Disclose terminationI worked in the retail management business for 17 years when I changed companies-same industry, a slight difference in position and a considerable raise in pay and benefits. After nine years with that company, I was fired; reason given "Can't keep up the pace". Now, mind you, the company was understaffed and the pace was insane yet I thought I was doing as well as the rest of my coworkers. Four months later, started new job but was only there six months before I got an offer for a sales position with much better pay and benefits. Soon enough, I'm finding sales and cold calling is not my forte but didn't look for other employment because I honestly liked my job and was trying to improve. I was terminated from that position after ten months for "Not calling in sick in a timely manner". Hard to do when you have laryngitis but I attempted other means (texting) of notifying my office. I'm not making excuses and I don't want it to appear so when I'm in an interview. I wouldn't make disparaging remarks about former employers or attempt to appear the victim. Although these reasons for separation aren't heinous; to employers, two terminations in a two year time frame makes me appear a risky hire. Would it be dishonest to omit these facts from my resume? How much information is a former employer (by law) permitted to disclose? If my former employers were to give my prospective employers "off the record" information, I'm sure I wouldn't be hired because of omitting the reason for leaving. Bright side is that the owner of the company I spent nine years with said he would give me a good reference. It would be important (I believe) to mention that I built wonderful relationships with my customers and my manager from the sales job told me she thought I had found my niche. By no means do I wish to be dishonest but when asked in an interview my reason for leaving, would it be okay to say that sales was not my forte because of cold calling? I will not lie, even at the risk of not being hired, but do employers need to know all? I would certainly appreciate advice from someone in the HR or recruiting fields. Thank you so much!
two terminations in a two year time frame makes me appear a risky hire. Would it be dishonest to omit these facts from my resume? Um, terminations don' t belong on a resume. Dates and positions do. The resumé is a marketing tool, to land you an interview. Of course you never lie, but there is no obligation to put down every position you' ve ever had. (An application that asks for that information is a different story.) It' s all about how you handle it. I' ve had a seemingly less-than-stellar employment history; I' ve left out the positions that haven' t synched with the positions I was applying for. (translation: multiple resumes for multiple kinds of jobs) At some point you will need to address any gaps, but, my personal experience has been that if they' re really interested, they overlook the gap initially and bring it up themselves in the interview, at which point I' ve said "Actually, I was working then, just not in a professional position"—or something similar.
I was 14 years with an employer that terminated me within 3 months. How do I use my biggest reference knowing that I have a terminated tag awaiting any potential employer looking at my history? I angered a new boss because I couldn't change to his methods fast enough. I was under a magnafying glass and terminated on a technicality. I went from the lowest paid position to the highest paid in 14 years. Got a new manager in January and was fired in April. For starters, don't use his name. Use your former supervisor's name.
The former supervisor was terminated, the one before him quit and is nowhere to be found and the one before him was fired. Put your former supervisor's name--someone who liked you--and then for the phone number, give Payroll if you can. If not, give the corporate office number.
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Career Tips
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