Should I apply for a job for a company that I was fired from years ago?

[Lipitor11]

I've been thinking about applying for a job at this company that I worked at 8 years ago. It's a totally different position, my friend works there, and this position I have some experience with. The position that I had a few years ago, wasn't a good fit, so they fired me. Will they know that I worked there before? Will they have my record?

[SoleMate]

Most companies will maintain a file on former employees who have been fired. Best case would be if it was a pure "poor fit" decision, as in, you didn't have the right specific skills like accounts receivable. Then perhaps your skills are now better, or the current role needs only skills you have. There is a chance they may hire in that case. If, however, you were fired for lacking soft skills - like showing up on time or cooperating with coworkers - then you're most likely blacklisted from that company.

[writergal]

In a case like yours I think you should call the HR Dept to see if you can be rehired. Every company has their own rehire policy. Always good to get that info. in your exit interview if possible when you leave a company you like, but not the work position you held, in case you want to return.

 

Some companies HR Depts will list an terminated employee either "rehireable" or "non-rehireable." My friend works in HR for an online university and she told me her company does this to each employee they terminate.

[d0nnivain]

If you were fired for cause -- because you weren't getting the job done to their satisfaction -- do not apply.

 

If you were fired as part of a reduction in force or for some other neutral reason, go ahead & apply.

[pink_sugar]

I think no matter the reason, I think they only keep the files for 7 years. So if you were let go simply because it wasn't a good fit, you should be eligible for rehire. If it was for another reason, I believe you can still reapply after 7 years. Most likely they will ask you if you have ever worked for the company before as most companies do. You can explain your circumstances and that the position you were hired for at that time just wasn't a good fit.

[Lipitor11]

I was thinking about not putting that on the application at all. And if they ask if I worked there, I will say no. I mean, I've omitted certain jobs before, and they never asked about it.

[pink_sugar]

I was thinking about not putting that on the application at all. And if they ask if I worked there, I will say no. I mean, I've omitted certain jobs before, and they never asked about it.

 

How much employment history do they ask for? If you only have to list your 4 most recent or within the last 7 years and you've had several jobs since then, you probably won't need to put it down. However, if the job application asks whether or not you've worked for the company in the past or they ask in the interview, be honest. Chances are they can easily find out if you've worked there before. Last thing you want is to be hired and then terminated when they find out you purposely omitted information.

[UpwardForward]

I was thinking about not putting that on the application at all. And if they ask if I worked there, I will say no. I mean, I've omitted certain jobs before, and they never asked about it.

 

For heaven sakes, Why Lie!

 

Always a possibility of personnel changing. But I would definitely mention your past experience w them in an interview.

[CarrieT]

And if they ask if I worked there, I will say no.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

Too much chance that someone you worked with could still be around and, if caught in a lie, there is yet again reason to terminate you.

[pink_sugar]

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

Too much chance that someone you worked with could still be around and, if caught in a lie, there is yet again reason to terminate you.

 

^^^^^^^This! It doesn't take much for HR to find your previous information when putting you into the system.

Edited June 24, 2014 by pink_sugar

[MidwestUSA]

I was thinking about not putting that on the application at all. And if they ask if I worked there, I will say no.

 

If it's Taco Bell, you can probably get away with it. You can simply say you forgot. :facepalm:

[pink_sugar]

If it's Taco Bell, you can probably get away with it. You can simply say you forgot. :facepalm:

 

Especially if for some reason you happen to not be eligible for rehire. You'll be terminated immediately. Assuming they don't figure it out while doing your background check...

[writergal]

Lipitor11 it's 100% likely that HR will pull up your previous HR employment records once you give them your DOB and SSN which all new employees give, when hired.

 

Don't lie as the others here have said. That'll only come back to bite you.

 

Like I said, the quickest way to solve your hireability is to just call HR and ask them what your hiring status with the company is. Once you find out, then you'll know whether or not you should bother applying for another job there.

[pink_sugar]

Lipitor11 it's 100% likely that HR will pull up your previous HR employment records once you give them your DOB and SSN which all new employees give, when hired.

 

Don't lie as the others here have said. That'll only come back to bite you.

 

Like I said, the quickest way to solve your hireability is to just call HR and ask them what your hiring status with the company is. Once you find out, then you'll know whether or not you should bother applying for another job there.

 

Good points. However, I actually just did this for a previous employer and the HR person just gave me the runaround and said she couldn't give me an answer since there are no job openings. As someone mentioned in my thread, you can just act as an employer reviewing your record and ask the general questions an employer would ask...dates, rehire eligibility and go from there.

[usaims]

History repeats! Move on. I wanted to do the same thing but I'm glad I didn't.

 

Put it this way -- do you want to go back to an old boy/girlfriend or whatever or sexual orientation is - that you constantly were fighting and was more unhappy then happy. You'll eventually break up again.