We’ve all heard that “honesty is the best policy”, from someone we respected, and we believed them, but then there’s the application of this policy isn’t there?
The movie “Liar Liar”, starring Jim Carey, found him suddenly able to only tell the truth and he went around hurting himself and others in the process. For those seeking justification for telling little white lies in the name of not hurting anyone you could point to this movie as an example of the truth gone bad, but what about telling the truth in a job interview?
For example, how to answer a question about your departure from a role when you were let go, which could be considered the toughest of all? Things sometimes don’t work out in jobs, and it’s not always someone else’s fault. We’ll be tempted to explain the change in vague terms with nebulous circumstances, but don’t!
Take ownership of your career search and your past. Your history isn’t going away, but as my friend Micheal Burt says, “don’t let your past hold your future hostage”. Here’s how. Don’t assign blame or be a victim.
You will differentiate yourself immediately when you say, “Here’s why I left, here’s what I learned from it that will make me a better employee for you, and I’d like the opportunity to prove it to you”. WOW!
Providing every detail isn’t necessary, but facing the truth with candor and honesty is both counterintuitive and refreshing.
Realize that you are not alone if you’ve ever been let go, and that while it is risky to hire someone who’s been fired, your frankness and self-awareness will counterbalance this risk.
Who knows, perhaps your interviewer too, like many others, has been in your shoes before.