First they can’t tell the next employer. They are only suppose to say you did work for them. Othersiwe it can be seen as slander. Second, it is about selling yourself. Let them see that quality that they want to see, amd the dedicated employee you are.. Third, you have been with your previous employer for over a year, almost two. So it did not work out. It is not like you worked for them for 3 months. Tell them that you were a hard worker but they were not able to keep you busy enough. So they let you go and others in the company due to slow business.