How believable is my story? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I was recently laid off from a small firm because the firm didn't have enough business. The partners all said that I did nothing wrong, and it was actually their fault for not bringing in enough new billable work.

How do I spin this to new employers? Will they believe that I was laid off simply because there was no billable work?

Or is it better to make it seem like I'm still employed and opportunistically looking for a new position?

The partners said they would keep me on the website until I find a new job, and they would give recommendations to anyone who calls.

[JOThompson]

It does not look good to be laid off, but it's even worse to be caught in a lie.

If your new prospective employer does any type of employment verification, they'll learn that you lied about your dates of employment.

I think you can tell the truth here and spin it in a way that's helpful. See if you can get a letter of recommendation from one of your co-workers?

[QContinuum]

Absolutely don't lie. If you are currently unemployed (as opposed to being on the "runway" to unemployment after being given notice), do not state that you are employed.

I don't see why a new employer wouldn't believe you, especially if you list one or more contacts at your old firm as references. (Be careful, though; past TLSers have sometimes found "references" backstabbing them to new employers because they didn't want word getting out that their firm was struggling to land enough work. I'd only use a coworker or partner you're close with and really trust.)

[sociallaw]

Agreed- I def wouldn't lie, but try and put a neutral spin on the feedback you got (what level are you at? were the expectations re: billable work reasonable? did you have the authority to bring in new clients?). You can also try and think about other more general reasons- cultural fit, size of the firm, practice area...Any other reason you might have wanted to leave? I'm not sure you absolutely need to disclose that you were laid off, just be honest about the fact that you no longer work there.

[JOThompson]

I misunderstood, I see what you mean.

I think that there's no shame in being laid off, as long as it's not tied to performance. That may still be the safer answer, compared to some of your other potential explanations. The only two options were that you quit or that you were let go, but you can certainly choose how you present that narrative. I'm not sure how you would frame it though accurately and strategically while still staying true to the general reason for the departure.