A local reporter who asks for my input to emails he receives sent me a question from a reader. Her husband was fired over a year ago from his job for a safety violation. She clearly feels that politics were involved (shocking!), He's been out of work now and wants to know how to respond to the question "Why did you leave your last job?" The following is my response. Read it and feel free to comment.

I'm sorry to hear about this gentleman's plight, but I'm not surprised. While I'm certain he's disappointed that things wound up this way, let's look at how to proceed. It is important not to beat yourself up, as this can happen to the best of us. It doesn't even have to be your fault. Many of the most successful people around have been fired. If you haven't been fired, you're probably not trying hard enough.

A local columnist wrote me to ask for my input about following up after the job interview. He wants to know how to provide some feedback on how to follow up after they don’t get the job.  What can they learn from it?  Is it okay to reach out and question the hiring manager/ recruiter.  He believes recruiters would be more likely to give you feedback because they want you to hone your skills for the next try.

This is an area I do tend to like discussing with folks, so let's see if I can be of assistance. First off, it is always okay to reach out and question the hiring manager/recruiter. In fact, I think it's a must. This not only helps you from the feedback perspective, it can help you for future potential interviews.

It is not uncommon for the interview process to take several phases. Just getting the interview is a good start because it means your resume has gathered interest. The first interview may be in person or over the phone, and it may be conducted by a gatekeeper and not necessarily the hiring manager. With increased competition for fewer positions, these gatekeepers are trying to thin out the applicant list. The gatekeeper will have a set of questions by which they will identify prospects for the next phase, typically an in-person interview.