications that I am filling out do.

 

[Stitch69]

Every application asks " have you ever been terminated from a job "

So what does the son, or any applicant , do then ?

I would think it would be impossible for you to have seen every application.

 

[Luvchefmic]

As was already determined, ALL of the professional applications that I am filling out do.

I would think it would be impossible for you to have seen every application.

not what I wrote but have a great day !

 

[MomToOne]

As was already determined, ALL of the professional applications that I am filling out do.

In this poster's defense, I have seen plenty of this as well - while you may just have to submit a resume to get an initial interview scheduled, usually when you show up they want you to fill in some sort of application and that question is there. If they don't ask it outright, they circle around it by asking "reason for leaving" on every job in the last x years or your last y jobs. I've seen one of those two on applications for every job I've interviewed for in the last year (none of which I ended up taking, but that's another story LOL). Maybe some of us just remember those boxes better than others - I know they make a particular impact on me because I was caught up in the .com bubble many years ago and have to pull out the term "RIF" to put on several jobs (RIF=Reduction in workForce=layoff you will never be called back from).

And I am saying this as someone that works in technology. I am also a hiring manager and while I never actually see a job seeker's application (that stays with HR but they would let me know if there was a red flag to be looked into) I do ask why they left/are leaving their current position in the interview. Now, as far as I am concerned the only "right" answer is something that doesn't blame other folks in some way - that shows a lack of ability to edit yourself and/or maturity. But the question is asked so you need to have an answer prepared that will match what your reference checks might say

 

[DisneyWitch]

He does not have to say 1 word about being fired and what he said. He just needs to say that he is now pursuing a different avenue. His former boss can not tell any future employer that he was fired and the reasoning behind it. BTDT from experience.

I'm an IT manager with one of the largest contracting companies in the US. I do a lot of hiring (and some firing), and we get many college grads who are looking for a toehold in the IT industry. Heck...I've BTDT too! Many people have been fired from positions - rightly or wrongly - over stupid stuff. Rest assured, if you can put 5 years from that firing, it may not even be a factor. Until those 5 years pass, however, it can be a fun little dance.

I will echo the quoted post above. If a 20-something with no other job experience gave me a big ol' story about how he got fired because of an "aggressive customer" or that it was a "learning experience", my company wouldn't even give him a callback. Unfortunately, companies care more about a person's ability to make them money than to be a mentoring opportunity for a young person. Hiring managers know that few people have stellar histories, and many jobs end due to personality conflicts and unfair circumstances. We don't always get along with our co-workers and supervisors. But I don't want to focus on that. I care about what the person can bring to our team and company. What are they looking to accomplish? What kind of person are they?

I would humbly suggest that this young man say something like, "It was a great learning experience, but there was no room for career or skills growth. I wanted to find a company that would provide me an environment where I could expand my skill sets in an industry more appropriate to my training." Done.

In my experience (and might be only my company), if we're called for a reference, we are allowed to say: 1. How long the individual worked there, 2. what their salary was and 3. whether they are eligible for rehire. And oftentimes, references don't even bother with #3.

Telling potential employers all of the less-than-flattering details of one's previous job can really backfire in this economy. However, studies are indicating that IT hiring is due to be up in the next 18 months, particularly in IT security, Incident Response, big data (which goes hand in hand with database management), mobile security/app programming and specialty programming such as Java. I wish him luck and success!

 

[DVCcurious]

How should he address this issue. He worked there for 7 months?

OK. I've waited to speak up on this one but I think I should step in and give some advice.

First, I was in business school from 08-10 so I was interviewing at the worst possible time. I know what it's like to be job searching in Obama's economy. It's not good for anybody. So your son is not alone in this terrible a position.

I was fired from a job in 2006. If you were to see my resume or my work history or know me you'd be shocked that I could have been fired. But it happens to a lot of people regardless how smart/hard working/etc you are. Sometimes things just don't work out. So first thing: he needs to not be down/depressed about the whole thing. The reason we think we're the only one who's ever been fired is because people don't want to brag about it. But here you go: I was fired and I've gone on to have a very successful career in my field. And I was even fired for poor performance so it's not like I was laid off. But I moved on.

Since that time when I filled out an application that said "have you been fired or asked to resign?" I answered "no". Yes, I lied. It's tough out there, why would I give myself a red mark right up front? I have had 2 jobs since my firing. Obviously when they called my firing employer for a reference my firing employer did not say I was fired or else I wouldn't have been hired or I would have been fired within a few months for lying on my application.

Most companies aren't going to say they fired you because they are afraid of getting sued. Most companies will only confirm your employment, job title, dates of employment, and possibly salary range (though that's doubtful). Most companies won't say anything about your performance at all for fear of being sued. Look at it this way: that company fired you, what benefit do they get for telling people they fired you? It's all downside for them to say that: their best case is that nothing happens. Their worse case is you sue them.

So he should list the job and tell recruiters that he left because the job was taking away valuable time from his career job search. Basically say "I took the job to get some money but I found it was difficult to put my full effort into finding a long term career while working at XYZ hotel. I moved back in with my parents and they are supporting me so I can dedicate myself fully to beginning my career in XYZ field". With this answer you don't say anything negative: you're not negative about the job or the experience or anything. You're just saying you had to prioritize your time and the job search for your career has to be the most important.

That should be a satisfactory answer for any interviewer.

 

[luvthemouse71]

Not true.

I'm a nurse and the applications I have filled out don't ask if you've been fired or resigned. In my state also they can only ask how long you worked there, and some will ask if you are eligible for rehire.

And yes, LinkedIn is a great resource.

 

[disneychrista]

OK. I've waited to speak up on this one but I think I should step in and give some advice. First, I was in business school from 08-10 so I was interviewing at the worst possible time. I know what it's like to be job searching in Obama's economy. It's not good for anybody. So your son is not alone in this terrible a position. I was fired from a job in 2006. If you were to see my resume or my work history or know me you'd be shocked that I could have been fired. But it happens to a lot of people regardless how smart/hard working/etc you are. Sometimes things just don't work out. So first thing: he needs to not be down/depressed about the whole thing. The reason we think we're the only one who's ever been fired is because people don't want to brag about it. But here you go: I was fired and I've gone on to have a very successful career in my field. And I was even fired for poor performance so it's not like I was laid off. But I moved on. Since that time when I filled out an application that said "have you been fired or asked to resign?" I answered "no". Yes, I lied. It's tough out there, why would I give myself a red mark right up front? I have had 2 jobs since my firing. Obviously when they called my firing employer for a reference my firing employer did not say I was fired or else I wouldn't have been hired or I would have been fired within a few months for lying on my application. Most companies aren't going to say they fired you because they are afraid of getting sued. Most companies will only confirm your employment, job title, dates of employment, and possibly salary range (though that's doubtful). Most companies won't say anything about your performance at all for fear of being sued. Look at it this way: that company fired you, what benefit do they get for telling people they fired you? It's all downside for them to say that: their best case is that nothing happens. Their worse case is you sue them. So he should list the job and tell recruiters that he left because the job was taking away valuable time from his career job search. Basically say "I took the job to get some money but I found it was difficult to put my full effort into finding a long term career while working at XYZ hotel. I moved back in with my parents and they are supporting me so I can dedicate myself fully to beginning my career in XYZ field". With this answer you don't say anything negative: you're not negative about the job or the experience or anything. You're just saying you had to prioritize your time and the job search for your career has to be the most important. That should be a satisfactory answer for any interviewer.

They can also be sued by the new employer for failing to give vital information about a reference. It is best to be honest and answer any questions asked about the former employee. I would not volunteer they were fired but would truthfully answer why they left our employ, if asked.