If you’ve ever been in a bad job situation, you have no desire to repeat it. And that’s understandable. However, you don’t want to ever, ever—and I mean NEVER—discuss it in an interview.
Think of it this way—when you’re on a first date with someone, do you want to hear about their past failed relationships? It’s irrelevant whether they were at fault or not. You don’t know enough about someone on a first date to assess who they are as a person and trust them.
It’s the same in an interview. Recently I heard an example of someone who had had several interviews with a major department store. Things seemed to be going very well. They liked him, he liked them. But he let his guard down and felt compelled to discuss a bad experience he had had at another employer. It probably didn’t help that the other employer was part of the same parent company of department stores.
I don’t know why he let the conversation go there, but in some cases it could be his own bravado, or desire to confide in who he thinks are future friends. Either way, it’s a bad move. It’s assuming a level of trust that isn’t there.
Everyone can relate to the feeling though, and that’s why it’s such a dangerous trap. It’s the gossip feeling. The rush when we divulge information that we know we probably shouldn’t and that the information we’re imparting will increase our standing in the interviewer’s eyes. It won’t.
Many of you will read this and think—well DUH! I’d NEVER do that—but it’s easier than you think. No matter how well you’re getting along with the interviewers, no matter how much you want to establish rapport and have them see you as a fit with the company. No matter how much you want them to like you—don’t talk about past jobs in an unfavorable light.
If you must talk about where you used to work, admit responsibility for whatever happened, and what you learned from the situation and move on. Never pin all of the blame on a former employer.