Can you tell me why you left your last job?
Ah, ah.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Chances are, you or someone you know
has been affected by layoff at some point.
And being laid off is never easy,
but it shouldn't hold you back when going for your next gig.
In this video, we're going to walk
through how to best navigate interviewing for a new job
after being laid off.
Can you tell me why you left your last job?
Sure.
I had been in my last role for two years,
but my time there came to a close
for reasons out of my control.
That said, I'm excited to put that behind me
and move on to my next chapter.
Can you explain a little more about the situation?
I was laid off.
When interviewing, you don't need
to shy away from talking about being laid off.
Be straight up about it, and make
sure your tone remains positive.
Remember, layoffs are common, and employers are generally
understanding about them.
But it's how you talk about it that
will set the tone for the rest of the interview.
Let's see that again.
So can you tell me why you left your last job?
Of course.
I had a great two years in that position
and I learned so much about the industry.
Unfortunately, I was let go as part of a company wide cost
cutting effort, about 20% of the entire headcount
was laid off because of it.
But before that happened, I was able to lean into project
managing during my time there.
I'm confident that those skills will lend themselves
to this position, and I'm really excited to learn more about it.
There we go.
That was fantastic.
Whenever you talk about a layoff,
it's OK to share any numbers or percentages
you have so the interviewer can better understand the context.
If you are a part of only a handful of people
let go, say, from a small company,
it's OK to say that too.
All in all, an interviewer will appreciate your honesty.
Once you mention the layoff though, don't linger on it.
Instead, bring the conversation back
to your readiness for the job you're interviewing for.
Now, depending on the amount of time that has passed,
there could be a gap in your resume.
And you might be wondering, what if they ask about that?
Let's take a look.
I'm seeing that you left your last position
about four months ago.
What have you been doing in the meantime?
After I was laid off, I had three months severance,
which was nice.
So once that time ran out, I started looking for something
to do next.
Look, taking some time to yourself after getting laid off
is totally fine, especially if you're
financially able to do so, but don't just gloss over it.
If you have a gap on your resume,
talk about that experience and how you've benefited from it.
Something more like this.
I'm seeing that you finish your most recent job
about four months ago.
What have you been doing in the meantime?
I'm very fortunate that my layoff came with three months
severance.
That time really allowed me to not only recharge myself,
but also it gave me the ability to spend some time networking.
I was able to tap some old connections,
and I even made some new ones.
It was through one of those conversations
actually that I learned about this company.
I was excited to see this position open
because I think it really speaks to my strengths
and where I'd like to pick back up with my career.
Yes, how great was that.
If you have a gap in your resume because of a layoff,
an interviewer will want to see how you
use that time to your benefit.
You may have picked up contract work,
you may have taken an online course,
or like in this scenario, you may
have grown your professional network
in pursuit of the next step.
However you spent the time, discuss
what you learned from it and how that motivated you
to keep pursuing your career.
Speaking of, the final response to prepare,
is why you want this job specifically.
Why do you want this job?
When I saw the listing, I thought
it felt similar to what I was doing before so it
would be an easy transition.
I liked my last job so I think I would like this too.
Well, this response is pretty lackluster.
An interviewer wants to know you're
committed to growing at the company, that's
especially true if you're interviewing
after being laid off.
And fundamentally, you'll be interviewing
because you need the work.
But you should absolutely talk about the specifics
of the job itself, and why it's the right one for your career
trajectory.
Let's do that one more time.
So why do you want this job?
I'm so glad you asked me that.
As I mentioned earlier, in my last position
I had the opportunity to delve more into project management.
Thinking about it over the last few months
and having some of those networking conversations,
I feel that it's a lane I'm ready to go down further.
I know that this role based on the title and description,
would give me that opportunity.
I have seen a lot of this company's work,
and think it really speaks to my core values.
It's definitely the kind of work I'm
looking to do moving forward with my career.
What, bravo.
What a knock out answer.
When an interviewer asks why you want the job,
they want to know that you're after more
than just a paycheck.
This is especially true if you're interviewing
after being laid off.
Make sure you've done your research on the company as well
as the position.
Explain how the role will play to your strengths,
and that you are committed to growing at the company.
If you've been let go from a job,
don't be discouraged when heading
into your next interview.
Just remember, don't shy away from talking about it,
be honest, and keep it positive.
And once it's out of the way, spend
the rest of the interview focused on what's ahead.
And offer will be headed your way in no time.
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Time there.
And I am confident that those skills will blend them.
OK, thats great.
[BLEEP]
[CHATTER]
Yes, I am.
She did more than I would have done.
[LAUGS]
[BLEEP]