It Just Wasn't a Good Fit (Follow up from yesterday's post)

Following up on the previous blog regarding the candidate who kept saying ‘It wasn’t a good fit’:  After several attempts, days in between conversations, and my sharing with him my concern for him not being able to articulate WHY he left, he finally shared with me his story. 

After he was terminated (previously, he had not answered the question as to whether he was terminated or he quit) he went to HR and asked what went wrong.  He said he had never been terminated before and was quite embarrassed about it.  HR said, ‘We are sorry it didn’t work out, you can simply say it wasn’t a good fit’.  Since he had never been in this situation before, he felt that per the direction of HR, this response would suffice.

Something that he had never thought about was that HR could have been walking a thin line from a legal standpoint if they told him any different.  I explained that HR no longer ‘supported’ him as he is now an ex-employee.  Their loyalty (and legal standing) is with the company, not the former employee, which is what he is now.  Their answer suited their needs, not his.

Once he understood this, he opened up about what happened.  As much as I was looking for a story that could possibly become the next great American Novel, his story was quite simple:  He made a mistake on a report that had consequences.  Interestingly, it sounded like the owner/HR took little to no responsibility in the training process for a relatively new employee, etc., but instead, made a quick decision to terminate the employee.   

While it is a blow to the ego, and goes down in the ‘fired’ category, it’s not the end of the world.  For a company who has a strong training program in place, this would not be viewed as a deal breaker.  It could definitely be looked at as a training opportunity (Do we have measures in place to fully train new employees?  Do we have a check and balance procedure in place for new employees?  Are documents reviewed for accuracy before being distributed?).

Now that we understand the situation, we can work on how we are going to communicate that going forward.  We can form an articulate response to the question, ‘Why did you leave?’.   For the record, flailing arms still scare me.  

Communication, Articulation and Gesticulation

Shortly after reading an article about ‘telling your story’ in an interview, I had the opportunity to meet with a candidate for a high level position. During our conversation I asked why he left his previous position. He smiled and politely replied, ‘It just wasn’t a good fit’. That is such a pat answer, and albeit a safe one, it tells me nothing. What wasn’t a good fit? The responsibilities? The direction of the company? What?! Too many unanswered questions, so I asked a little differently.

‘What wasn’t a good fit?’ His response? It just wasn’t a good fit. Now, to put things in perspective, I’m not being nosy or judgmental on whatever happened (unless it was theft, intimidation, violence, or any other illegal act), but communicating with me the ‘why’ can help possibly prevent you ending up in the same/similar position. So, I ask again.

‘Why do YOU think it wasn’t a good fit?’ The response: ‘I liked it there, but it just wasn’t a good fit.’ So, now I am wondering WHAT HAPPENED that you are SO reluctant to discuss with me. My mind is reeling with different scenarios, which is never a good thing. If someone at this level cannot articulate their own thoughts, I have to question their ability to perform at said level. I’m not asking to breech any confidences, betray any trusts or talk bad about your former employer, but instead I’m asking YOU why YOU thought it wasn’t a good fit.

 Telling your story can be a powerful tool. Communication your story gives great insight to the things that are important to you and indicators regarding your strengths and desires in your role. Not being able to articulate your story prevents recruiters/hiring managers from knowing what truly motivates you to succeed. In order to be in a role where you are set up to succeed is a much better place than the alternative.

I love a good story. It really helps me figure out the right environment for you. Share with me who you are and what you are all about. Let me see the real you. But please, don’t go overboard on the gesticulation. Too much animation may scare me.

There is a PS to this story, and it will be in the next blog….