How to mitigate the damage of a dreaded interview question?

July 30, 2009 5:35 PM

Question-for-a-friend filter: How do you truthfully answer a job interview question about a previous job that you were asked to resign from, because you were an idiot?

Long-story-short: After six months as CSR, friend gets promoted to great job as account manager, which includes on-the-road sales visits to customers. After only four months in position, friend gets stupid, drives drunk and loses license. Company asks him to resign and offers severance package, as he can no longer drive to sales calls. Friend acknowledges stupidity, takes the golden handshake, goes back to working construction. He left the position on good terms with his supervisor.

Now, friend is applying for new sales position that will likely not require driver's license. He's almost certain to get an interview, but is not sure what the best approach is to answer the likely question, "Why did you choose to leave your last sales position?" He doesn't want to lie or be dishonest, but we're both at a loss as to an alternative/vague answer that limits the damage to his chances of getting the new position.

Thanks for any pearls of wisdom.

posted by liquado to work & money (13 comments total)

a traveling sales job wasn't the right fit at that time in my life and i resigned.
posted by nadawi at 5:44 PM on July 30

Most companies will ask if you've been convicted of a crime, so this is likely to come up anyway.
posted by sanko at 5:45 PM on July 30 [1 favorite]

You can't limit the damage that this past mistake will have on his future opportunities.

I'm sorry, this past DUI is going to be a deal-breaker for a lot of employers. Few if any non-telemarketing sales jobs will hire someone without a license. No way of phrasing it is going to change that.

I would propose that the best possible phrasing will be something along the lines of, "I made a really stupid mistake, and got a DUI. I've gotten treatment, I've served my time, I've moved past it and I am ready to get on with my career."
posted by jayder at 5:46 PM on July 30 [4 favorites]

Yeah, he probably has to address the DUI directly. But can't he get an occupational license?
posted by dhartung at 6:10 PM on July 30

he has to be honest, but stress that he learned a lot from this mistake and is better for it in x ways.
posted by Billegible at 6:21 PM on July 30

Yeah, I'd be up-front about it, especially if there's any kind of background check (which, presumably, there will be).

Emphasise the lesson learned aspec of the experience.
posted by rodgerd at 6:39 PM on July 30

Has he been convicted of DUI? If he's lucky, he just lost his license preemtively and still has time before his trial is over or whatever. Or maybe he pled down to reckless driving? Specifics on that situation would be helpful.
posted by floam at 7:11 PM on July 30

I'm with nadawi - some version of "it wasn't the right fit" is all that's required. Unless the job actually requires driving, it is no one's business. What happened in his personal life can stay in his personal life. I really don't understand why this incident (along with a lot of other stupid shit people do in their personal lives) is being viewed as relevant.

(As a side note: not one person I know who has had a DUI has ever had it be a "deal breaker" for any employer. I'm not trying to make light of it but...it's a DUI, not first-degree murder.)
posted by hapax_legomenon at 7:14 PM on July 30

He's actually been convicted of impaired operation while over .08 (this is Canada, if it has any relevance), and it was a suspension/fine, no jail.

We're in a rural area, so the odds of a criminal background check are likely fairly remote; it's an entry-level sales position, so not something they'd likely pursue, but his previous supervisor will possibly be a reference for the position.

Thanks for the answers, folks. I'm still not sure what is the right fit as an answer (and while I lean towards the "right fit" response out of loyalty, I see the karmic reason for an honest response), but I'll send him a link to the question to review the responses.
posted by liquado at 8:28 PM on July 30

there are plenty of non telemarketing jobs that don't require a license. my boyfriend and i were both in our mid 20s with fairly good jobs before we learned to drive. it only ever came up on the application and you just put your state issued id number there.
posted by nadawi at 12:04 AM on July 31

"I worked for (n) years as a traveling salesman, but these days I don't drive, so that job had to end when I..." (stopped driving/lost my license/sold my car, depending on how honest he's feeling).
posted by aimedwander at 6:00 AM on July 31

I know someone with a DUI that was hired for a mechanic job, a job that obviously involves driving other people's cars daily. This was while their license was suspended, because they had an occupational license (they could only drive to/from work and for work). This was in the US. The DUI may not be as big of a deal-breaker as you might think. You'd be surprised (or not) at the number of high-up people that have had one.
The suggestion of saying that a job that involved so much driving was not a good fit at the time is good as long as your friend doesn't need to disclose their criminal record.
posted by ishotjr at 7:56 AM on July 31

Just to close the thread, he decided to answer something along the lines of what jaydar suggested -- but never got a call back, so all for nuttin'. Thanks MeFites.
posted by liquado at 5:10 PM on August 30