I lost my job after they hired a new Vice President what to say on job interviews.
This happens all the time. New management comes in and they clean house and often times some of the good people get caught in the house cleaning.
When you answer this question, it is very important to be brief as possible because the more you talk, the less believable you’ll sound.
I would simply tell prospective employers that I had been with my last company for 10 years (or however long you were there) and that you had an impeccable performance record, but the new VP they hired took a personal disliking to you that you can’t understand and eventually replaced you with someone he liked better.
Then stop talking right there and put the ball back in their court. Defend yourself or blame anyone and it’s very important that you don’t.
Don’t hint at nepotism because it sounds defensive, let them add things up and come to their own conclusions because this way their conclusions are much more powerful than anything you can say. And chances are, when you do it this way, they’ll ask no further questions.
Don
