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Home > Ask A Career Coach > Answering question regarding resume

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Answering question regarding resume

Barb S. on August 26, 2014

Interviewing

I was required by my employer to provide medical documentation regarding my health, which identified I have breast cancer and the possible treatments depending on outcome of surgery.  The day it was received, my employer indicated that it was time for my performance review & asked me to resign or he would fire me.  He would not give me any specific reasons for this.  I was given positive feedback until that day.  I had never received any indication that I was not performing job to expectations or that there were any concerns regarding my job performance. (This issue is being handled legally due to his discrimination.)  I am now unemployed. In an interview situation for a new job, how do I answer a question regarding why I left my most recent job without disclosing any of this information?




2 Comments

Leave a comment
Sarah Goodell

Sarah Goodell

Aug 27, 2014

Cancer and Careers Staff Comment:

Hi Barb,

I have sent your question off to our coaches who will be in touch soon. In the meantime, I think that reading an article on our site called "The Swivel" would be helpful in helping you to prepare an answer to why you left your most recent job. The article can be found here: http://www.cancerandcareers.org/en/looking-for-work/the-swivel

Best,

Sarah, Cancer and Career Program Coordinator


Julie Jansen

Julie Jansen

Aug 27, 2014

Career Coach Comment:

Hi Barb, First, I am so terribly sorry about what you have experienced with your former employer. I am glad that you are pursuing a legal course of action, as painful as this may be.

As for your response to the question, "Why did you leave your last job?" it is important that you come up with a succinct answer, practice it with your family and friends and internalize it. You can start with just saying that you were laid off for business reasons. Because I do not know anything about the company you worked for (industry, size, privately held vs. public) I cannot identify a reason that would make sense given these variables.

 Remember that you will always be much more concerned about getting asked this question than the person who is asking the question is about your answer. And so many people have gaps of time on their resumes as well.

Sarah is right by saying that your focus in an interview is to take any opportunity to swivel your answers back to things you can do to help the company achieve their goals and solve their problems.

Good luck!

Julie


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