Ask-A-Career-Coach: How Do I Talk About Being Laid Off In The Job Interview?

Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart

While layoffs are more common and carry less stigma, it is still true that employers generally prefer employed candidates to unemployed. So you need to be truthful and acknowledge the layoff, but you don’t need to dwell on it. In fact, you want to move away from the topic quickly and refocus back on the positive aspects of your career. A good way to structure what you should talk about is to take your cues from the employed candidates:

Employed people have current skills and expertise. Talk about what you’ve done and learned since the layoff. Give the impression that you are still an insider and can hit the ground running in your next position.

Employed people know people. Emphasize your network, especially if you are seeking a client-facing role. You want to reassure your prospective employer that you can contribute access and relationships.

Employed people have competitive intelligence. Research your sector so you can also speak to what competitors are doing and thinking. It is a myth that just because you are currently employed, you know your sector better. In fact, most employees are probably too busy to see outside of their individual work responsibilities. So take advantage of your time off to get to know the major competitors in your target field.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm comprised exclusively of former Fortune 500 recruiters. Prior to launching SixFigureStart, Caroline recruited for Accenture, Booz Allen, Citigroup, Disney ABC, Oliver Wyman, Time Inc, TV Guide and others. You can reach Caroline at caroline@sixfigurestart.com.