Page 268 - Marky Stein - Get a Great Job When You Don't Have a Job-McGraw-Hill (2009)

Fearless Interviewing

Or . . .

ANSWER: My company reduced its labor force to accommodate
a major shift in business. My function in the compa-
ny was moved to a site 1,000 miles away, where I
chose not to relocate. I’m eager to pursue other posi-
tions in the local area.

If you were fired, you have no legal obligation to reveal it. Many
highly talented people get fired incidentally. It’s nothing to be
ashamed of. At the same time, it’s not something to talk about in
front of a prospective new employer.
Your ex-employer cannot legally release the informa-
tion that you were fired or say anything negative or positive
about your performance, for that matter. The only information
an employer can legally reveal about an ex-employee is the
following:

1. His or her start date
2. His or her title at the time of leaving the company

3. His or her last day with the company

You now have a strategy for answering some of these questions in
an optimal way. Keep the interview like a first date—memorable,
fun, and not too heavy. Don’t get into personal details that may
end up backfiring on you.

What-If Questions
Questions behind questions often come in the form of what-if
questions:

QUESTION: What would you do if you discovered that another employee
was stealing from the company?
The real concern behind this question is not what you would do
if someone were stealing. It’s more about loyalty and whether
you have good judgment. See if you can guess which of these
answers would be the best for this problem:

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