Explaining Layoffs in Interviews

8/10popularity
5.8Kmonthly searches
Dec 12, 2025Dec 27, 2025

Craft a confident, honest explanation for why you were laid off

👇 Copy this prompt and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI chatbot

I was laid off and I'm struggling with how to explain this in interviews.

Ask me about the circumstances of my layoff - the reason given, how many others were affected, my performance before it happened, and how long I was at the company. Then help me create:

1. A 30-second answer that's honest but positions me well
2. A longer version if they probe deeper
3. How to pivot the conversation to my strengths
4. Answers for tricky follow-up questions like "Were you surprised?" or "What would you do differently?"
5. Body language and tone tips to appear confident, not defensive

I don't want to badmouth my former employer or sound bitter, but I also don't want to seem like I'm hiding something.

Interviewers understand layoffs happen. What they're really assessing is how you handle adversity and whether you take accountability. This prompt helps you nail that balance.

Share:

How to use this prompt

Or open directly in:

Similar to Explaining Layoffs in Interviews