FML- I burst into tears in a job interview for something I really wanted

[Anonymous]

OP, were you a 1099 contractor or an employee with benefits?

It is very odd to not have allowed you to stay on the website for a bit while you look, I'm so sorry, that would have been helpful.

Any interviewer is going to want to talk with them. I'd reach out to your old boss to clarify what they may say. I might have a friend cold call for a reference check before having someone from a job you really want call them.

If that seems like it is going to be a problem, you mentioned building your own consulting practice?

[Anonymous]

Op here- yes, I am getting unemployment and was laid off, not fired. It was just such a bizarre situation with zero closure. Let go on a weekend afternoon (NYE-is there a tax break or something for not carrying an employee into the new year?) via email. Then the following week another email asking me to ship the phone and computer back. I shipped it and sent the receipt. Have not been reimbursed, never got a phone call from anyone, that was it, no further communication at all. i did not get to wrap up with clients or coworkers....just nothing. I was completely plucked out of the life I lived 40+ hours per week for 6 years. It has been so jarring.

But I completely agree that I have awkwardness surrounding the end of the job because there has been no communication and I do not understand it myself let alone to a degree that I can explain it to someone I'm trying to impress during an interview. The interviewer asked why the role ended and I said that after building that sector of the company I was no longer needed and she asked if my severance package came with any specific noncompete timelines or stipulations and I said no that's not applicable and then she looked at me and asked if I received a notice/severance package and I said no and she (understandably) began prodding to understand if I was fired I'm assuming, but I was just giving all of the information I had which I know it is strange. I felt like a complete moron. In my personal life, I am so detail oriented, articulate, and on the ball, but man, this situation has just fried my brain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here- yes, I am getting unemployment and was laid off, not fired. It was just such a bizarre situation with zero closure. Let go on a weekend afternoon (NYE-is there a tax break or something for not carrying an employee into the new year?) via email. Then the following week another email asking me to ship the phone and computer back. I shipped it and sent the receipt. Have not been reimbursed, never got a phone call from anyone, that was it, no further communication at all. i did not get to wrap up with clients or coworkers....just nothing. I was completely plucked out of the life I lived 40+ hours per week for 6 years. It has been so jarring.

But I completely agree that I have awkwardness surrounding the end of the job because there has been no communication and I do not understand it myself let alone to a degree that I can explain it to someone I'm trying to impress during an interview. The interviewer asked why the role ended and I said that after building that sector of the company I was no longer needed and she asked if my severance package came with any specific noncompete timelines or stipulations and I said no that's not applicable and then she looked at me and asked if I received a notice/severance package and I said no and she (understandably) began prodding to understand if I was fired I'm assuming, but I was just giving all of the information I had which I know it is strange. I felt like a complete moron. In my personal life, I am so detail oriented, articulate, and on the ball, but man, this situation has just fried my brain.

Next time, just say “no I don’t have a non-compete”.

[Anonymous]

OP I have no advice other than I would assume you won't get an offer and to not apologize (because you probably won't get an offer). Move onward and upward.

Quite frankly, I would not want to work for this person anyway. I know you said it's a great next step, but anyone willing to speak that rudely to a candidate...imagine how they would speak to you when you are actually an employer. Beating a dead horse repeatedly after someone says they were laid off and telling them you don't trust them is an a-hole move. Fwiw, I have actually been fired - not laid off, literally fired - and people did not speak to me the way you described this CEO speaking to you when I was interviewing. I would just give a vague answer when they asked why I wasn't working, I think I said that I was hired to build a certain program and we just realized it wasn't a good fit (which wasn't a lie, they did discontinue the program after firing me) blah blah blah. No one pushed further.

I personally would've just asked you what happened and if I doubted the veracity of your story I would've asked for your former supervisor's name and contact info for a reference check.

Lastly, I just wanted to say don't beat yourself up over an emotional response to a stressful situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of position are you in that your interviewer was the CEO but you weren’t offered severance at your past company?

+1. OP’s story is too wild to be true

How so? You think everyone gets severance? Or that a CEO doesn’t interview for higher level positions at smaller firms?

Get out of your bubble.

No, just speaking from experience/reality. CEO isn’t going to do an interview for Sally staff person. This must be a higher level position even if it is in a very small company… if a higher level person is let go without any severance that’s a firing. I don’t see anything wrong with what the CEO did. Sounds like OP is not telling the truth and the person interviewing her wanted to get to the bottom of it. Her bursting into tears and emotional instability told him all he needed to know.

I interviewed for a IC role at a 10 year old private company with about 500 employees and indefinitely interviews with CEO. I would have had a manager, director, and VP between my role and him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's very odd she would be this concerned about 2 weeks of unemployment.

I think two weeks of unemployment is more suspicious than three months. It indicates an abrupt departure with no severance, which usually means fired.

If you were just shopping for a new job, you would remain employed while doing it. If you were laid off, you would have some severance time to really collect and think before applying.

That’s ridiculous. As soon as I was laid off I would hen sending out all the resumes. Maybe you have some rich parents who will pay your mortgage, but the rest of us are staring at a ticking bomb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's very odd she would be this concerned about 2 weeks of unemployment.

I think two weeks of unemployment is more suspicious than three months. It indicates an abrupt departure with no severance, which usually means fired.

If you were just shopping for a new job, you would remain employed while doing it. If you were laid off, you would have some severance time to really collect and think before applying.

That’s ridiculous. As soon as I was laid off I would hen sending out all the resumes. Maybe you have some rich parents who will pay your mortgage, but the rest of us are staring at a ticking bomb.

This. I don't know a single person who has just waited around doing nothing while living off severance. I got a month's severance and I spent that month applying for jobs. I got laid off on a Friday and by that Monday morning I was already applying to jobs left and right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here- yes, I am getting unemployment and was laid off, not fired. It was just such a bizarre situation with zero closure. Let go on a weekend afternoon (NYE-is there a tax break or something for not carrying an employee into the new year?) via email. Then the following week another email asking me to ship the phone and computer back. I shipped it and sent the receipt. Have not been reimbursed, never got a phone call from anyone, that was it, no further communication at all. i did not get to wrap up with clients or coworkers....just nothing. I was completely plucked out of the life I lived 40+ hours per week for 6 years. It has been so jarring.

But I completely agree that I have awkwardness surrounding the end of the job because there has been no communication and I do not understand it myself let alone to a degree that I can explain it to someone I'm trying to impress during an interview. The interviewer asked why the role ended and I said that after building that sector of the company I was no longer needed and she asked if my severance package came with any specific noncompete timelines or stipulations and I said no that's not applicable and then she looked at me and asked if I received a notice/severance package and I said no and she (understandably) began prodding to understand if I was fired I'm assuming, but I was just giving all of the information I had which I know it is strange. I felt like a complete moron. In my personal life, I am so detail oriented, articulate, and on the ball, but man, this situation has just fried my brain.

Next time, just say “no I don’t have a non-compete”.

I think this is good advice, keep it short and simple.

Glad you are getting unemployment, OP, that helps a little.

Pulling for you and looking forward to cheering on your job hunt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here- should I follow up via email and apologize for my emotional reaction?

Email maybe but do not apologize. What are you emailing for?

[Anonymous]

OP, you've got this project. I'm impressed you got an interview in two weeks. Your credentials must be really good.

Keep pressing forward.

OP a lot of companies are laying people off now. There was several articles in the WSJ today. Don't be embarrassed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of position are you in that your interviewer was the CEO but you weren’t offered severance at your past company?

+1. OP’s story is too wild to be true

A lot of tiny companies have CEOs.

[Anonymous]

OP, A lot of companies don't give severance or severance or even severance paperwork.

Keep pressing forward.

I've infamously left interviews in tears also. One was at a company I really wanted to work for. The interviewers were combative to me.

Stay strong.

[Anonymous]

Your prior company sounds like they are having financial issues. Since you worked for them for 6 years, have to spoken to other employees for their input?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your prior company sounds like they are having financial issues. Since you worked for them for 6 years, have to spoken to other employees for their input?

I was wondering this as well. What do your coworkers say? I’m really sorry this happened and I think I to the point follow up to the CEO may be worth it. And now you will be prepared for questions like that next time and have answers prepared. If you got an interview this quickly you must have sought after skills so way to go, you will land on your feet. But I know you have a nanny you’re unsure what to do about etc and it’s very stressful!

[Anonymous]

Haven’t read entire thread.

I’d forward her the email from the company thanking you. And in that email express your interest in the role.

I hope you’ve applied for unemployment. That email is proof you weren’t fired for cause.