Dear Annie:
Please settle an argument. A friend says that if you were let go from a job because of a major blowup with a boss, you should not admit it in job interviews or you'll be seen as a "problem employee." I say it's better to explain what happened as fairly and accurately as possible, and then move on. Who is right?
Frankie
Dear Frankie:
You are. If the only three things that matter in real estate are location, location, location, in job interviews it's "disclosure, disclosure, disclosure," says Robert Damon, president for North America of executive recruiting powerhouse Korn/Ferry International. "Conflicts and disagreements pop up in business all the time. As long as you give a balanced picture of what the disagreement was about, it's unlikely an interviewer will hold this against you." The same goes for having been fired for cause.
Rather than hire "perfect people who've never made a mistake or failed at anything, most employers would rather have someone who has made mistakes and learned from them," says Damon. "Otherwise, you don't know how someone will react to adversity—which is inevitable, sooner or later." Alas.
Still, it seems your friend has plenty of company. In May, when Korn/Ferry surveyed 300 headhunters worldwide, 69% gave "reason for leaving prior job" as the single most fibbed-about topic among executive job candidates. A close second, at 68%: "results [and] accomplishments." Hmm. Coincidence?
Fortune Magazine
