Accidents on the Job

Question
My line of work requires me to drive company vehicles from job to job. I was terminated from my job because I had 3 preventable accidents in one year. Previous to that I had only 5 accidents in 30 years of driving. Other than these recent accidents, I have a good work record with over 30 years experience.

How can I improve my job prospects on my application and in the interview when it comes to questions like: Why did you leave your last job?
--John

Answer



John,
As I say in this video, your first step is to realise why these preventable accidents occurred and what you can do to prevent them from happening in the future. Do you need to drive fewer hours per day so you aren't sleepy behind the wheel? Or has your eyesight changed such that you need new glasses? Or is there another issue you haven't mentioned in your email that you can do something about? Also, is there a driver's safety class or test you could take to "clean up" your record in the eyes of your potential employer?

Once you have a grip on the situation, put it in writing. On a single sheet of paper tell the truth about why you were fired and, most important, what you've done to remedy the issue. Perhaps something like:

After x years of a perfect driving record with the company, I was let go because of three accidents in the last year due to some eye problems. I now have the proper eye glasses and have passed a certified driver's safety class.

Bring this sheet with you when you fill out the job application. For the question, "Why did you leave your last job?" write, "See attached sheet." Attach your written statement to the job application.

In the job interview, be perfectly honest about the three accidents without emphasizing that they were preventable. But do give the employer reason to believe that such accidents won't be repeated on your new job.

Good luck with this!