FIRED! What Can An Employer Really Say?

What can an employer really say about you if you were fired with or without cause? It depends. It depends on the organization and/or the state you live in. Some organizations believe in full disclosure and will tell all. And there are other organizations who will only verify dates of employment, salary and whether you are rehirable.

There are many people who believe that an employer will never know they were fired. But that is a mistake. You are deceiving your self if you think that an organization won’t find out. If you don’t prep your references properly, that is one way that I have seen a company find out. Also, good HR people know how to ask good questions. All they need is to get a sense that something happened. The other way an organization will “assume” termination is when they ask “would you rehire him/her?” There are a lot in the statement, “He is not eligible for rehire!” If an organization shares that you are not rehireable, they may not give details, but it will leave the HR representative with an opportunity to fill in the blanks and make assumptions.

Let me share a true story to help illustrate my point. This job seeker is an IT guy. He has lots of experience in his field. He interviewed for a job, and after a series of interviews and offer was extended to him, he accepted and awaiting his first day of employment. The new organization made the offer prior to completing the background check and verifying his references. When they contacted the previous organization, they told them he had been fired and was not rehireable. When they confronted him with this new information, he subsequently lost the job. He thought they would never find out he was fired and when asked about during the interview he did not tell the truth. That’s two strikes and ultimately is why he lost the opportunity. They rescinded the offer and he is back in the job market.

Can your previous employer tell another organization you are not rehireable? Absolutely! How do you know whether that information will be given to another organization? ASK! Before you vacate the premises of your organization, ask questions. Find out what their policy is concerning employment verification. If you are already gone and you don’t know what they will say. Call the HR department and ask. They will share their policy with you. Don’t assume. Don’t ask others to lie for you. If you have been fired, find a way to assess what happened. Take ownership for your part of what happened. Once you own your part, and can objectively assess the situation, you will be able to discuss it with a hiring manager. People get new jobs everyday, well… almost every day. Those who have been fired and those who haven’t. It is definitely more difficult to get a job when you have been fired, but it is not impossible.

Don’t walk around unsure. Don’t

If you have been fired for cause how do you account for the termination in your next interview? This is