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Need some advice on how to approach this.
My daughter has had a bit of a rude awakening.
She is 23, this was her first job after studying in uni to get a Masters degree.
She has a bit of an attitude problem, nothing horrendously bad, but can lack some tact at times.
Unfortunately she was dismissed from her job under a disciplinary hearing after only 5 weeks in the job.
She has learnt a hard lesson, but obviously can't just forget about getting another job due to this.
So, how does she approach the obvious question in the next interviews?
I have said that she should be upfront and explain how she has learnt her lesson and that she is willing to take the previous criticisms onboard.
Any advice appreciated.
What was she dismissed for?
Could she bend it that she left on mutual terms as it wasn't a good fit, still in probation etc.. was she actually stacked or did they just say sorryq, your still on probation, jog on?
Can she just not mention that job and say she was on holiday for five weeks instead?
My approach would be to admit it but to play it down
" I got a job at this place, it didn't work out and after 5 weeks I left with mutual consent as it became clear that this was not the job for me and that I didn't fit in with the company"
Few years time just lose it from the CV
Be honest, but not too honest and don't slate the previous employer.
People don't always get on with other people and she found out sooner rather than later.
She doesn't need to say any more that it just didn't work out, it was one of those things. She could expand and say that although a surprising situation that she's learnt a few thing about herself, such as (fill in the blanks to demonstrate that she really has learnt something).
Good luck.
"Bit of an attitude problem"? As a graduate getting fired 5 weeks out of Uni is pretty special. I'd suggest she properly works out where she went wrong before even thinking of applying for another serious job or it's just gonna to happen again. Once you can probbaly pass of as a personality clash or whatever, twice would be very hard to come back from.
Competence issues, she did struggle with the workload. it was a 4 day a week job. She was still working at home on the fifth day to prepare for events etc.
The job was caring for public health and involved mainly elderly people.
The other charge was lack of confidentiality.
She broke down on one occasion due to the pressures of work and organisation.
Wasn't an easy time for her.
There were volunteers which helped with the workload, but one of them made sexual comments to her. She reported this, didn't receive too much support, but she did report this. The chap who made the comments was dismissed.
This didn't help in the pressure and anxiety stakes etc.
She is also not obliged to ask the last manager for a reference, choose someone else
Also was it a stop gap job or a hopeful carrear?
I'd be tempted to forget she had the job, of for example she got sacked for being a gobshite..
Competence issues, she did struggle with the workload. it was a 4 day a week job. She was still working at home on the fifth day to prepare for events etc.
The job was caring for public health and involved mainly elderly people.The other charge was lack of confidentiality.
She broke down on one occasion due to the pressures of work and organisation.Wasn't an easy time for her.
There were volunteers which helped with the workload, but one of them made sexual comments to her. She reported this, didn't receive too much support, but she did report this. The chap who made the comments was dismissed.
This didn't help in the pressure and anxiety stakes etc.
I'd be going along the lines of job not suitable (depending on degree and career she wants), left by mutual consent. And nothing more.
Doesn't really sound like she has any problems, but you know her better, of course.
First job after Uni and left after 5 weeks?
Well, why bring it up.. left by mutual consent is favoured at this point. She'll get another job, and another, and another etc. Soon she'll be like the rest of us and not really GAS about how many jobs she's had.
Attitude issues.
Well I'm 61 now, and retired from work about 18 months ago.
Had plenty of young graduates work for me.
Gave them a chance, even those with "attitude issues". I think we forget what we were like when we were younger.
A quiet word and reigning in always worked for me. She didn't have the benefit of someone as enlightened / soft ( insert as applicable), as me.
Obviously I'm biased, but everyone needs a second chance.
I'd be tempted to simply not update my CV if I were her, assuming she left full-time education in the summer.
Is she now going for similar roles?
Also, she has a Masters in Public Health, so really needs to work in something related.
The problem for her is that the related jobs are all sort of connected.
I will sit down with her prior to the interview next week.
For me, when I interviewed people, honesty was always the best policy. If I found out after the event, then I would question their honesty and integrity.
No chance would I mention that job or put on my CV, just wipe from CV and say you have been travelling etc. Why dig a pit by mentioning it.
Why dig a pit by mentioning it.
Because if it comes up later it could result in a second dismissal or retraction of a job offer for a material non disclosure, could be viewed as dishonesty and in a healthcare related role would I expect be a far bigger issue. I know in my job (financial oriented) you'd be in deep do do for failing to disclose if caught.
I would downplay it, as an interviewer any mention of lack of confidentiality would be a massive red flag I'm afraid.
I guess it depends on what field she wants to move into in the future i guess
Because if it comes up later it could result in a second dismissal or retraction of a job offer for a material non disclosure
and how is that likely ? There is no requirement to list all jobs ? I have left a short 3 month contract job off my CV and never cropped up 😛
Denis99 - Member
Attitude issues.
Well I'm 61 now, and retired from work about 18 months ago.
Had plenty of young graduates work for me.
Gave them a chance, even those with "attitude issues". I think we forget what we were like when we were younger.
A quiet word and reigning in always worked for me. She didn't have the benefit of someone as enlightened / soft ( insert as applicable), as me.
Obviously I'm biased, but everyone needs a second chance.
She should not worry too much or get affected by the situation. Learn from the experience. Sort them just move on if she is unhappy about the job or who she works with. Life is too short to be unhappy.
However, she needs to learn quick and drop the attitude or grow thick skin otherwise she would be easy target from work pressure and office politics.
Bloody hell retire at 61! ... me mate just got a full time job age 60 after years of part-time work. 😯
Oh ya ... if she cannot get a stable job by the time she is 36 then her career is practically over.
Learn, move on and find another job or work for daddy. 🙂
Don't lie in the CV but play down the situation. During the interview she should tell the interviewers what she has learned from the experience and would never let it happens again ... something like that with sugar on top.
I go with the 'just didn't work out' approach. Whilst it is admirable to admit her mistakes - encouraging the interviewers to dwell/focus on it might be an error.
jamj1974 - MemberI go with the 'just didn't work out' approach. Whilst it is admirable to admit her mistakes - encouraging the interviewers to dwell/focus on it might be an error.
^^^ This.
Don't even mention the previous job. Ensure she has learnt from it and move on.
Will a new employer see evidence of the job from tax documents etc?
Depends on the screening process, we will ask people to account for any gaps as it does flag with our security people
Depends on the screening process, we will ask people to account for any gaps as it does flag with our security people
chill out man. Do you work for MI5 or something ? She is a 23yr old graduate just starting out, the idea is to get another job not **** up the next interview.
As a graduate getting fired 5 weeks out of Uni is pretty special.
Not that special. Many graduates are idiots these days (not talking about the OP's daughter BTW). We take on a lot of graduates, we've had everything from them turning up to work pissed in their 1st week, not turning up at all cos they're on holiday, charging huge expenses to jobs for nights down the pub etc. If we weren't such a forgiving employer then I reckon half of them would be gone after a couple of months.
Thanks for the advice from everyone.
I will have a long chat with her tomorrow, off out for a gentle ride around some fire roads and some tea and cake.
Retired at 60.
Work is so overrated, and so last year
Sorry dude, but it's the truth we will ask for any gaps to be accounted for, don't like that then tough.
And no i don't work for any of the security services but our screening process is stringent
Grahamt
You are not alone our checks are similarly stringent and I'm not MI5 either.
Dweller, Garage-Dweller
Now to get Mrs CurrencyPound to make me a Cinzano Bianco mistaken not slurred
Just say it was a temp role, she wanted to try it and wasn't for her.
Christ I've got friends I went to uni with who have lied about getting a 2:1 when they just scraped a 2:2. As long as she's confident and has her story straight she'll be fine.
If its healthcare related the screening will be much more stringent than other jobs and if caught omitting it would lead to dismissal on the spot
If dealing with public sure but less so higher up which is where a master's degree should be. I have 2 CSEs so I should know.
Yes, the screening is very thorough for these positions.
Can't see how my daughter can get around what happened.
It will come up in the interview, bound to ask why she left after such a short period of time.
If she attempts to decline to mention in the interview, then the screening will show it up, this will probably look worse than just admitting it in the first place.
By discussing it in the interview she will have an opportunity to explain in a rational manner.
Just needs another chance really, she has learnt a tough lesson.
Denis - that sounds like the best option to me
Answer the questions asked in the interview. Don't go searching to bring it up, when asked explaining how it didn't work out etc. Not as expected, both happy to walk away etc. It's easy to get rid of somebody in 5 weeks. If it was after 1 year I'd be more worried.