I was fired for attendance problems- how should I discuss at job interviews?

Question

I was terminated 'cause there were several days where I was not PROMPTLY on time. I worked with children at a hospital and sessions were at 8:30 & you were required to be there 30min before to set up, and basically I was getting there between 8 and 8:15 or sometimes closer to 8:20, and I was pretty stupid because I got warned a couple times, however I never thought it would come down to me getting fired. I was however a good employee, I got along with everyone, was good with the kids, knew what I was doing, and all that good stuff. SO I have a job interview coming up and I KNOW that I am very qualified for the position, and it's a position I REALLY want (I didn't even LIKE my last job anyway- blessing in disguise?). And if it wasn't for the attendance problems, I would be confident that I would get the job. My problem is how should I discuss firing in the interview? I read that you should bring it up before they even ask you but also you should not ever say you had attendance problems.

Answer 1

Do not bring it up unless asked.

Your former employer BY LAW is only allowed to verify the dates of employment, position and compensation....that is LAW.

However....some employers will take liberties and attempt to blacken your name.

Have a friend call your former employer under the guise of a hiring manager for XYZ company...and have them ask about your employment etc. You will then have a heads up on the type of answer/reference your former boss is handing out to the people calling in. It is better to know up front than not at all...

Best of Luck.
BTW...take the lesson learned from your experience and avoid making the same mistake at your next place of employment.

Answer 2

They will ask your past employer would they hire you again. The employer will say "No". That is all the old employer should say on the subject. You will be asked for a job history. On that you will be asked why you left. If you put down terminated you will be asked why and they will hold it against you. The truth is that you are an attendance risk. Does telling them that help you to get a job? I don't think so. Best suggestion, assuming you feel you have to be forthcoming is to list reason for leaving as "Employer inflexible to personal needs." It will at least put matters in to your perspective. You left because they valued promptness more than service. Yes, you were repeatedly late for work, but; that was it. If you have any documentation that substantiates your claims, a review perhaps, then take it with you. Personally, I would not say anything and hope that my skills are better than the other candidates.

Answer 3

If (and only if) you are asked why you left your previous job, you must tell the truth. Practice some ways to communicate the truth and also what you have done to remedy the situation. That is truth also. An example: "I was terminated from XYZ company for a poor attendance record. I have determined to correct this fault, and now I get up 1/2 hour earlier to make sure I get to work on time." Another way to prove you've corrected your problem is to arrive at all your interviews AT LEAST 15 minutes early. You have to demonstrate that you are prompt right from the beginning.

Answer 4

I would be honest about it. Talk about what you've learned. How you have matured. What is different about you now. Emphasize your other strengths. Don't make excuses or try to explain why you were late. Admit responsibility and focus on what you've done to change.

Show up and be super-professional at your interview. If you are one second late, forget it. In fact if you aren't ten minutes early, forget it. You have to prove by actions - not words - that you have learned that lesson.

And once you have a job, never be late again. Even if it means you are way early. Learn to use your time better and think about your future. Is 30 minutes of sleep or a couple hours extra partying the night before (if that's the problem), really worth forfeiting your reputation and career?

Take charge of your life and make it what you want it!

Good luck!

Answer 5

Just learn from this. Obviously you are very upset but employers mean EXACTLY what they say and they'll just get someone who WILL DO EXACTLY what they say.
Always allow for transit time especially if you ride a bus or depend on a friend.
Hospitals like to charge for parking unless one is a doctor so work that out so that does not make you late.
I would not mention the firing or eben the job if I could overlap previous employment because gossips will tell the new employer every little thing that ever happened where you were fired.

Answer 6

Don't think that your past empoyer cannot tell what the issue was.They can tell the truth but...........Many companies will not tell or have a policy of not telling simply because you have a legal right to sue if they slander you- in other words the past employer simply cannot say anything that was untrue or exagerrate or you have the right to sue him-- so most major employeers avoid giving explicit bad references-

It is an urban legand that it is against thelaw to give a bad reference -- there just are stiff guidlines aabout how and what it can entail.. the fact that your issues were documented and can be proven in a court means they can talk about i..

Do your self a favor when it ocmes up about why you left yourlast job- be short sweet and honest ( like your expalnation above) and tell them that you realize the need to approach your next clock in time differently . As an employer that is what i would want to hear an know.

Answer 7

This is a hard one dude, first rule of thumb, when you get another job, be on time! Employers understand the fact that some days you will be late, sick, and things do happen, but if it constant, then you are basically telling them, i can come and go as i please and you need to deal with it. Not the kind of image you should have when your on someone elses job. You can either come up with a good exuse, not say anything, or tell the truth, its your call. Sometimes you avoid all of this by giving them a number of someone that can give you a good reference that works in that office, or dont even use them as a recent job

Answer 8

Bringing up that you've been fired without even being asked means then that you have to say why you were fired- A job interview consists basically of you selling yourself to a prospective employer-convincing them to hire you because you'd be an asset so why would you volunteer being fired and for not coming to work on time -not coming to work on time is a big deal for you're being paid from the time you're supposed to be at work
You can give your job at the hospital as employment reference but but because of privacy laws the hospital is not allowed to state you've been fired or why unless you sign disclosure statement-you can state you felt it was time for you to move on etc skirt around it but you 're intending to do is a sure way not to get hired. Good Luck and hoe you learned that when you accept employment you also agree to start at the time the employer says.

Answer 9

I would agree with the last one about not mentioning it unless asked. Hopefully, you will be more responsible with this job. Working with children is a big responsibility and you do need to be on time for certain things. If that is not possible, you should get a more flexible type of job.. That's what I would do.. personally. Especially when you have your own family and need the flexibiilty. If it comes up, try to express remorse as if you learned from your mistake? That is a hard question..

Answer 10

I would agree with the last one about not mentioning it unless asked. Hopefully, you will be more responsible with this job. Working with children is a big responsibility and you do need to be on time for certain things. If that is not possible, you should get a more flexible type of job.. That's what I would do.. personally. Especially when you have your own family and need the flexibiilty. If it comes up, try to express remorse as if you learned from your mistake? That is a hard question..

Answer 11

If asked about attendance, you could say you had problems getting there on time , but my bosses were notified that at my interview for that job before you started it. Just state that you mentioned that there would be times you would be late getting to work.( that will also discredit your former employer) and they will not consider these actions in the interview process , unless you were constantly late for every job you ever had in your life. Then you might have a problem!