Should I discuss being laid off or fired on my resume?

We have all had times in our lives when our job has suddenly ended, for any number of reasons.  Revealing that information on your resume should be handled carefully. 

Your resume should be a positive marketing tool about your qualifications and ability to do the job to which you are applying.  It is therefore not necessary to provide a complete biography including any negative details.  If you were fired from a prior position - for whatever reason - it is highly recommended to leave that information off.  Your resume is the document offering the first impression of you as a candidate, which will ultimately, hopefully, land you in an interview.  A discussion of the circumstances surrounding your departure from prior employment should happen after you are in an interview, and are able to succinctly present your side of the story.

However, if you were simply laid off from a prior job due to budget cuts, merger etc., you may want to include language in a Cover Letter, such as: 

“Due to recent budget cuts at XYZ company, more than 1,000 positions were eliminated, which included my job.  My track record, evaluations and performance have always been at the highest level, and I am looking forward to transitioning my computer programming skills to a company where I can make an immediate impact.”

Again, it is not advisable to include details of a layoff on the resume.  Stick to your skills and experience, matching as best as possible, the job description, and you will have a better chance of advancing to an interview.  The Cover Letter is where you might include a layoff, and the personal interview is where your being fired would warrant further discussion.