Start by contacting the HR department of your previous employer to find out what information they will be sharing if they are contacted for a reference. If you know that a previous employer is going to provide a negative reference, then build a reference list of professional contacts from previous work experiences that you know (because you verified) will be a more positive reflection of your work ethic and character. Your resume and cover letter should not raise the reasons why you were asked to leave the position. If you are asked to fill out an application specifying why you left your previous job, it is okay to be vague and keep it to something along the lines of “Poor fit for my skills” or some other honest but broad classification. ou do, however, need to be prepared with a truthful but positively framed narrative for why you were fired if asked during the job interview. It is important that your story shows that you have reflected on the incident and learned something. You can contextualize your narrative in order to provide background details that frame the position as a bad fit for your particular set of skills, ambitions or personality style. Keep your story short, unemotional, factual, and frame it as a moment of personal growth and/or a blessing since it got you more oriented towards work that is ultimately more in line with your career goals such as the job you are currently applying for.