It Just Didnt Work OutMy last job fired me 3 weeks after I recieved a glowing review and a raise. I suspect it may have been due to my having excessive (but always doctor note covered) absences-the only thing on my review listed as "poor"-I even challenged the supervisor when they told me I "wasn't a good fit" and all she kept saying was I didn't do my job correctly, and even after the HR woman pulled my file and noted there was nothing to indicate my not doing my job correctly, the supervisor simply kept saying it "wasn't working out". Now, on interviews I am stuck because they ask me what occured at my last job that I am no longer there. I have tried to co-ordinate with the HR woman on what I should say, but she has not given me any clear statement to give. My concern is I will say something that will end up contradicting what my former company may end up saying. The day I was fired, I was yelled at-I kid you not, loud voice was involved-by a CEO who in the past never said anything bad to me, ever. I am great at controling my emotions, but I was sobbing at that point, just holding it in. Now, 5 months later I want to write her an e-mail or letter and ask her why no one was letting me know I was doing something wrong, especially since my file had no negative contents, and I had been handing all my work in on time and with the acceptable amount of corrections. I am hoping as well to ask her what exactly I should say in interviews so I can move forward in my life. Additionally I wanted to explain that my supervisor had given me no indication, warnings or anything prior to that morning and that if I was indeed doing something incorrectly, and was not being made aware of it, why all in one day? I think writing the letter would be more to help me than anything else because I doubt she'd respond, but I invested a great deal of time into that company and gave it my all, had a great attitude and I do feel I was slighted ina huge way. Does this make me nuts? More information please. You neglected to say how long you have been with the company 3 months? 3 years? You only say you were fired after a glowing review which occurred 3 weeks prior to being let go. How big is the company? Was there a recent change in management or perhaps you have a new supervisor? Is the department so small that your absence due to illness caused a huge problem (i.e. missed deadlines?) What type of work do you do? Who is available to step in and do your job when you can't be there to get the work done? How many days in the past 6 months have you missed ( assuming you have been with the company for at least 6 months). Mary
I was with the company about a year and 3 months. I missed 5 days that past January due to a flare up in my back injury. I was an editor, and I would bring the work home with me, working on it on my floor in my house (an easier position on my back than a desk)when I was out for my back so my work was generally on time-the only time a deadline was missed was due to the fact I went on a planned vacation and the rule there was while someone was away, others would help keep the work up to pace. I came back to find 12 documents that took about 6 hours each to edit not done, as the supervisor neglected to delegate them as she promised she would (I had requested to delegate them myself before I left, however I was told I couldn't) and that did throw me off schedule, however I STILL got them out within days of their original 1st proof date. The company was about medium size, 30 employees. The CEO had been the CEO for about a year at the time, and knew my work and my work ethic pretty well. My supervisor never once told me I was doing anything wrong. In my time there only one project had an issue occur and that was caught prior to being sent as a final disk. My file with the company showed no signs of me having been in trouble, I worked overtime unpaid all the time, I was usually the 1st person in the office in the mornings. I was shocked when this all happened, especially since the supervisor had made a costly error a month earlier that resulted in a designer losing their position, and the company to pay out about $10k to correct the error which had gone to print-the supervisor obviously still had their job, and I was told I wasn't "a good fit" for something that never even happened. It just didn't set well with me, I felt like I was being let go for something else, a more personal issue, than my performance being poor. The only personal issue I would think of is that I would take intiative to ensure my work was always covered-like just before I went away and wished to delegate it to others, instead I was told the supervisor was responsible for that and to just go and enjoy my vacation. I got along with the other employees well for the most part, had some issues with one guy's behavior, but figured that would work itself out eventually.
Based on what you have said, my guess is that the problem was not with you - you just happened to be in the line of fire so to speak. Have you ever been under stress so bad that you are ready to strangle the first person who looks cross eyed at you? Stress comes in all forms ( family, business, health, children etc.) My guess is that the boss is upset with your supervisor for a costly mistake and she in turn is stressed and taking it out on you. For whatever reason your supervisor decided to take her problems out on you and "not a good fit" is all the reason she needs. It is not all that uncommon for someone to rationalize that someone else was (for what ever reason) why she ended up making a mistake. You had a good review shortly before you were let go. That is to your advantage. Perhaps the supervisor has "redefined your job" and decided you would not be the best fit for what she had in mind going forward. I would see if there is someone other than this supervisor and CEO who could act as a reference - that might help you out. I am hoping that six months from now you can look back and find that this was the best thing that could have ever happened to you! I do believe that sometimes God wants us doing something else and these little bumps in the road are intended to move us in a new direction. Will keep you in my prayers. Mary | |
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