Interviewing for a New Job After You've Been Fired

So you were canned. Maybe you screwed up a major project, engaged in office politics and lost, let your laziness shine or simply spent all day at the office surfing the 'net for porn. It's rough, but it's not the end of the world. Lots of folks get fired -- including plenty of people who go on to become filthy rich (like multi-billionaire NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg, for instance).

Business and career coach Gail Blanke says that getting fired is more or less "inevitable," but that the key is not to think of it as a personal failure. Still, you've got a pressing need: income. And now you've got an inconvenient blotch on your resume that you may have to explain to future employers.

Here are a few tips on taking that pink slip and cashing it in for something better:

Don't burn bridges. Even if your boss was a total dick, try not to trash him on industry blogs and leave a flaming bag of dookie on his desk on the way out the door. Simply be professional. You may think you were shafted, but your boss or coworkers may have leads on other jobs, or may be able to help you in the future, as long as you don't throw a tantrum or make postal worker-esque threats.

Tips for navigating a post-firing interview after the jump.

Be upbeat and optimistic. Even if you're feeling like crap, put on an enthusiastic face in order to get the new job. Psych yourself up and think about all of your strengths. You may have been kicked to the curb, but you are now on a new mission and your mood should reflect that. Like going out on a first date, you're going to close the deal by getting them to want you, not feel sorry for you.

If you weren't at your last job very long, leave it off your resume. If it was a quick stint, it may be better not to mention your last job at all. Being fired after a short run can look worse than getting canned after several years. Plenty of people have gaps of up to six months between jobs, and if the previous employer isn't there, your interviewer may not even ask about it.

If they do ask about why you left, be honest. If the topic comes up, it's best to say outright that you got fired, explain why -- with the appropriate amount of spin -- and explain what you learned. Blanke says, "Don't be angry, don't be bitter. Just say 'Here's what I learned from that experience, and it's a good thing I did learn it because now I'm better. Now I know more than I did before and I get to bring that learning into this new situation, and this is why I think I'm the right person at the right place at the right time for this job.'" Basically, use a Jedi mind trick and convince them getting fired actually made you more qualified.

Don't get too elaborate when you describe your firing. Your honesty can turn into a minus if you end up spending 20 minutes talking about the minutiae of the office politics at your last job. If you seem too emotional -- or if you spend too much time defensively trying to give context -- you're not going to be the kind of candidate that a new employer wants. Be honest, but keep the conversation focused on what you can bring to the table. That in no way means greasing the palm of your interviewer, though that did factor into the hiring of most of Asylum's editorial staff.