You're fired! Those devastating words may continue to haunt as the search for a new job begins.Telling a prospective employer about being fired from the previous job is a challenge, but there are ways to address the issue forthrightly and correctly. Being fired is not the end of the world, and can be the start of a new career.

Reasons for Firing
When interviewing for a new job, be prepared for questions about previous employment. "Why did you leave your last job?" is a likely question. Whether the interview successfully results in a new hire may depend on the answer.

Being let go from a job falls into two main categories. The first affects a whole group of employees, through layoffs, downsizing, corporate takeovers, or new bosses in charge. The second is employee termination on an individual basis. Large-scale lay-offs in a company or industry are more easily explained and understood than the case of an individual firing. Individual firings may be the result of personality clashes, being wrong for the position, mistakes - the reasons vary as much as the person involved. Whatever the reason, be honest and tell the truth. Lying about the reason could backfire if the truth came out after you were hired for a new job.

Learn from the Experience
Look at the experience as objectively as possible. Don't cast blame or express anger in an interview. Was anything learned from the experience? What would be done differently in an employment situation next time? Tell the interviewer what you learned from the incident. If personality conflicts led to the firing, be upfront about it. Try to make a positive out of a negative. If mistakes were made, own up and take responsibility for them. Understand the circumstances that led to the dismissal. By recognizing mistakes and learning from them, a fired employee can assure the interviewer they won't be repeated.

Preparation
While honesty is the best policy, make sure the best light is thrown on the situation. Practice the interview response to the question of being fired. Write it out, read it to friends and conduct practice interviews with them. Be concise, and not defensive. Find out as much as possible about the company, and emphasize skills and how they complement the organization. Go forward, and don't dwell on a past situation.

References
If possible, get references from people at the former company or other former employers. Potential employers know that people are fired for a variety of reasons - they may have been in the same situation themselves at one time. Good references will help ease the reality of being fired. As Ask the Headhunter put it, "One boss's fire is another boss's hire."