I meant to respond to your message when it first appeared.

I never could understand either why people will suddenly and unexpectedly tell you that you are not doing a good job and will not provide any details that could be useful, helpful, and may encourage you to think where you may have fallen short and what you can do to avoid repeating mistakes at the next job.  But you tell us that this person was not very nice, so I guess that is the answer in your case.  Everything you say about her is absolutely true, I am sure.  She has misused her authority and, no doubt, she has fired many employees or they quit first.  A decent manager or boss always gives the departing employee some reasons why she did not measure up.  Sometimes she even provides proof, for example, a sloppy document full of typos and misspelled words and bad grammar, actual written complaints of clients or employees who were adversely affected by the employee's lack of commitment to doing a good job, etc.

Here's what I would say if I was a manager and had to fire an employee after the probationary period was up:

"I am sorry but things did not work out.  I appreciate all the effort you made and the time it took for you to get up to speed.  I know you went through our training program and did your best; however, after observing you for the past three months I realized that you are not cut out for this type of work in this company - not necessarily someplace else.  I feel bad about this but this is the purpose of a probationary period.  We look at new hires carefully and then we make a decision.  New hires do the same and they make a decision to either leave or continue working here.

Thanks for everything you did.  It's not easy trying to do several things at once, learning new things, getting accustomed to the new working environment, and getting along with everybody while trying to meet our very rigid and high standards.  I wish you a lot of luck in the future, and I know you will find and keep the right opportunity."

Okay!  The above speech is almost as long as the Gettysburg Address, but if more employers and bosses would take the time to deliver this kind of message to people who are fired or did not pass the probationary period, everyone would benefit immensely.  I do not know whether some managers are stupid or don't care or they are sadists or simply people who never went to "charm school" and do not know how to relate to others in any situations.  That remains a mystery to me but so many bosses and employees too, for that matter, come to work to act out with their own hidden agendas and play sick games as D&C would say.  This gets worse and worse all the time!   Perhaps this terrible behavior is a reflection of all the misery many of us feel about the world in general with all its serious problems including war, unemployment, health care crises, you name it!

You went through a three-month probationary period and perhaps this poor excuse for a boss simply felt you did not fit in but preferred to make you think you did a lousy job.  She could very well be a sadist who actually enjoyed watching your reaction to this news.  She could even be a bully and for that reason, you're lucky to be finished at that place.  In any case, she did not give a damn about your feelings (she did not see you as a person but a "business decision" that did not measure up) and could have even fired you because a friend or a family member needed that job or knew someone who needs to work.  Or she simply did not like you.  Try not to dwell on this and look to the present!

My only advice is to start the search again and I hope that other people will tell you specifically what you can say when questioned about this latest job at your first interview.  The right words are not easy to find but once you figure that out, you will feel much better.  With someone's help, you can write a little script and practice.  Of course, you will tailor the script to your personality.  You have to be truthful and in this day and age, your situation is very common.  Jobs are hard to find, and they are hard to keep!

Don't cave in to despair and depression if you can help it.  You can do this by keeping busy and devoting as much time to a job search as you can.

Bunzo