Do you think you’re better off lying in an interview? About why you left a job, about getting fired, or about gaps in your resume? You probably think that telling the truth could cost you a job.
And you think you’re better off finessing your answers.
Not true.
Here’s what is true:
You need to be prepared to answer “hard” questions. With ease, the ease that comes with honesty and authenticity.
You need to get clear with yourself about whether you’re carrying any baggage that might come through in an interview. And if you do, then you’re best to deal with that stuff before you go out interview (by venting, telling a friend, having a ritual send-off, getting support).
You need to think about the message you want to convey to your potential employer. (And that’s where practicing with a friend or objective third-party can help.)
You need to remember that you are okay, in fact you’re great!*
Before you make notes about how you’ll talk about your work history, it’s stops and starts and not-so-happy endings, let’s get clear what the employer is after.
- Are you stable or are you going to be a short-term hire?
- Are you hard to work with? difficult to manage? Prone toward dissatisfaction?
- Are you committed to a career path? Or are you checking things out? Unable to commit? Indecisive?
- Are you bitter, blaming, negative or focused on the past?
- … Are you ready to commit and get to work doing the best you can for the long-term?
Let’s be honest: no one is perfect.
People get fired, laid off and downsized. People take jobs that don’t work out. Supervisors change, work expectations change, businesses get bought, priorities change – and sometimes you’re the casualty.
Many of us don’t have a linear progression straight up the career ladder. We have false starts. We change career paths. We try things out. We get married or divorced, we move…. Life happens.
You know the truth about your work history. You know the positions that were a good fit and those that weren’t. You probably know why jobs came to end.
Here’s what I recommend:
- Know that the job you’re after is a good fit – and make sure you can demonstrate that you’ve thought about how to succeed.
- Know how to answer the question of where you’ll be in two years and in five years. Yes, you need to show that you are thinking long-term, particularly if you don’t have a good track record in that area.
- Think about what led to your lay-off, firing, quitting or parting ways. Can you explain simply what happened? Without emotion or blame?
- Reflect on what you learned from the job ending. How can you use this knowledge to show an employer that you’ve learned what IS a good fit for you? Communicate what you’re looking for in work culture, a supervisor and co-workers. Keep it simple and to the point.
- *Know your strengths and what makes you a great hire. If that kind of self-appreciation doesn’t come easily to you, look at past recommendations, ask co-workers for positive kudos, hire a coach like me who can see and name your strengths, or come to the Interview Club (https://lauraparadisecoaching.com/theinterviewclub/
- Get honest with yourself about what helps you succeed and what you want in your career.
And then get lots of interview practice and feedback from a friendly audience so that you can be relaxed and energized when you’re in front of your next employer!