By now, you’ve probably interviewed a few times in your career. You know how to answer the tried and true questions. But what happens now that you’ve been fired? Here are a few tips for answering the most difficult interview question of all.

First off, be honest. If an interviewer asks you if you’ve ever been fired, say yes. But always follow it up with a good reason, and make sure they know that you have learned from any mistakes you made. While your termination will of course be a point of contention with a new employer, interviewers will respond well to honesty and humility. Learn more about what not to say in an interview. 

But, don’t spill the details. Potential employers don’t want to hear the sob story of your firing, they just want to hear that you’ve grown from—and moved on from—the experience. Instead, give them a brief statement of how you may have been responsible and exactly how you will act differently in the future.