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About Emily Bardeen
Expertise
I have experience working with job hunters of all ages who are looking for their first job, career changers, people who have been laid off, and people who are job hunting for career advancement. I can answer questions on job search strategy, research, finding a "good fit", career assessments including the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) and Strong Interest Inventory (SII), resume writing, cover letters and other correspondence, networking (I like to call it getting advice), interviewing, negotiating an offer, and getting started in a new job.

Experience
I have 15 years of experience as a Career Advisor, 8 of them serving as the Human Resources Director of Career Services to 7,000 employees, including one-on-one career appointments and workshops on career planning, job searches, resumes, interviewing, career change, career assessments,going back to school and supervisor support for career development. Previously, I provided career advising via available to a community of 150,000 via email, telephone and in-person appointments. I have also career advised welfare-to-work recipients, undergraduate and graduate students, and focused on women's career and job needs while at a Women's Center.

Organizations
NCDA National Career Development Association

Publications
www.emilyoncareers.com

Education/Credentials
M.A., Georgetown University B.A., cum laude William Smith College Organizational Development Certificate, NTL Institute Certified in: MBTI Type Indicator SII Strong Interest Indicator CCL Benchmark 360

Past/Present Clients
My clients range from electricians to engineers and from people getting their GEDs to PhD researchers. They literally go from A (Aesthetician) to Z (Zoologist) and one of my clients was a spy -- getting out of the industry, not in! Some are very sophisticated computer users, and some are just learning. Some of my clients have criminal records; some in have been in law enforcement. Some want to be teachers; some want to leave teaching. Some are executives; some are administrative assistants. I do not usually work with high school students, other than to helping them plan their next steps for school.

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Job Hunting Tips - answer on job application when terminated from previous job

Expert: Emily Bardeen - 10/27/2009

Question
I am currently applying online for a retail position. I am now at the question as to how I left my last postion: 1)Voluntary
2)Involuntary Termination 3)Laid Off
I was terminated. I spoke with the office manager and she claims she will give me a good review, however in the same sentence she states she feels she needs to tell anyone, if asked, that the company feels why I was terminated. They feel, after 1 year of employment, that I was not following direction. I was given NO WARNING, no discussion as to what they felt I was doing wrong, in fact the Owner of the company literally told me the day before my termination that I should not worry, there was no way the company was going to get rid of me! How do I answer this question on an online application? I need an answer as soon as possible, as I am in the middle of entering my information.

Thank you for your input,

nsterk

Answer
This is indeed a tricky situation. It looks like the only choice is number 2 -- to choose otherwise would be falsifying your application, and many companies have policies to immediate eliminate you from consideration - or immediation termination if hired - if you have knowingly provided false information.

If there is a place on the application where you can add comments or information, you could BRIEFLY explain what happened in as positive a way as possible.

You may want to consider using the owner or the HR manager of the company instead of the office manager as a reference.

Gook luck in finding your next position!
Emily

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