Just been sacked for the first time ever after a funeral

How are things now op?

You're overthinking this @PrueD; Recruiters don't tend to worry too much about how long someone has been on the market (unless it's an unusually long time) but it's worth having a good response ready anyway..
Reasons for the gap could be:

• I decided I would grasp the opportunity to take some time out and reflect on what I wanted in this next stage of my career
• I've taken the opportunity to invest in my skills by increasing my capability in xxx and yyy which is one of the reasons I have applied for this role with your organisation
• I wanted to take time to find the right organisation and a role that truly excites me

Well done OP! Good luck!!!! You'll find something better!

I also hate that it’s a small industry and one person from this company knows someone from the company I left. So it will get around that I was sacked

How sure?

Going back to the point I'd made earlier in the thread, I've just had a CV come across my desk for consideration and it includes one of the companies that a former colleague left us for.

This is the person that worked for me for 15 years and has had 3 jobs in the 4 years since they left.

This CV shows that they too worked at one of the companies for less than 12 months. I was not surprised. Everyone I come across that has worked there says how awful it was so I'm no longer surprised when the time spent at that company is short on a CV.

In a way it makes me like the candidate more - they didn't hang around to put up with their bullshit!

I would use a lot of truth in what you tell prospective employers:

"It was a bit of an odd one that - I did two projects really well - got really good feedback and both were successful, but ended up being let go after the completion of the latest project and after a short period of compassionate leave. I know staff turnover is pretty high there and I'd been there less than 2 years. It was disappointing as I felt I had much more to give."

Again - do not say you were fired. You were "let go".

Can you be honest with them & say you don’t really know, you were just told after returning from brows compassionate leave for a funeral, but the review was quite vague? Maybe mention their high staff turnover? Everyone knows what that means. I’m not in management so I don’t know how they would take that, but hopefully others on here do. Best of luck to you - we are all rooting for you ✊🏽

Choose your line and stick to it. Keep it simple. Make it all about the new job. Practice, practice, practice.
So “I delivered two successful projects in my current job. I loved working on these. But when I saw your job ad, I was really attracted to X or Y. I’ve always wanted to work in (a large corporate/ your company because it has an amazing reputation/ this area -delete as appropriate). I wasn’t sure if I’d get another opportunity like this. As there was a small window between projects, I decided to apply. From what I’ve heard so far in this interview, I’m really excited about it”. Then talk about something the interviewer has said about the job.
Do not deviate from the line, no matter how probing they are. Stay super positive and upbeat. Make it all about the new role you are interviewing for. Practice answering the question in front of the mirror over and over until it feels familiar.
one word of warning. Don’t get so hooked up on this question to the extent you forget to prepare for the interview as a whole. Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. Why you are leaving your current job may not even be of interest to the interviewer. They are much more interested in knowing whether your skill set is a good fit and whether you are the right person for the job so focus primarily on that. Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

Oh, and have a fabulous weekend away - you deserve it!

That's understandable - you're grieving in more ways than one at the moment.

Take each day one at a time and look for some joy and satisfaction in every day, whether that being making yourself the most delicious cup of tea or, thinking forward, finding yourself a much better job than the one you're leaving.

Channel your inner Heather Small and say "What have you done today, to make you feel proud"!

Keep an eye on your bank account because they sometimes pay payments after leaving on a different date.

I hope you have a really good break you really deserve a change of scene. And shelf the job worries whilst you are doing it. You've updated CV and applied for some things, You can afford to let it lie until you return in a few days refreshed.

A gap of a month or two is really not that big a deal with your continuous employment record, and you can draw their attention to that record if asked. You finished two big projects for them, they were not rehiring positions of people that had left, it was time.

Agreed. Also, if you've worked at one place for a short period of time and others for much longer, I wouldn't worry either.

A guy that used to work for me was here for 15 years. In the four years since he left, he's on his third job.

If I were to see his CV I would certainly think that was a reflection on those companies as employers, rather than on him as a person.

If it's a short period of employment, then a gap, I'd probably assume that they were awful to work for and you got out as quick as you could!

shitty timing, must be tough - hope that you find something better

with regards to the above - it's your contractual holiday pay you need to make sure you get.

Good luck

Agree with PP. There are always companies with positions needing filling immediately for a number of reasons
A month or two isn't too hard to explain. The job wasn't working, manager left and the culture wasn't a good fit.
You decided to take a short break before your next opportunity.

I hire people and 2/3 months gap (as long as it isn't A pattern) doesn't even phase me.

You don’t need to explain the career gap for a month or so. You can simply state you’re immediately available, and actively looking for your next project / assignment. It’s actually a huge benefit to be available at short notice as a lot of companies are notoriously terrible at forward planning their hiring effectively. Probably because there’s always good candidates immediately available.

Every sympathy for the tough week you've had.
Agree with @Ariela on what to say in future interviews.
I've been made redundant twice - the first occasion felt very unfair and hurtful- but I can honestly say they both turned out to be the best thing. The company sounds awful in the way they treat their staff and, like others say, I bet it is financial, not about you.
However, you may be able to use the threat of action for Wrongful Dismissal to get a written reference. Saying that, I found that interviewers were always very understanding when asking about reasons for leaving provided you are seen to be reasonable, open and honest in your answer. They know there are shitty workplaces out there.

I’d say end of projects and (if you really needed to say something more) something like you didn’t feel it was the right fit for you (which it wasn’t, it was toxic)/ wanted a new challenge.

Later down the line you can judge who you trust to tell the truth to but for now keep it positive and simple and don’t make any insinuation against your former employer as although it’d be truthful, it might make prospective employers twitchy.

Just a word of warning here as I can't recall if that actually was the case. If it wasn't a maternity cover situation then don't state that it was - because a reference request will confirm that it wasn't and as a result the new employer will very likely lose interest and any job offer will be off the table.

You’re really overcomplicating this. Just state it was an interim position - maternity cover, nobody will bat an eyelid.