4 ms·
Why did you say you were fired for underperformance? Why didn't you say it was a bad fit? Usually, that's the root cause.
by lukasm 10y ago
Why did you say you were fired for underperformance? Why didn't you say it was a bad fit? Usually, that's the root cause.
- greglindahl 10y agoA smart interviewer doesn't need that to be wordsmithed. I would follow up by asking some questions about what it was about the position or culture or company that didn't work out well.
- blastrat 10y agoso, count on a smart interviewer because if the interviewer is not top notch, you don't want the job? that's throwing your future to the wind.
- yeukhon 10y agoAnother reason I wouldn't not tell the truth is maybe the interviewer knows my ex-colleagues.
- mathattack 10y agoIt also shows courage to fess up to getting fired. As long as there's a good story around it, and some learnings, silicon valley is generally forgiving of short tenures.
- hackinthebochs 10y agoIt's not about lying, but constructing a narrative that paints the facts in a favorable light. Just saying you were fired for underperforming gives you no room to construct a less negative narrative.
- chris_wot 10y agoThat's what politicians do.
- throwaway59511 10y agoBecause a) that is how it was represented to me, albeit with very high standards, and b) I don't feel comfortable massaging the truth like that. If and when I go into detail I can explain things that I think go in and against my favor. Also, mathattack's answer: https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=mathattack https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=mathattack
- jazzyk 10y agoBeing fired lost much of its stigma in highly intellectual professions. Often, it has to do with disagreements over certain business/technical decisions, rather than incompetence. I have seen great people fired by terrible managers. As an interviewer, I appreciate the honesty/brevity, and if the explanation for being fired is reasonable enough, it needn't be a huge red flag.