How to get a job after being fired?

[Anonymous]

I was fired 2 months ago. Now an employment agency I have been working with said something about how my references from my previous employer are probably saying things that are hurting my chances for getting fired.

How can I turn this around? These people I worked with were my most recent employers and I don't really have any other professional references.

[Anonymous]

What was the reason for the firing?

[Anonymous]

Can you have a friend call your references and see what they are saying? Technically, they can't say anything negative unless you were fired for theft etc. They should be directing calls to HR who should be able to confirm salary and dates of employment.

If they are saying negative things, friend can remind them that they can get in trouble for that. Is this your first job out of college? How long have you been there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you have a friend call your references and see what they are saying? Technically, they can't say anything negative unless you were fired for theft etc. They should be directing calls to HR who should be able to confirm salary and dates of employment.

If they are saying negative things, friend can remind them that they can get in trouble for that. Is this your first job out of college? How long have you been there?

That's nonsense. They can say things that are true and documented.

[Anonymous]

How long were you there?

It may be better just to pretend like the job never happened. Go find another professional reference. A college professor, etc. You are starting out in a hole now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Technically, they can't say anything negative unless you were fired for theft etc.

What would possibly make you think that's true?

[Anonymous]

By dint of perseverance, my friend.
This is DH's modus operandi. He waits to get fired, then finds a new job. Since his reason to get fired always involves insisting on better research quality rather than productivity, there are always labs who are interested in him.

[Anonymous]

Step 1: remove that job from your resume. I'm assuming you were there for a year or less. Step 2
Apply to jobs. I've been fired before but that job is not on my resume. I have had 8 other jobs
since then.

[Anonymous]

Don't remove the job from your resume unless you were there < 6 months. The employment gap also opens the door to uncomfortable questions.

Do not provide the names of anyone at your former company as a reference. Let potential employers know upfront: "It was not an amicable split when I parted ways with CompanyX, and I'd prefer that you contact references from CompanyY and CompanyZ instead." If they press you on the details around why you left you can say "I am not going to disparage my former employer or talk about what happened. I'm ready to move forward."