IT Job Interview

Never.  Being fired is a very negative thing.  You may quit, you may be laid-off, but you are not fired.  If you had let go due to company mergers, reorganizations, and downsizing, it’s no big deal, you can explain it.  Always say you left an employer for better opportunities.

So, the answer is simply a “No.”  If they ask “Have you ever been laid-off?”  You may explain:

“Yes, the company I worked was acquired by BeanCorp in west coast.  BeanCorp decided to close al facilities in town.  I among all of other 250 employees were laid-off.”

Do you have one or more breaks in your employment history?  If so, that might be questioned.  No matter what caused the breaks, you should not give negative reasons.  You should also mention positive activities between jobs such as taking courses or finishing your degree.

Sample Answers:

“I decided to be a stay-at-home mom for my children until they were both in school. I’ve kept my skills current by doing part-time consulting work and taking online courses in Microsoft Exchange Server Administration.  I’m ready and eager to re-enter the corporate world.”

In IT, job-hopping isn’t that unusual.  During the Internet gold rush, people hop from one place to another for pay raise; in the bad time people are often kicked around.  If your hopping history is recorded in your resume, employers may ask this question to find out if you are a quitter. No employer wants to invest time and resources in you if it appears that you have no commitment to them and will leave at the first better opportunity that comes along.

The key to answer this question is to give positive, at least acceptable reasons for frequent job changes.  Make some acceptable cases such as spouse job relocation, health issues of family members, continuing education, or things beyond your control like company downsizing/reorg.

No matter what reason you give, don’t complain about former companies or bosses.  If you did work on one or more jobs for quite long time, point it out.  Also emphasize that your current goal is to stay with your next company for a long time.

Sample Answers:

“My husband worked as an IBM consultant, the company has transferred him to different regional offices around the country during these years.  Every time IBM moved him to a new region, I’d relocate with him and find a new job. I feel this has actually been beneficial because it provided me with a broad range of experiences and expanded my knowledge and skills. He got a stable job in town this year and we’ve decided to make this area our permanent home, so I won’t be relocating again. I’m looking forward to obtaining a long-term position with a company such as yours.”

They are asking you to say some negative things about your former company or boss, but don’t say it!

Sample Answers:

“I honestly can’t think of anything about my last job that I disliked.  I really enjoy working with people there.  If they had more career advancement opportunities, I would like to stay  with them.”

Or you may say something that is no significant, and not on people:

“I’d say it was their lack of a training program. I enjoyed working there and understand they have severe budget restrictions which limited their training opportunities. That’s one of the reasons I’m so eager to work for your company. I know you have an excellent training program here. I’m always looking to improve my skills and make myself more useful.”

It’s more likely a HR or manager question.  They want to find out what type of management style you like.  It is a good time to show your generosity to give credits to your favorite boss.   Say a lot of good words for your boss, which makes you look like a great person.

Sample Answer:

“Fortunately I had a quite some good bosses, they were very supportive and helped a lot in my career.  One of my favorite boss David mentored me and made me a better employee by offering great feedback on my performance, training me in areas where I needed improvement, and encouraging me to always do my best. He gave me opportunities to prove myself and asked for my opinions on important projects. He made me feel like a valuable member of the team.”