Answering 4 Tough Job Interview Questions About Your Layoff

Answering 4 Tough Job Interview Questions About Your Layoff Answering 4 Tough Job Interview Questions About Your Layoff Job interviews are tough enough as it is, but when you’re coming off of a layoff, you can feel even more stressed out. As much as you would rather avoid the entire conversation altogether, you’re inevitably going to have to talk about it during your job interview. Ace your interview by learning how to answer these four  tough job interview questions about your layoff. Q: “Why was your job eliminated?” By asking this question, your interviewer is getting right down to business. You can’t just answer an off-handed, “I was laid off from my job” because without a doubt, your interviewer is going to want to know why. So tell him only what he needs to know- and no more. A: “I was laid off from my previous position due to budget cuts. Although I was saddened to leave a position I truly enjoyed for three years, I am proud of all the work I accomplished while working there.” Q: “How many other people were laid off with you?” In this question, the recruiter might be trying to figure out if you were let go with a bunch of other employees- or if it was just you. If it was only you, he might assume that your layoff was more performance-based than due to financial reasons. A: “I was let go along with four other people from my department. Even though my boss fought to keep us, ultimately the company needed to decrease the amount of full-time salaried staffers, and we were not able to be kept on.” If you were the only one laid off, you can answer the question like this: A: “I was the only person let go this time, but there have been other layoffs in the previous months. I was assured that this layoff was not performance-based, and I’d love to give you references from my former boss to attest to this.” Q: “What have you been doing since your layoff?” You don’t want to admit that you’ve been feeling a little blue since your layoff. Hiring managers are interested in understanding if you’ve maintained your professional activity level since your layoff (and not been under the covers binge watching your favorite shows). So talk about what you’ve been doing since your layoff. A: “I’ve kept very busy since being laid off. I’ve: Volunteered Attended classes Earned X new skill Gone on informational interviews Freelanced or had contract work Helped at my child’s school Any one of these answers can show that you’ve persevered, despite your layoff. They can count in your favor when a hiring manager or employer is determining how resilient you are after a layoff. Q: “What would your former boss say about you?” Again, a new employer might be trying to figure out if your layoff was something in or out of your ex-boss’ control. Reassure your interviewer that your layoff was due to no fault of your own. A: “In my previous position, I received stellar performance reviews and got along well with my boss and colleagues. Although I was disappointed with the layoff, I know that it was out of my boss’ hands. I can give you references from him and others at my former company if you would like.” Tough job interview questions are a part of pretty much every job interview, but they can be even more difficult if you’re dealing with a layoff, too. Don’t despair. Practice what you want to say ahead of time so that you’re prepared, and know that a layoff doesn’t define you as a worker, or your ability to get hired in the future. Now ace that interview! Looking for even more help recovering from your layoff? partnered with LinkedIn Learning to create a whole course for you. Get a 30 day free trial with unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning’s full course catalog! Here’s an overview on Recovering from a Layoff to learn more about the course.