The role of a rehab professional is filled with various stresses that can cloud your judgement, clear your mind or give you insight into the leadership/ management principles of your supervisor. At any rate, there is the likelihood that one time in your life you may be given the proverbial axe. Therapists just like you are fired for reasons other than job performance or functional ability. If it came out of nowhere, it could be a serious shock to your ego. However, it’s important to take away what you could do better next time if you were the reason for termination. Here are some reasons rehab professionals get fired.

• Personality Mismatch. You remained because of the money, but actually you were not happy with the surroundings.
• Skills Mismatch. When you applied for the job, you were not fully aware of the full responsibilities of the job or the potential hardships it contained.
• Refusing to Go Along. Standing up for your beliefs, refusing to be dishonest or to overlook faulty business practices and being fired for it is not a slur on you; you should be proud for standing up for what is right.
• Downsizing. Thousands of people are victims of downsizing every day. It’s not your fault. It’s an impersonal technique by which companies raise the value of their stock.
• Unreasonable. If you became pregnant or needed to take time off to tend to a sick child, and if you put in a request for a short leave of absence and were fired, it had nothing to do with you. Do not blame yourself. In fact, Federal law protects you from this unreasonable termination, so please consult legal counsel.

After you have gone through the grieving proces,s it’s time to dust yourself off, rework your resume and start setting up interviews. Here are some thoughts on what to do post-removal.

Should I put it on my resume?

The only thing worse than having to look for a new job in a tight market is having to look immediately after being terminated. Avoid the temptation to sugar-coat your employment history — employers prefer honesty and a good attitude. Even though you lost your last job, add it to your resume. After all, you did earn the experience. It is not necessary to state that you were terminated on your resume.

Leave those kind of specifics to a conversation that you will have with your prospective employer – either on the phone or in person.

What should I disclose in an interview?

If you are asked about the job you were terminated from, be open and honest about the situation. You are not obligated to disclose unless asked, but if you think there could be a risk to your future employment because of your termination, it’s prudent to address the matter clearly and honestly. Some employers run background checks and may learn, through criminal history or social networking, the circumstances of your dismissal, so owning up to any negative history may work to your favor.

Explaining to a prospective employer that you were “let go” is hard, but necessary. If you are ashamed of losing your job or believe that having been fired reflects badly on you, such low self-esteem will be evident in your job interviews.

Should I list my last job as a reference?

If a potential employer requests references, you are not obligated to give your prior employer as a reference unless the recruiter specifically requests it. In that case, disclose that you were terminated. Some terminations are unremarkable — for example, layoffs because of budget issues. Be prepared, however, to explain terminations for cause, particularly if your discharge was based on the violation of a law or policy.

If you are looking for a new role as a therapist in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech Therapy feel free to contact our Strategic Search Consultants. We have nationwide opportunities that are looking for great people to fill these roles.