| As I have mentioned several times, I will not only help | | | | customers or public relations regularly, you might |
| you with your visa application process, I will also help | | | | answer, "Although I enjoyed my previous job, I wanted |
| you arrive and settle in Canada! | | | | to seek out a position that would give me more |
| One of the most important tasks that you will have to | | | | chances to work with the public." |
| accomplish after you arrive to Canada will be | | | | Why were you fired? |
| attending to several job interviews so that you can get | | | | It can be difficult to explain to a potential employer why |
| the job of your dreams in Canada! Today, I will give | | | | you were fired from a previous position. Many people |
| you some useful advice and recommendations to help | | | | make the mistake of blaming the other company or |
| you answer TOUGH questions during your job | | | | the supervisor for the problem, but you have to |
| interview in Canada! Remember, Canadians are very | | | | remember the golden rule of interviewing: never say |
| nice, but sometimes they can be tough! | | | | anything negative about a former employer. |
| O.K. let's get started... | | | | Your best bet is to check in with your references |
| After a little practice, most of us can become quite | | | | from that past employer to determine exactly what |
| confident answering some interview questions, such as | | | | there take on your firing was. You may have thought |
| "What are your strengths?" or "Why do you want this | | | | the split was amicable when they viewed it in a |
| job?" These common questions have been heard by | | | | different light altogether. After you've spoken with your |
| millions of job seekers over the years and have been | | | | references, you'll have a better idea of how to |
| answered with varying degrees of success. | | | | formulate a response. |
| However, there are other questions that are more | | | | In your answer, you should accept your share of the |
| difficult to masterfully answer. These are the ones | | | | blame. No firing - not even one that was unfair or |
| interviewers like to throw at us when everything else | | | | biased - is completely one-sided. Blaming others will |
| seems to be going smoothly in the interview. Just | | | | only tell the interviewer that you haven't learned a |
| when we think we've done a great job, we hear | | | | lesson and that you're likely to make the same |
| something like "Why did you get fired from your last | | | | mistakes again. |
| job?" or "How come you've had so much trouble | | | | A good answer might be the following: "I was fired |
| finding a position since the layoff?" or "If you could be | | | | because there was a miscommunication from the |
| any television character, who would you be and why?" | | | | beginning about my job responsibilities. The employer |
| or "How does your husband/wife feel about you taking | | | | needed someone who had access to a vehicle during |
| this job?' | | | | the day, and I did not. I should have stated from the |
| The problem with most of these questions isn't that | | | | beginning that, while my transportation was reliable, I |
| we don't know the answers; it's that they take us by | | | | would not be able to run errands outside of the office." |
| surprise for a moment and throw us off our game. | | | | In the response, the individual briefly explains the |
| We miss the catch because the ball came out of | | | | situation and accepts responsibility for her share of the |
| nowhere. | | | | miscommunication. She doesn't speak negatively about |
| Now you could practice answering all of these | | | | the past employer. |
| potential questions, but there's always a good bet that | | | | Don't forget to be honest. Making up a story to explain |
| a savvy interviewer will still throw something your way | | | | why you were fired won't get you the job. |
| that you didn't see coming. After all, they want to see | | | | Why has there been such a large gap between your |
| how well you handle something unexpected. So this | | | | jobs? |
| section won't provide you with definite clever answers | | | | Interviewers look over your resume for carefully. What |
| for all of the possible "trick" questions in the world, but | | | | they want to see is a continuous, or nearly continuous, |
| we will look at numerous examples and I'll give you | | | | stream of employment. When there are stretches of |
| some basic guidelines and suggestions on how to | | | | time between jobs ranging from six months to a year |
| handle them. | | | | or more, they may be concerned about your ability to |
| As a result, you might be a caught off-guard for a | | | | maintain a position long-term or about personal issues |
| moment by an unusual question, but you'll recover | | | | which may require you to leave the workplace for |
| quickly and answer with a thoughtful response that | | | | lengthy periods of time. |
| should "Wow!" the interviewer. With that goal in mind, | | | | If the interviewer asks about these gaps, then your |
| let's begin our journey into the world of unusual and | | | | best strategy is to be honest. For example, you might |
| difficult interview questions. | | | | say "I took some time off to stay home with our new |
| Questions About Former Employers & | | | | baby, but now that he's settled in pre-school I feel |
| Employment | | | | comfortable accepting the responsibilities of a full-time |
| Chances are you won't escape an interview without | | | | position" or "After I was displaced from my Acme |
| facing some questions about your past and/or current | | | | where I'd worked for eight years, it took me awhile to |
| employers. Some questions are fairly simple, such as | | | | regain my confidence. It happened quite suddenly, and I |
| "Tell me what you liked most about your last job." | | | | admit I wasn't prepared to make a change. It took me |
| Those questions you can answer without too much | | | | awhile to feel comfortable getting back out in the job |
| pressure and without becomingly overly worried about | | | | market." |
| slipping up and saying the wrong thing. | | | | Again, take responsibility for the gap between positions |
| On the other hand, you may also face more difficult | | | | but also try to ease the concerns that are behind the |
| questions about your work history. Here are some | | | | interview's question or that may be raised as a result |
| examples: | | | | of your answer. |
| - Why did you leave your last job? | | | | Why are you switching careers? |
| - Why were you fired? | | | | For some of us, when we want a change, we want a |
| - Why has there been such a large gap between your | | | | major change. Switching employers may not be |
| jobs? | | | | enough; we may have to try an entirely different field. |
| - Why are you switching careers? | | | | The desire to re-invent ourselves may be easy |
| All of these questions have the potential to cause you | | | | enough for us to understand but interviewers may |
| to lose your composure during an interview and to | | | | question the switch. What they don't want is a new |
| stumble around for an answer. Thankfully, however, | | | | employee who quickly regrets making the change or |
| there are ways to answer these questions effectively. | | | | who realizes the new career isn't all they thought it |
| Why did you leave your last job? | | | | would be. |
| We all have different reasons for searching out a new | | | | Your answer to this question should reflect a sincere |
| position: we want more money, we didn't get along | | | | interest in the new field, as well as your knowledge of |
| with our boss, etc. In most cases, our real reason for | | | | what it entails. Basically, make sure you have done |
| leaving may not make the best response during an | | | | your homework so the interviewer knows this isn't just |
| interview. | | | | some fly-by-night decision; it's something you've put a |
| For example, if you responded, "I left because of a | | | | lot of thought into. |
| conflict with my supervisor" the interviewer is going to | | | | Here's a sample answer: "After I spent ten years in |
| see you as a potential problem. After all, if you've had | | | | advertising, I wanted a change that would give me |
| conflict with one supervisor, you may have a problem | | | | more opportunities to work with customers directly. |
| with authority. If you said, "I wanted to find a job that | | | | That's the main reason I considered sales. I did some |
| paid better and that had more opportunities for | | | | research into the field and discovered that the best |
| advancement," the interviewer would wonder if you'd | | | | salespeople have strong interpersonal skills, a genuine |
| really be happy with the salary or the opportunities at | | | | desire to help others, and an ability to recognize the |
| this position or if you'd just leave there as well. | | | | needs and wants of customers. These are all traits |
| The correct answer should be positive and should be | | | | I've developed through my experience in advertising so |
| directed towards what you know about this position. In | | | | I thought this would be a great fit for me." |
| an interview for a job where you'd be dealing with | | | | See you in Canada! |