Have you ever been fired from a job?

[Fern]

I have---twice.

Both were small, owner-operated and managed companies. I was hired as a writer at both, but in each situation, was fired becus the owner assumed I could do other tasks with no direction, like preparing a package for FedEx, which I unfortuantely didn't know at the time since i'd worked for large companies where someone else was responsible for that.

Guess they didn't have the patience to simply show me how.

[locolorenzo24]

More times than I can count....

Usually, it's a case of me telling the manager that I could not work such and such a day 3 weeks away, because I had a prior commitment. Doesn't matter...Day comes, I don't go in, and I get fired.

The last time, I was working as a telemarketer for a water cleaning firm, and they told me I wasn't too good at it so I should go work in the field. I had to go door to door for 6 months, getting water samples...Paid the bills though...

Now, I'm working with mentally ill adults, and can't imagine anything more rewarding.

[PRICEPLUS]

No. I have quit a good many though. I guess I am very fortunate!

[BillsGirl]

Once in my life I got fired after a week, normally I walk out on jobs though!!!

[Optsol]

Never.

[jodi]

I haven't, but DH was. He put 110% into his job working with troubled kids for over five years, got excellent reviews, several promotions...never had a hint of a problem. Then he was transferred to a new program with a supervisor who had been there over twenty years, but had a pretty bad track record. A lot of people under him had either left or been fired. Anyway, DH was a shift supervisor and in charge of the kids' allowances. The program had a sloppy (actually, non-existent) ledger system for keeping track. DH went along with the current system, then was accused of stealing the allowances (we're talking maybe $5 or 10 bucks a week here). Nevermind that we had nearly $20k in the bank at the time, or that DH used his own money to purchase or donate things to the program (books, Playstation, etc.). Someone had it in for him and he lost his job without any proof of wrongdoing. He has tried to get a job in a similar field, but feels he should be honest about being fired. He has already been turned down for two jobs that he was more than qualified for. He has now decided to go back to school and is really excited about his new career. So I guess sometimes things turn out for the best...

[Bruce Wayne]

I've been fired once. Me and the managers didn't really share the same work culture so I would have walked anyway, they just beat me too it

[jmjj215]

I worked the desk at a gym purely for the free membership when I was in high school. They moved to a new facility right next door and my employment was a bit lost in the shuffle. I just figured I was now "on call". So I kept going there for free and letting the front desk person know I was an employee. They'd let me in of course.

Well, one day Earl, the gym manager (yes, his name was really Earl) saw me kind of just walk right through w/o swiping a card or anything. I saw him go up and talk to the receptionist. I just kept walking. About a minute later she came up to me and says, "Uh, Earl says you're fired."

I was bummed. The next day I went in and bought a membership from Earl and he gave me the employee rate ($11 per month w/ nothing down) so I was happy again.

[DivaJen]

Nope

[abowers]

Nope, I have quit though.
I quit the 2 jobs I had in high school when I started college because they didn't pay enough for it to be worth me driving there from college.

Then I quit a psychology research job for a big name in psychology research that I had in college after working there for almost 2 years because my course schedule made it impossible to schedule afternoon and evening home visits with subjects.

And I quit my job as a resident counselor in Rochester when I moved to NJ with the boyfriend in July. (But I gave them lots of notice, back in the spring, that I would be moving).

[cercis]

I've been laid off 3 times, twice on the same day.

In college I worked 2 jobs and both employers told me on the same day that their funding had been cut and they were cutting staff.

My first "real job" was phased out after a corporate merger/take over.

I've quit several jobs.

Abowers - I have to ask, is that an alpaca in your avatar and why?

[miclason]

twice...once for standing up for a co-worker who was being harrassed and, from my previous employment because my boss got fired and the new manager felt he coudln't trust me (in reality, he just wanted to get rid of me and gave my position to a girl of 22, with a wonderful body and no brains - believe me, who is said to have had an affair with him - and this piece of gossip came from my ex-bosses wife, who was living in another country, but who got told about it by her friends in the American community!!...I also got the news from some ex-coworkers....they nicknamed this girl: NAME-shower, because the manager had had a shower installed in his office...) ...he then claimed he had fired me because I was negligent with my work....guess that's why now there are 3 people to do the work I did alone!!...but, HE got fired a couple of months ago...some sort of embezzlement (sp?) scandal....

[CouponsGalore]

I have. And, I haven't been able to get a job for over two years now.

CouponsGalore

[abowers]

What area do you work in? I got my BA in Psych last year.

I moved to a different state July 15, put out my resume, and had several interviews the first week in August, and started work August 18. Of course, it's not the highest paying job, but it's enough to get by in this area. And this is temporary until I start grad school. But it's paying the bills and a little more.

[shadon]

Have only had one paying job which I had for 15.5 years before resigning to take on a very important albeit un-salaried job being a SAHM.

[CouponsGalore]

Originally Posted by abowers

What area do you work in? I got my BA in Psych last year.

I moved to a different state July 15, put out my resume, and had several interviews the first week in August, and started work August 18. Of course, it's not the highest paying job, but it's enough to get by in this area. And this is temporary until I start grad school. But it's paying the bills and a little more.

Amanda,
Nice purses...You make them all yourself? I have using ebay (SandrasAcre) for a couple weeks. I have sold one item so far....

I have a question: When you fill out your resume, and the place where it states, "Have you ever been fired?" What do you put? Maybe that is my fall out? I am too honest?

CouponsGalore

[cercis]

Coupons, always be honest and use a minimum of words explaining. If you aren't honest, they *will* somehow find out.

I didn't review the thread, so I don't know if you stated why you got fired, but minimize it as much as possible. Avoid saying "personality conflict" (even if it's true) because it could give the impression you don't get along well with others.

[abowers]

Coupons-- Thank you! I have made all the bags myself ( I hand knit them). I've tried selling some on Ebay, but they haven't gone for as much as I'd like them to. My aunt has been selling many of them to her friends, she had a big "bag" showing at her house and sold several hundred dollars worth!

I agree with Cercis about being fired-- Be honest, but don't go into too much detail on the resume/application. You can explain yourself at the interview.

[baselle]

My tally:

Resigned from: 2
Quit: 1
Scheduled: 15 or so (temp jobs)
Fired from: 1

Fired story: I was bullied, and I refused to be bullied. With being fired, be honest and succinct if asked directly, but do not volunteer. And you never know about how interviews will react. Even in a small field, there are some people and situations where being fired is a badge of honor. If you learned something from being fired, mention that too.

[Fern]

Originally Posted by CouponsGalore

I have. And, I haven't been able to get a job for over two years now.

CouponsGalore

I'm sorry, I don't think you should be required to divulge whether you've been fired from a job. That's completely irrelevant becus every job situation is different, and as you can see from the posts here, the majority of people have quit or been fired at some point in their lives.

Maybe we can help you with your job search, at least in terms of motivation and encouragement if no other. Most people who have been unemployed for extended periods of time become dispirited and don't really conduct an aggressive job search. If you're willing to share the particulars, I think we could help here.

Tell us what kind of jobs/career you've had, what you're looking for now, and how you're going about your job search.