I often hear people who have been laid off talking about having been fired, so I wanted to address that today, because the two are not the same.
A firing is something that happens to you, in particular, because you weren’t meeting expectations, a manager didn’t like you, they think you’ve done something illegal, etc. In other words, it’s personal and it may very well mean you’re listed in the company’s HR data base as ineligible for rehire. Further, you may not be able to get unemployment depending on the circumstances and the organization’s culture, so it’s often best to keep positions you’ve been fired from off your resume.
Layoffs, on the other hand, are because of the company’s financial situation, and are not personal. While it stinks to be laid off, you’re likely eligible for unemployment, and you’re almost certainly listed as eligible for employment at the organization if a future employer calls to check. In other words, the loss of these jobs isn’t personal, and you can absolutely list them on your resume.
And finally there’s restructuring. If you’ve lost your job because of a reorganization at your previous employer, things are more complicated and more confusing. It may be that it was a personal move to get rid of you, or it may be something unrelated to you and your performance. Some companies try to use it as a way to dodge paying unemployment benefits, so it’s important to know your rights. You may even want to find a free legal aid clinic in your area if you aren’t sure.
