Is it better to have been fired, or not worked there at all?

February 6, 2010 12:14 PM

I'm going job hunting next week. I'll be applying for retail, restaurant, and fast food positions. My experience consists of one year at McDonalds (fired), and a one month temp job. In my last job search, I noticed that my sole call-back was from when I left McDonalds entirely off the application. However, I wasn't hired due to lack of experience. Would it be better to leave McDonalds on my applications and take the risk, or take the risk of not being hired due to lack of experience?

The story, in case anyone wonders:

I needed two days off for a Dr.s appointment, and put in my notice three months early. It got thrown out somewhere in there, and when the time came and I realized I didn't have the days off, I asked an assistant manager to tell the head manager I wouldn't be in. She forgot, and I was fired for a no-call/no show.

However, for job-search purposes I'm assuming the story is irrelevant anyway, because how would they know I'm not lying? I just tossed it in here because most people ask why I was fired.

posted by biochemist to Work & Money (10 answers total)

If they ask for a separate list of references, I would suggest finding someone you worked with at McDonald's that would give you a good reference and listing them.
posted by ishotjr at 12:18 PM on February 6, 2010

That's a tough call. Everyone wants to see some work history.

When you're filling out these applications are you putting "I was fired" in the "reason for leaving" blank? Can you think of a euphemistic way of saying it or being purposely vague about it? I'm not saying to lie, but you left because there was a scheduling conflict. If you get a callback from the employer for an interview and they ask why you left the Golden Arches you can work on spinning your story to put you in the best light (but don't blame the bosses for being idiots even if they were idiots).

For what it is worth, of all the shittiest and pettiest bosses I had, the assistant manager I worked for in fast food 25 years ago remains to this day the worst. And I've had some really shitty bosses.
posted by birdherder at 12:49 PM on February 6, 2010

As a previous fast-food employer, here is what I cared about. Are you honest, hard-working, able to learn from your mistakes, customer-friendly and willing to do things the way you're taught? If you gave me an application that said "Fired" I probably would file it. If you gave me an application that said "Let Go*' with an explanation somewhere else on the application form that you were fired due to a misunderstanding about scheduling, I would call you in to find out what your attitude is and to get more details about the incident. The fact that you were at Mickey Ds for a year is pretty good, as they (like any fast food store) tend to run through people pretty fast.

I would be looking for someone who is willing to learn and has a pleasant attitude.

"My boss was a jerk" is the easiest way to get turned down. Even if it is true, no prospective boss wants to hear that from someone s/he is considering hiring.

Keep it positive and it will go well.

Good luck on your job search.
posted by Old Geezer at 1:19 PM on February 6, 2010

List it and put as the reason for leaving: "Medical issue, since resolved."
posted by the christopher hundreds at 1:40 PM on February 6, 2010

I like the "Medical issue, since resolved" option, but if you need or want to be more straightforward about it--

Certainly don't write "fired" on your application.

how would they know I'm not lying?

Spin it like, "I was there for a year and had a good employee record, but then I made a mistake with my schedule. I thought I'd officially requested time off but the request never got to the scheduling manager, so I believed I was not on the schedule when, in fact, I was. They let me go because I didn't show up that day. I learned to always double check the schedule when I ask for a day off."

Because, although the assistant manager screwed up by not letting the manager know about your request, the hiring manager at another store won't care. They will care that you didn't double check the schedule before assuming your request had gone through.

Also, do you know anyone who is currently employed at the type of place you're applying? Have you exhausted all possible leads like that?
posted by Meg_Murry at 3:11 PM on February 6, 2010

Again, as an employer, I would counsel against using "Medical Issue." That is not the reason you were fired. If I called up your previous employer and they said you were fired for not showing up, I would have a hard time understanding what the "medical issue" was. If you had said it was a misunderstanding about your schedule, I would at least want to hear what that misunderstanding was. Don't throw up straw man answers when the simple truth will get you to the second interview.
posted by Old Geezer at 4:34 PM on February 6, 2010

Use what Meg_Murry said, except state that your time off request was for a doctor's visit/important appointment. This way it doesn't seem like you just blew off work regardless of the mistake, but had a legitimate reason for making the request in the first place.
posted by cmgonzalez at 5:19 PM on February 6, 2010

It depends on what kind of job you're looking for. If you're applying at other fast food places, then you should follow all of the advice given so far. For any job that's even a little higher-end, you might as well leave it off - the few employers who are going to care one way or another about your experience there are going to be turned off by any indication that your departure was less than smooth.
posted by Toby Dammit X at 6:25 PM on February 6, 2010

year of McDonald's and a month of "temping" at something too trivial to even describe is equal to or worse than no experience at all.

Leave both off your resume altogether.

Concoct some stuff in collaboration with friends who will collaborate in your lies. Nothing too elaborate; better stuff that will semi-check out if employers call your friends as references.

Examples: You took care of your friend's dog. Now you are a transitioning dogsitter, and your friend is a satisfied client. Or you helped a friend plagiarize a paper and make a Facebook post about it: Now you are an online content editor, and your friend is a satisfied client.

Or, if you can get away with it: I'm a rich kid, I haven't had to work until now.

All of the above are better ways to enter the real work force than copping to year of McDonald's (fired) and a month of temping (don't ask). Erase these from your mind and your resume.
posted by gum at 9:43 PM on February 6, 2010

What is so hard about this? Write an explanation (on your computer and print it out) outlining exactly what happened, exactly how you explained it at the top of this post and STAPLE it to the back of the application. In the field where it says 'reason for leaving' write " See attached note". Expect to be hired solely for having the where-with-all to do this. Be sure to spell check the note before printing it.
posted by Muirwylde at 10:12 PM on February 6, 2010