For poor performance. I’m stunned. Every job I’ve had in my professional career I’ve had nothing but great reviews and performance bonuses (even a few “spot bonuses”). I got a month of pay as severence and my accrued vacation time, so I’ll be able to get through June, but I don’t have any savings, and I’ve got a wife, two kids, mortgage, etc.
Holy shit.
Ouch! Here’s hoping you’ll find a new, better job that pays as much, or more than the job you just lost. Would you maybe qualify for unemployment?
I’m sorry, Winston Smith. In some cases you may be able to draw unemployment- please visit your local office right away. They may also be able to help you find new work.
I’m so sorry, Winston Smith.
Were there any signs leading up to it? Where I live, there generally has to be either a documented trail of warnings and increasingly-serious disciplinary attempts, or some infraction against actual provincial law, to get fired. You may have cause for a wrongful-dismissal lawsuit. (IANAL, etc)
Ooo. Tough one, Winston Smith. I’m sorry to hear that.
I’m sure you will get another job soon. Just get out there and get in as many resumes as you can.
Don’t forget the follow-ups!
Keep on it, and you’ll be employed again in no time.
The best of luck to you!
Wow, that really sucks, Winston Smith. I’m sorry.
I got written up back in January for making a fairly serious lapse in judgement, but other than that I’ve had no negative (or positive) feedback. I’ve thought about a wrongful termination suit, but I don’t know what grounds I’d have, and I’m loath to further damage this 7 months of my employment history.
I know you’ve got to process, digest, stare at the wreckage a while, but . . .
Only 7 months? That may really work to you favor. This is something that can be spun by you and just a “bad fit” and you did your best to work with them, but despite your best efforts, you just couldn’t make it work.
I’m sorry that this happened – sucks doesn’t begin to cover it. But when you’ve had a chance to catch your breath, start lining up references and good performance reviews from old employers/jobs. You can get pass this.
Well, if you actually have a case for wrongful termination, you shouldn’t worry about further damaging your employment history.
The real question, though, is whether you have a case.
If your only argument is simply that your one lapse in judgment was not sufficiently bad to warrant being fired, or that your performance has been better than the company says, then you might be out of luck. Especially if you’re in an “at will” state, where you can essentially be fired for any reason, for no reason, or for unfair reasons, provided that the reason given is not illegal. Another possible exception would be if you had a contract that specifically outlined the terms of your employment, and the necessary conditions for firing you, and the company violated those terms and conditions.
I’m sorry to hear about your job loss. Hope you find another one very soon.
Yeah, I kinda doubt I’d have a case, and I’m not the litigious type anyhow. I’ll probably just move on. I’m not going to do anything at all until Monday (except do some gardening and drink some Mai Tais).
Bah.
That totally sucks, and I’ve been there, done that – canned after 13 years! (That was 10 years ago. Life has gone on most swimmingly since then, as it will for you.)
You and your family won’t end up in the poorhouse. It’ll be OK. Really. Remember that getting canned is nowhere near the stigma it once was. It has happened to lots and lots of people.
Find people you can vent to. The Dope is here for you. You need to get all your anger and frustration and WTF??-ness out…'cuz you just need to, and because you don’t want any of that carrying over into future interviews.
Don’t obsess on the woulda-coulda-shoulda. You acknowledged a lapse in judgement. Don’t waste your emotional energy stewing over what happened.
Once the shock has worn off and you’re ready to forge ahead to the job search:
Find colleagues who will be willing to give you a good reference.
Think about how you’ll address this in your interviews.
I know you only have a month of severence pay, but if you have the luxury, don’t accept the first offer just because it’s an offer. The first offer may be wonderful and just what you were looking for. But if it’s of the “Well, at least it’s a job” variety, think hard before accepting.
Don’t burn any bridges on the way out, tempting though it might be. Living well is the best revenge, and you never know how a graceful exit may play in your favor in the future.
Best of luck to you, Winston Smith, and keep us posted.
I hope you find the job of your dreams soon. I’ll be thinking positive thoughts for you.
Good luck Winston, I hope you find something better and find it quick.
Lots of good advice in the thread already. As freckafree don’t burn any bridges on the way out.
Jim
Goodluck finding another job.
And may I be the first to offer you my job.
Well, thank you! I got some advice upthread not to take the first job that was pfferred to me, so I’ll have to pass. I appreciate it, though.
Thanks Jim. I’ll try to resist the urge to email dirty words to my old boss. 
So sorry to read this. But I think Jodi is right.
You should move quickly and just write it off as a bad fit; which, really, appears to be what it was.
If they didn’t give you any indication that your performance wasn’t as expected (other than once in January), I’d say you probably didn’t want to be working there, anyway.
Keep us updated on your job hunt. Here’s hoping for a much better job very soon.
GT
Sorry to hear this, Winston, and I know you have heard this (specifically upthread) - being fired seems to be in no way as bad as it used to be. I tried to quit my job last year, but agreed to work part-time. As this happened, my boss “fired” me because my work wasn’t “up to par” (even though the other 3rd shift worker came in drunk every night so nothing got done during my nights off - that’s another rant). I was extremely angry until I thought about it a little bit, then got over it. I applied for another job (the exact same thing at another company) and got it - based on the experience I had at the job I was fired from. Basically, they gave me the interview before talking to the old employer, and I explained that since she felt I shouldn’t be a part-time worker, she let me go. They called the manager to check on that instead of my major boss. Manager thought I was a great worker, and told them, and they hired me. After two weeks, they moved me to full-time and gave me some benefits because they said I was doing well.
I promise, it’s not the end of the world (at least not usually…) and it sounds like you’re a good worker, and have a decent record other than this one incident. You should be fine…
Brendon Small
My husband was “downsized” about 13 years ago. We had a mortgage, a toddler and another child on the way. Tough times, but we muddled through and he’s in a new career which is much better suited for him. And he’s self-employed now so he doesn’t have to worry about being downsized anymore, though from time to time he does threaten to fire himself for being an insufferable prick.
You have a month of breathing room, possibly more if you qualify for unemployment. Try not to panic. Take a day or so to update your resume. And then network. Not sure what field you’re in, but hopefully the colleagues and people you interacted with at this job and prior ones will recognize your talents and assist you in finding another company.
Good luck to you.
YIKES! Winston…
As with all the others my sympathy.
I am fairly new to these boards, but in my time here I have been continually impressed with your wit and knowledge. I am certain that with your qualifications, that you will find a new, better opportunity soon enough. Take a day or two, fine tune that Resume, and and check in with any contacts you may have at other employers.
And, by the way, that “serious lapse in judgement” you had wasn’t 3 m,onths ago, but 7, when you decided on this job.
Best of luck, and keep your chin up…
Regards
FML