Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.
You're fired
johnny73
Posts: 4,567
To balance out the 'best resignations' thread. Share your experiences of being 'let go' or fired.
The first time was on my 17th birthday on my first day back at work after a new year's break.
Was called into the manager's office. Told the news and was in total shock. A month earlier a lot of staff had been let go, in one of those early nineties recession led culls, everyone else had been told their jobs were safe.
I went back to my office, wining and moaning about how unfair it all was. My line manager had a quiet word with me and explained how they had kept me on for the extra month because of my age and the timing (xmas). They allowed me to look for work whilst working my remaining days. I had another higher paid job within a week of leaving. The experience helped me to decide to eventually return to education.
The first time was on my 17th birthday on my first day back at work after a new year's break.
Was called into the manager's office. Told the news and was in total shock. A month earlier a lot of staff had been let go, in one of those early nineties recession led culls, everyone else had been told their jobs were safe.
I went back to my office, wining and moaning about how unfair it all was. My line manager had a quiet word with me and explained how they had kept me on for the extra month because of my age and the timing (xmas). They allowed me to look for work whilst working my remaining days. I had another higher paid job within a week of leaving. The experience helped me to decide to eventually return to education.
4
Comments
-
I've never been fired but luckily you go on to refer to a redundancy.johnny73 said:To balance out the 'best resignations' thread. Share your experiences of being 'let go' or fired.
The first time was on my 17th birthday on my first day back at work after a new year's break.
Was called into the manager's office. Told the news and was in total shock. A month earlier a lot of staff had been let go, in one of those early nineties recession led culls, everyone else had been told their jobs were safe.
I went back to my office, wining and moaning about how unfair it all was. My line manager had a quiet word with me and explained how they had kept me on for the extra month because of my age and the timing (xmas). They allowed me to look for work whilst working my remaining days. I had another higher paid job within a week of leaving. The experience helped me to decide to eventually return to education.
Our company overpriced an annual quote by 1.5million, spent every penny and then the claims that came in only came to 1 million leaving 1.5 million to pay back to the client.
As the money wasn't there the company made 100 people redundant and had to do 12 months at no fee.1 -
I've never been fired - but I've fired quite a few.
Never easy to make a decision to deny someone their livelihood and I like to think all of mine have been based on sound and reasonable judgements - but I can't guarantee that.2 -
Have had to sack a few people and run redundancy programmes over the years.
It's a horrible thing to have to do, even sacking someone who's had plenty of chances to improve.
The worst one was when I had to let a couple of people go the week before Christmas.
Obviously it's nowhere near as bad as being on the other end of a redundancy/sacking but I hate having to put people out of work.2 -
The only time I have ever been fired from a job was for making up all the answers to a survey I was supposed to be conducting for a market research company.
I had been doing the job as I went through Uni, and had generally always done it fairly accurately, with just the odd made up one slipped in.
But on this occasion, I think the area I had been asked to cover looked pretty "lively", I was short on time to do it, and by then, I was pretty experienced at creating a rounded series of views from the great British public.
Now the company did random checks, and unfortunately discovered that Mr Umbala of Falton Road did not exist, nor did Mrs Edie Webster, Dr. Antonio Rodrigues, and Claude Saint- Wilson either.
I was cast adrift, without even an exit survey.....
10 -
When I was 17 I was a greenkeeper at a golf course. The head greenkeeper was a complete mug. I had enough of him one day a lobbed a golf ball that hit him bang on the ankle. Instant dismissal. Felt good.12
-
I was working on a building site in Germany in 79 (original Auf Wiedersien) having never set foot on a site before (office worker) - agent said that if I did woodwork at school and can hit a nail with a hammer that I was a chippy. I decided to take the day off and go to Munich for the European Cup final between Forest and Maimo. Great day out and worn my old Charlton satin scarf to try and blend in with the Forest fans. On the way back at Munich station I found out that I'd been sacked. Went to the site in the morning anyway and learnt that quite a few British lads had been sacked too and they were proper tradesmen. I was sacked because I took the day off but nothing mentioned about my capability on the site. I was quite chuffed really. My parting words were to the site manager was about an English football club winning the European cup. I might have also mentioned the two world wars and one World Cup. That's my only time that I've been sacked.4
-
Worked for Fidelity Investments for a fortnight, which was a funny one, because I have absolutely no understanding of investments.
I was working on the phones, taking calls from prospective customers. If they asked for a prospectus, I was well happy - there was a little button I could press to do that call.
If they asked for literally anything else, I was fucked. And I wasn't allowed to ask colleagues for help, some finance law or something precluded me.
Eventually the team leader called me into his office and said he had to let me go. I smiled broadly, let out a big sigh of relief and said "thank fuck for that, I've no idea what's going on in this building" which surprised him. He thought I was going to be a tricky one. I shook his hand, and skipped out of the office.
I got a job delivering fried chicken soon after and that was the end of that chapter.
14 -
I got fired for showing up the inadequate arithmetic of the publican of The Bugle Horn, summer 1977 or '78. He accused me of dipping in the till to cover it up.1
-
Working at Sainsburys when I was 16-17. Dropped a tray of cucumbers on my foot on the shop floor. Muttered a mild expletive under my breath which was heard by some miserable old bint (she had seen what happened) who complained. Produce Supervisor did his mini Hitler routine on the shop floor infront of lots of customers, asked him nicely if we could coninue the discussion in private and he went off on one even worse. Lost my rag completely, flipped the tray of cucumbers over and booted several towards him whilst shouting various swear words. Didn't hang around to see whether I'd been sacked.7
-
work in sales so had to let go of a few people. It's never pleasant but then if you're not performing in your job is it the right place anyway0
-
Sponsored links:
-
Was sacked for Gross Misconduct from my first ever job at the age of 16, but I suspect I'd given the company a convenient way of getting rid of me. Essentially I'd booked a day off but didn't get it in writing - and there was no computer system, it was all done via word of mouth rather worryingly. So come mid-day on my holiday day I received an email telling me they'd taken that as a form of gross misconduct and were terminating my contract. They were a huge shower of shit though, and quite a large company too.
Since that day I've learned the art of "pre-emptive resignation"..1 -
On a similar note to firing though, I once conducted an interview with a young Polish chap. The interview was dire to the point I nearly cried afterwards - it was my first interview and the candidate was woefully unqualified and, when called out on certain things, he launched a tirade about "driving for nearly 24 hours to get here". I felt half sorry for him and half angry.
When the other interviewer and I left the room we agreed it was a no-go, and went back in to let him down. He kicked off majorly, and after persuading him to leave I was scared to leave the office to grab lunch as I figured he may have been irate enough to be waiting for me by the entrance.5 -
I was made redundant from a paper merchant in Romford. But I was told that, as there might be something else in the pipeline, I was to go home, but for the time being they were going to carry on paying me. Well okay, I said, more than a little perplexed and off I went. Four weeks or so later of putting my feet up (on full pay) they said they were opening a branch in Tolworth, and they wanted me to work there. But it was a month off being ready, so would I mind spending the interim time working at the Southampton branch where they were desperately short of staff. Full expenses, hotel Mon to Fri and a very, very generous petrol allowance. They agreed to keep up the petrol allowance for a short while once I started at Tolworth too - turned out to be about six months, happy days!
Eighteen months later, and one month before I was going to hand in my notice and move over here, I was made redundant again. So I walked away with three months money rather than sweet FA. Even happier days...6 -
myself and a friend once got told that in a few minutes we'd be called into a meeting with a load of other staff and made redundant but the 2 of us would have a new job to come in to the next day. so we got a full payout and started a new job the next day in the office next door. we then got made redundant from thi one a few months later and got another payout. my friend had previously been laid off by the same owner from yet another business so this was 3 in a row for him0
-
I met my wife at a place we both worked March 1980, I was the trainee Manager. I was told that she was to be sacked and was going to have to sack her. Unbeknown to the company we had been seeing each other for a month or two. She phoned to say she was on her way to work, I asked her to tell me she was quitting with immediate effect and to trust me. She did and I relayed the message to the area manager that she hated him, the job and to poke it. Meeting her later in the day I suggested with no wage coming in she moved in with me. We married in May 1981 which coincides with my last day as the boss.
20 -
Late 80's, independent Pizza Restaurant Bexleyheath. Mixed the dough base with sugar instead of salt. Job over.10
-
Got sacked from 1st ever proper job, literally folding A4 sheets in three and stuffing into envelopes. Only guy amongst about a dozen older women. Probable output as much as the rest of them put together because all they did was chat. Lasted two days. Got told I didn't fit in. Their loss.3
-
Sweet pizza with a custard topping? I'd try it.redsek said:Late 80's, independent Pizza Restaurant Bexleyheath. Mixed the dough base with sugar instead of salt. Job over.
1 -
I suppose his time keeping for a Monday to Friday job would also have been a problem.LuckyReds said:On a similar note to firing though, I once conducted an interview with a young Polish chap. The interview was dire to the point I nearly cried afterwards - it was my first interview and the candidate was woefully unqualified and, when called out on certain things, he launched a tirade about "driving for nearly 24 hours to get here". I felt half sorry for him and half angry.
When the other interviewer and I left the room we agreed it was a no-go, and went back in to let him down. He kicked off majorly, and after persuading him to leave I was scared to leave the office to grab lunch as I figured he may have been irate enough to be waiting for me by the entrance.4 -
In my first year of teacher training, I had a two-week placement. It didn't involve any teaching, it was just observing the class teacher and getting a feel for the school; the plan is that you'd go back to do a teaching placement there about 6 months later.
After the first week of the initial observation placement, the school asked me to leave. Because I fell asleep while watching one of the lessons.3 -
Sponsored links:
-
William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, 1985. Working as a 'Domestic Assistant' pending other ventures. Got told, out of the blue, that they were not renewing my 'contract'. Pretty gutted to be fair as I was having 'fun' with the nursing fraternity in all honesty. Day after I was told that I was given the 'boot' I got a letter saying that I had been accepted to join the RAF! All's well that ends well.1
-
Worked in a vegetable preparation factory in the early 80's and was sacked for sticking my dick in the cucumber slicer.
Bit unfair really as they didn't sack her.8 -
Made redundant (along with 2,000 others) 3 years ago. I found out about it about 6 weeks before it was due to happen as I was a member of the Employee Representative Body (as close to a union in an un-unionised company).. Was shocked at the time as had no idea it was coming and was worried how at 43 I'd have to go and find another job (the industry I work in is staffed mainly by people in the 20s and 30s, I was already the only 'grey hair') but I was offered a new job, with a 30% pay rise the same week that I was officially let go....I just had to serve out my 90 days consultation period at home (on full pay) and then 3 month notice period at home (on full pay) before starting my new, improved job, with a 6 month salary pay off too as the terms of my redundancy. It was bloody marvellous and possibly the most lucrative year of my life so far. The one thing it really did (apart from give me 5 months at home on full pay) was to remove the fear of losing my job...if it happened now I know it's be a struggle (especially as my son has just started senior school and I have signed up to 7 years of school fees - another debate I know) but the fear has been removed...I know that I can always do/find 'something'...2
-
Also known as the Crystal Palace supporters club.Addickted said:Worked in a vegetable preparation factory in the early 80's.
0 -
To be fair she was asleep at the time.Addickted said:Worked in a vegetable preparation factory in the early 80's and was sacked for sticking my dick in the cucumber slicer.
Bit unfair really as they didn't sack her.0
