Getting your player ready...
Dear J.T. & Dale: I was fired from my job for allegedly saying that I refused a transfer to a different store. I became very upset about the unwanted transfer, but I never refused to go. What do I say when employers ask about my last job? – Allen
J.T.: You’ll have to be honest and say you were let go because you were upset about a transfer you didn’t want.
DALE: And there you’ll be, telling your story and feeling good about how honest and candid you are, and meanwhile the hiring manager is hearing an alarm go off and a voice cry: “WARNING: TROUBLE AHEAD! PROBLEM EMPLOYEE! ABORT INTERVIEW!”
J.T.: No, before that alarm goes off, you add: “I learned a valuable lesson from that experience. I shouldn’t have been upset when they proposed the transfer. Instead, I should have found a way to share my desire not to be transferred in a calm and positive way. I realize now that there’s a better way to deal with these issues.” That way, they’ll hear that you have grown from the experience and are capable of learning from your mistakes.
DALE: Carry a stopwatch, Allen, because I want to know how fast they end your interview. Unless, that is, you are in a position to be very choosy about employers and can afford to wait for one that has a policy to never transfer employees without their consent. You could try screening for such employers by saying something like, “I want to find a place that respects employees and would include them in decisions like transfers.” Even in that situation, I see no reason to confess that you had a meltdown or tantrum or whatever it was. Just say that you opposed a transfer. Perhaps you even can find a positive side of it, saying that you were part of a team you were really committed to, or that the other store was a place where you couldn’t do great work.
J.T.: Well, Allen, I have more faith in hiring managers than Dale, but I agree that there are many versions of any event. One is how much you learned from what happened. If you can devise multiple versions of events, test them against this goal: to make a hiring manager respect you and want you on the team.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I’ll be completing my master’s degree soon and will be sending out my resume. I have apprehensions, and they are not about my resume, work history or education. They are because of my teeth. I constantly have cavities and have been without dental insurance. I do not have the cash to pay for work I need. Because of 1800s-looking teeth, I do not like to smile. We all know that employers judge based on a person’s looks, so what can I do? – Sarah
J.T.: You are wise to be concerned. Looks do matter. BUT confidence and personality matter more. I don’t expect you to flash a grin, but have a good closed-lip smile, make good eye contact and make sure your eyes are smiling. Let hiring managers see that you’ll be an enthusiastic, upbeat employee.
DALE: I’d like to join in on that pep talk, I really would. But if I understand what you mean by “1800s teeth,” a good attitude is not enough. Assuming you’re competing for jobs at a level a master’s degree would suggest, the organization is going to see you as representing the company to customers and suppliers, and they’ll care about the impression you make. So I’d urge you to find a dentist who can offer a temporary solution, or find a payment plan that will cover enough work to let you show a confident smile. Otherwise, you’ll severely limit your options, and that would be so unfortunate.
J.T.: Of course the best option would be to get some work done. Given the statistics on how much more attractive people are paid, it even would be a good investment. But if that’s not possible, you can still go into the interview happy and positive.
