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