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It is very unlikely that you will go through your entire career without being fired at least once or twice. When this happens, you will run into the problem of answering questions about your termination when going on job interviews. But, don’t sweat it! Read on for some expert advice on how to explain you were fired, in a tactful way.

Provide a Brief Answer

One of the first things you need to do is stay brief in your answer. Some people see this negative question as a reason to provide the interviewer with a monologue that lasts five minutes. You need to prepare your answer ahead of time and practice it so you stay as brief as possible during the interview. Get right to the point with the answer so you do not begin talking negatively about your previous employer.

Be Honest in Your Answer

When you are asked about being fired, you need to be honest with the interviewer. You should not try to spin termination as being laid-off or that it was a mutual split. This will only make matters worse for you during the interview. Even though you should be honest with the interviewer, you do not need to provide him or her with every single detail of why you were fired either. This could only turn into an ugly situation for you as a candidate.

Refrain from Speaking Negatively About Your Former Employer

Another important tip here when explaining you were fired is to refrain from speaking negatively about your former employer. Interviewers will ask about being fired in order to find out why the termination occurred and how you react to your former employer. An interviewer will want to see how you handle the situation when talking about them. It will make the difference between being offered a position with the company and not receiving a second interview.

Remove Bitterness

When answering the question about being fired, you need to refrain from sounding bitter. Employers do not want to hire bitter employees, which is why you need to refrain from using language that makes you sound like a sore loser.

Do Not Blame Anyone

You were fired for a reason. This means that you cannot blame anyone else for losing your job but yourself. Since you should not talk poorly about your former employer, you also need to refrain from bad mouthing any former supervisors or co-workers at the same time.

Explain What You Have Learned

The next thing you can do when answering a question about being fired is to explain what you have learned from the situation. Part of your answer, which should still be brief, is to explain what you learned from being fired and how you can apply it to your next job.