Sidebar: You're Fired!

What a high-profile termination means to a career and tips for rebounding from controversy

Getting fired in a very public manner the way former Microsoft CIO Stuart Scott was late last year can have a devastating impact on an executive's career but doesn't have to be the end of it, say recruiters.

Executives looking to rebound from a termination scandal must be honest with potential employers about the circumstances surrounding their departure, recruiters unanimously say. They also need to adopt a liberal definition of "rebound" to keep their career options open: It may mean relocating, switching industries or moving into an entirely different profession.

If the executive had a good reputation prior to the termination - was admired for his performance, projected a positive leadership personality - his professional history will aid in his recovery.

"There's a long list of people who have had pretty terrible ousters and not recovered from them," says Martha Heller, managing director of ZRG's IT leadership practice. "But executives can recover if they play their cards right," she adds. (Heller is also a career columnist for CIO.)

Tips for Recovering from a Firing

To rise above a high-profile termination, redeem one's reputation and ensure one has a career moving forward, an executive has to handle the aftermath and the consequences of the termination with care.

1. Tell the Truth

Executives who've been fired often try to keep such negative facts about their work history secret because they know how difficult landing a new job will be. But not being honest with executive recruiters and potential employers will backfire. The truth always comes out; executive recruiters say executives should fess up to the truth, no matter how unsavoury it may be.

Harvey Nash's Gordon knows of a CIO, whom he declined to name, who lost his job his first day because he never told his new employer during the interview process that he had been fired from his previous job. The employer found out about the termination when, that day, an IT employee searched the Web for information about the new CIO and uncovered the circumstances surrounding the CIO's departure from his last company. Gordon says the company retracted the job offer because executives there felt they couldn't trust the new CIO.

2. Don't Point Fingers

Of course, there is a dignified way to present the unpleasant facts about your career, and that's by taking the high road and avoiding finger-pointing, says ZRG's Heller. Blaming others won't earn you much respect, she says. "Everybody understands that it takes two to tango, and getting fired does not necessarily mean that the executive [in question] is at fault," adds Heller.

3. Take Responsibility for Mistakes

Some "mistakes" are easier to rebound from than others. For instance, if a CIO has to play the scapegoat for taking a risk on a technology investment that had a potentially high upside but that didn't play out, he can walk away from the experience with his dignity intact, says Gordon. But if the CIO's integrity comes into question or there's any hint of a scandal surrounding his actions, a recovery will be much harder, he says.

4. Keep All Options on the Table

Whether a CIO has botched an ERP implementation, burned political bridges or violated HR policies, his best bet for finding a new job is relocating (possibly to a new country, depending on the extent of the damage) and/or switching to a new market sector, says Gordon.

5. Keep That Network Humming

The strength of an executive's relationships with individuals in his network can also help him weather a storm and transition to his next position. People who know the executive well can vouch for his character, expertise and ability to learn lessons.

Gordon also has advice for companies doing the firing: "If it's not handled delicately, and they don't let that person go with their professional dignity intact, it's going to reflect badly on the company and reduces their chances of hiring someone of high calibre into that position in the future."

- Meridith Levinson