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Explaining Your Layoff to a Job Recruiter

Filed under Job Hunting
Posted by Libraries, February 26, 2009
View all posts for February 2009

Note: You will need to use your Simmons login to access this article off-campus.

So, you are ready to start looking for a new job after you have been downsized. What should you do to prepare for the inevitable question: “why have you been laid off?” Sarah Needleman of the Wall Street Journal provides some advice:

• Be calm – there is no bigger turn-off for an employer than having to deal with a bitter or angry prospective employee. Take the time to mentally regroup and realize that employers expect nothing but professionalism from their candidates.

• Control the information – there is no need to volunteer unnecessary information; your employer will figure out that you were laid off; the cover letter is really not the place to get into why you were fired – wait until you get to the interview.

• Prepare an explanation – you should have handy a short explanation of why you were fired - you might say that you recognize what’s going on in the economy and cite reasons why you’re attracted to the position and the company.

For resources on job hunting, check out our Job Hunting Online and Job Search Tools career guides.

blogged by Adrian Mitescu