Q&A for How to Explain a Termination in a Job Interview

Tell them the truth. It was a mistake on your end and the consequence is that you got fired. Another consequence would be explaining it during a job interview. It would be better to be transparent rather than keep the dirt under the rug -- you would be in a bigger hole when you eventually get employed and you lied about the reason for your previous termination. When you admit and come clean, ask for an opportunity to prove yourself and apply the lessons you learned from the mistake. I am confident that there are still companies out there that value honesty and integrity and still believe in second chances.

Be honest. Describe what happened, show that you understand what went wrong, then show that you have learned from this and it has made you stronger. Keep all this brief. Then bring the focus to the next topic.

Only include jobs that will help you get a job. This company ultimately decided not to hire you, and regardless of the reason, that is not something you want your next employer to be thinking about.

Integrity still matters in business today. As the old saying goes, we reap what we sow; one of those reaped was the termination, and the other, explaining the reason for the termination on every single job interview. My advice is to come clean and be honest. Admit that it was a mistake and explain why it was done, but share what you learned, how you will avoid the same issue in the future, and that you are willing to prove yourself worthy of their trust. Once you get a new job, I hope that you think long and hard about the impacts of your actions. Do not let the negative actions become your reputation in the market or industry where you work.

If you were terminated for no fault of your own and your employer called it a "business decision", then you were laid off. Tell any potential new employers that you were made redundant or were simply laid off.

You should not say it is undiagnosed. That implies you've not done anything to find out why you fell asleep. Emphasize the actions you took about to find out why you were "nodding off" (e.g. I consulted my physician), so the problem will not reoccur. You do not have to say what the condition is, just that it is now corrected. Then, do everything possible to make sure it does not happen again. If there was a non-medical reason... a lapse in judgement like staying up too late to see a movie on TV... or a personal problem (like your child/ren were ill with the flu).... just come clean about it.

It does not need to be a biggie! It does not even need to be anything that anyone else knew about. It can be when you recognized that you fell short, or that you felt you somehow contributed to the situation. For example, a teacher might regret raising his voice after a long, trying day in the classroom. He thought his tone of voice contributed to the chaos and disruption in the last period of the day. He wanted to model correct behaviors. Or, you can fess up to a bigger flaw, such as if you followed what a peer told you to do, despite that the peer was wrong. In the end, both of you were written up--a lesson you'll never forget. Always end with what you learned about yourself.

Explain the story from your perspective, and if it wasn't your responsibility, the recruiters will understand that.

You have a right to a reason as to why you were terminated. If they refuse, you can contact fair work or a lawyer to help get any compensation and answers you deserve.