Why You Should Apologize to an Ex-Employer

I'm sorry ... so sorry ...

Often, those are the last words you ever want to say when you get laid off. Why should you apologize? It's your boss who owes you one, right?

But as a recent article in the Wall Street Journal points out, these days people are more anxious than ever to get past misdeeds off their chests, whether that means admitting to stealing a box of crayons from a neighbor kid when you were 10 or apologizing to your former employer for writing a tell-all about the company.

Even famous folks are 'fessing up to their faults. Serena Williams apologized twice for her controversial U.S. Open outburst. Posh and Becks' former nanny apologized for revealing confidential information about the family to the press. And Congressman Joe Wilson apologized to President Obama after shouting "You Lie!" during an address to a joint session of Congress. (See more famous apologies here.)