Free Career and Job Search Advice

Guest · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:29 pm Post subject: laid off or fired resume tips

I have been laid off recently and was wondering how should I write about this in my cv. laid off or fired resume tips

Camilla · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 1:35 pm Post subject:

First of all, to be "laid off" and to be "fired" are two completely different things.

If a person is laid off, they've usually had to leave their job because of company closure or cut-backs. In other words, their position no longer exists.

If a person is fired, they've usually had to leave their job because the work they were producing wasn't of the standard expected by the company. Their position still exists and would have been covered by another employee.

If you've been laid off, there's absolutely no reason why you should try to cover this in your CV. These things happen. It's generally known as redundancy.

If you've been fired, however, things become more difficult.

Employers aren't overly keen to employ those who've been fired but still I wouldn't try to hide it. I'd explain exactly why this happened and what you've learned from the situation. I've certainly hired people who've been fired before, as long as I've believed they've learned from it and that they have something special to bring to our company.

~ Camilla

jflmel · Newbie Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

Country: USA

I have been laid off recently and was wondering how should I write about this in my cover letter and resume. I was with the company for 90 days, the company has lost several clients, and I was laid off due to lack of work (my former employer will explain this in a letter of recommendation). How can I explain this situation without looking unstable?

ben_wares

When I graduated college the IT market was terrible and I'd been searching for many months before interviewing for a position that was going to be eliminated and laid off after 8 months. This job required me to move to a remote area, away from my friends and family. I took the job because I had to pay my bills and I figured that a soon-to-be laid off job was better than nothing. Before that position ended I was offered a job in the same town, but going in I told them that I was going to relocate as soon as possible and I would take the job for six months till the end of my apartment lease. After six months I finally found a contract job, 1 hour closer to my family and I kept this for one year, till the contract ended. After my contract ended I started a new job in my hometown (a metro area) and was told that the company was doing well, but after 9 months there I was 1 of 5 that were laid off due to corporate downsizing.
Given the chance to explain this to a recruiter or during an interview, my experiences are understandable. However, just looking at my resume with jobs since college for: 8 months, 6 months, 1 year, 9 months, I do not look good or stable. I was never fired and I did do quite a lot in each position.

My question is, how can I either put my "reason for leaving" for each position in my resume or cover letter to explain this so that I would be able to have the chance to explain it during an interview?
Cover letters are generally read after a resume, so I am also wondering if I could put this somewhere around my employment dates on my resume.?

All help and suggestions is greatly appreciated!

C_Vaughan · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 4:34 am Post subject:

Most employers understand that reductions in force (RIF's) or layoffs are a part of business. From time to time, you will get an employer who is unwilling to take a chance on someone who has been laid off, but most employers know that markets change and reductions happen.

List your employment just as it is. In your cover letter, you can explain the reason for not being with the employer any longer and turn it into a positive. State that you are looking for an opportunity to work for a company who has a solid history and a future of growth and opportunity.

Be creative. Just tell the truth and spin it as well as possible. Smile

~C. Vaughan

KA · Expert Joined: 26 Mar 2006 Posts: 226 Career Advice: +2/-0

If you have been laid off, I suggest you leave it out of your resume & out of your cover letter. You will be in better position to explain it at the interview. If you have to fill out an application form & they ask for reason for leaving, you can put something like company closed down or workforce reduced from 150 to 50 (depending on what actually happened.

Being laid off is certainly not the same as being fired, as being laid usually has nothing to do with your performance.


	CvTips.com is a complete job search info centre. CV, Cover Letter and Interview guide. Here you can find CV Examples and information on how to write a CV.	Join our Newsletter Email:

Join our Newsletter
CopyRight © 1999-2008 cvtips.com This material cannot be published under any form or condition.