explaining last job

[txsportsscribe]

what's the best way to handle the reason for leaving your last job in a case where employer fought against you receiving unemployment benefits but the state workforce commission sided with you and awarded benefits?

even though i "won" my case, i can see where a potential employer would shy away from the drama even when the potential employee was in the right. and i know most companies nowadays just give employment dates out of fear of being sued, but smaller papers with no human relations department don't always play by the same rules.

 

[TwoGloves]

"Honest, I was justified in lunging over the desk at my boss with a pair of scissors in my hand."

 

[zebracoy]

Tell them what happened? That seems like a good idea. If there's no shenanigans, you're fine.

 

[Clever username]

Why'd you get the can?

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

What do the unemployment benefits have to do with you leaving the job?

 

[EE94]

hate to say it, but you are right to be concerned.

Definitely work on a short and succinct explanation that invites nor needs any further follow-up, but be prepared in case they have found something out.

Don't lie, but don't necessarily volunteer full disclosure

 

[JayFarrar]

Some work applications ask if you have received unemployment in the last 12 months.
Don't lie.
Most papers, most places are full of people who have bad work experiences at one point or the other. Just say that you had a personality clash or that it wasn't a good fit or that it was some sort of downsizing and leave it at that.
If pressed say that you received unemployment. That implies getting fired or laid off. People who quit, who resign, they don't qualify.

 

[Cadet]

I agree with EE. It's always concerning.

Practice giving a stock response ("There was a legal situation which has since been resolved by the state in my favor."), and then practice your follow-up explanation. Feel free to include some personal assessment in the follow-up, such as "I was proud of myself that I took action in a situation where, ultimately, the state sided with me. It was important to me that I did what was right."

I was in a situation where I left a non-media employer after only three months when I found out they were engaged in illegal practices. The CEO was later indicted by the state's attorney general. But it was hard to explain that. When the question was asked, I have always used a "look at my strong, moral character" response and took the opportunity to teach them something about me.

 

[ColbertNation]

I had a bad experience at my first job, and I found the best way of dealing with it was to disclose as much as possible to prospective employers. The way I see it, they're most likely going to find out about it anyway. I'd rather they hear about it from me first.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

Tell them what happened? That seems like a good idea. If there's no shenanigans, you're fine.

Hey Farva, what's the name of that place with all of the stuff on the wall and the great burgers?

 

[mustangj17]

Someone is going to get pistol whipped.

 

[slappy4428]

"Honest, I was justified in lunging over the desk at my boss with a pair of scissors in my hand."

Hmmm, ain't no place like the Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun, is there....

 

[WriteThinking]

As TheSportsPredictor said, no one will care whether you have received unemployment benefits or not. And they won't hold it against you if you did.

What they'll want to know is why, and what happened, as honestly and completely as is possible.

You should tell them, preferably without making the story into a whole sorry, woe-is-me saga, although that may not be always be possible because, unfortunately, a short, stock answer probably won't do it if your interviewers are editors who also were ever reporters at all worth their salt.

It will probably be hard to get past such a response without any probing, so I think it's better to be prepared to launch into a clear, fairly complete explanation that covers what you understood to be the primary factors or problem issues -- for both you and the other person or persons who had problems with or fired you.

Then, you may have to just trust that, eventually, someone will be able see past the problem situation.

They will be able to do that either because they believe you to be past it, or because they understand clearly and agree completely with your explanation and come down on your side of things, or else, because they've decided that they believe in you, your work and the way you've presented yourself enough that they're willing to take a chance, and give you one, too.