What do you think of an employer who asks: Have you ever been fired or Have you ever been disciplined? (employee, job application)

[beenhereandthere]

I just think it's a silly question to ask. I mean, for one, who, especially as you get older, has not been disciplined on a job at least once. Maybe not as many have been fired, but come on.
I just think of "Nazi" like/possible unemployee friendly place to work if I see a question like that on a job application.
Maybe someone can enlighten me, however, it seems to me that if an employer or interviewer sees that (that you've been fired and or disciplined), that 90% of the time, they are going to say, thanks but no thanks, to offering you a job.
That's why, IMO, almost no one will answer yes to that question, in spite of what they say about "consideration" of the firing/discipline.

[gea12345]

Originally Posted by beenhereandthere

I just think it's a silly question to ask. I mean, for one, who, especially as you get older, has not been disciplined on a job at least once. Maybe not as many have been fired, but come on.
I just think of "Nazi" like/possible unemployee friendly place to work if I see a question like that on a job application.
Maybe someone can enlighten me, however, it seems to me that if an employer or interviewer sees that (that you've been fired and or disciplined), that 90% of the time, they are going to say, thanks but no thanks, to offering you a job.
That's why, IMO, almost no one will answer yes to that question, in spite of what they say about "consideration" of the firing/discipline.

yes, good point, but on all of the federal goverment apps, they ask this question,whether you have ever been fired...also they ask how many jobs you have had in the past 3 years. (Schools usually ask if you have ever been disciplined.) Jobs ask as well, since if you are late without an excuse, you can be disciplined. Sometimes it is better to call out sick, then to go to work and leave early because you are sick. Jobs actually hold the second one against you! Amd their systems are really hard to understand until it is too late, since they have a revolving point system, which is designed to be obtuse!)

I answer the first one untruthfully sometimes and trutfully at times and the second one truthfully.

But if you answer untruthfully, then it gives them grounds to fire you, if they find out, which is pretty likely if you they do a background check.

I wouldn't worry about it, if the job lasted less than 6 months, but if more than a year...then the chances are highly likely they will discover your untruth.

But i agree with you, it is like asking someone to be honest, just so you can say nah, nah, nah...no job for you!!

holy mackeral!!

** the funny thing is that people do! learn from their mistakes! And also people grow out of certain choices, because they get older and need more security, although personally, when younger, I prefer to work 3 boring student or entry-level type jobs in 3 years than One boring entry-level job for 3 years. I personally don't see anything wrong with that! but many do!! and will hold it against you. ;-)

p.s. I have noticed lately, that companies or organization which have strong employee unions, tend to have very "hit you over the head" disciplinary Recording Systems. Since they have to build a case against you to fire you.

Where in private companies with no unions or weak unions, they tend to rely on your 6 month or yearly review to get rid of you. Since most states are at-will states, and don't need an excuse to fire you. They can fire you, just because they don't like you.

[artsyguy]

say no of course not.

[annerk]

I haven't been disciplined, however I've been fired. (See the "Have You Ever Been Fired Thread" for my two "getting canned" stories--the best is the guy who fired several of us after a night of drinking (his drinking--we were sober) and didn't remember doing it the next day.)

In all honesty, in the past 15 years no, I've never been fired or disciplined.

If I had been I'd turn it around to say that "Yes, I was disciplined for taking home a box of paperclips to work on my childs science project with because I didn't have time to go to the office supply store. I apologized and now realize that although it was a small item, it was still inappropriate, and have learned better time management skills."

It's all about the spin.

I don't think that lying is a good idea--there's a really good chance they will find out one way or another.

[Huckleberry3911948]

ditto lying on an application is their interest, not the issue of being fired.
also they are looking for stinky attitude, attitude is 85% of employment.
i sensed some resentment in your OP, the employer is not blind.

[stevemorse]

Lie!!!!!!!!!

[firefightermom]

I have been fired and got another job less than three weeks afterwards. Lying to an employer is grounds for termination. You just need to figure out a way to put a positive spin on your termination.

For example, I was fired because the new manager did not like me and she convinced the district manager to let her hire her buddy and have me train her, then fire me. I had run this office by myself, with no manager, for 8 months, but they used the fact that the office was still not bringing up enough business. They actually lied to me about our numbers increasing as an excuse for a new employee when there had never been money in the budget for another person before! When I went on interviews, I told the truth and made sure they realized how competent I really was...I had 5 years at another company in another state doing the exact same thing.

My husband has also been fired, and he will kill me for saying it, but he certainly deserved it. He had worked in property management for years but his new company put more pressure for their people to bend over backwards for tenants who were in the wrong, just to save business. DH's customer service skills were good but he just couldn't deal well with people who were getting around the rules. So he got fired. BUT he got another job within a month and they knew he had been fired. You just have to have the right spin!

[MPowering1]

I don't think the question should be included on an application or in an interview. "Tell me something I will disapprove of that may cost you this opportunity while trying to put your best foot forward!"

There are plenty of people who could say yes and came out better for it, and there are irresponsible people who would lie about it anyway, so I don't really see the point in asking.

[calisteph]

Some of the questions can be a bit out there, and if they said disciplined then yes I too would have a image of someone with a ruler tapping it on a desk or something similar.
I wish I could remember which temp agency (possibly Select Staffing) had a bunch of just off the wall questions about workplace violence. "How many times have you punched a co worker?" I was tempted to call them and ask why they had those specific questions, and how many people actually have been that violent at work?
On the other hand there has to be a reason why they act those questions.

[Mighty_Pelican]

I was disciplined/written up once at a non-profit when I was a teenager in 2006. I had a background investigation ask me if I was disciplined/written up 2 years ago.

I called the non-profit and they have no records from that period onsite, and that I would have to call HR at the headquarters. HR couldn't find the record I was looking for either. The supervisor lives in another country in a different career/field altogether. She didn't even remember me when I looked her up.

In a situation like this, do I have anything to lose by saying 'no' in the future?