Free Career and Job Search Advice

[kittkatt]

Hi there.. the long and short of it was my boss, a veterinarian was a drug addict. The clinic staff had to arrange with the veterinary association to have an intervention. Apparently we weren't the first group in that same clinic to have to do that!!
Intervention was done, he went into rehab for a month and spent a few more months off work. Upon return, myself and the other clinic vet, had control of the narcotics.. meaning, he didn't have access to them, we did.

Fast forward to September, he claimed his doctor okayed him having his narcotics keys back, which I gave back as I did not want confrontation, and I felt after that..my days would be numbered there. Three weeks later, I am let go with "things just weren't working out".. no other reason given

So.... now I know where I want to work, my CV/references are ready etc...and I'm not staying in the vet business. I just need help with that inevitable question if and when it comes up...employers always ask why you left your last job.

A close friend had just reminded me that I did mention to the boss that I was willing to take less hours and go back to school part time, a couple of months before this happened. Perhaps the boss could have thought I wasn't it in for the long term and let me go due to that. Especially as he was looking for another staffer and had a ton of resumes on his desk? Is that a legitimate sounding reason to be let go??

Initially, he was very supportive of that as another coworker had just done the exact same thing.... but sadly, he fell off the wagon and got back into the drugs again

And I know I cannot say anything negative. If anyone has any thoughts, ideas or suggestions that would be great. Thank-you in advance!

[julian]

No matter the situation, you should tell the truth to your prospective employer, because, sooner or later he will probably find out about everything and it is better to know the things just the way they were. I'm thinking you also need some references from the previous work place so....you know.
There is one thing you can state though.....You can either say you don't knw the real reson for which you were being laid off, meaning you suspect something (and relate the interpersonal conflict with the drugs and all and how your being fired could be a reminescence of that issue) or, you can mention that even if at first your previous boss agreed that you can take part time school hours and then he changed his mind.
Good luck!

[safri]

Well, future employers do not really need to know the reason for which you have been fired, but if you're being asked, you might as well tell the truth. But you must take into account some tips, suggestions and some no-nos. YOu can have a look at this article on this very site to see what I mean:

http://www.cvtips.com/justification_for_being_fired_interview.html