Getting Fired

[Flynnster]

Well, Friday I was let go at work, nothing I didn't see coming, but it happened sooner than I expected.

Perhaps it's because I'm young and don't have a family to worry about, but it's a bit freeing. I got a couple weeks pay, and I can drive uber for cash for now, so I'm going to do some good thinking on what I really want to do for my next move. This might end up being a pretty good thing for me overall, pushing me to take a risk I wouldn't have otherwise.

That said, at 23, this is the first time I've been fired, any words of wisdom from the Asylum?

[The Poet]

The first cut is the deepest, but getting canned is never fun. Been there a number of times, so know this well. Best thing to remember is that it's only a freakin' job, not your life. Deal with it, and move on.

All best wishes for future success.

[G G]

I can't add much. I am 50 yo and have been blessed to only have been fired once in my life and that was when I was 18. I would say you have a great attitude about it and believe you will hit the ground running.

[The Poet]

Oh, and make sure you get off this board now and go to the Illinois state unemployment insurance site and file a claim for your benefits. You paid for it each paycheck, so you earned it. A few hundred bucks a week won't change your life, but it will ease the pain a bit.

[Porch Dweller]

Thomas is wise.

[The Poet]

Thomas is wise.

Thomas is experienced at being out of work. :r

[bobarian]

There's a big difference between getting fired for cause and being released on good terms. Not only in Unemployment terms, but if you left on good terms you should get a letter of recommendation from your employer. This will help answer and questions your next employer man have. Good luck.

[icehog3]

I got fired once, when I was 21 and trying to work full time and go to college full time.

I busted my boss' windshield, seduced his girlfriend and got him fired too.

Then I woke up from my lovely dream.

Good luck going forward. :tu

[Flynnster]

Thanks for the advice fellas! Especially on the unemployment, that hand't even crossed my mind.

[The Poet]

Thanks for the advice fellas! Especially on the unemployment, that hand't even crossed my mind.

If you were "laid off" or "downsized" the claim should be approved automatically. And even if you were "fired for cause" . . . calling the boss a d!ckhead, even though he is, or screwing his daughter on papa's desk . . . you might be denied at first, but you can always appeal the decision and often get it overturned.

Hey, tell them it's not YOUR fault the boss was a d!ckhead. :D

[hotreds]

Best wishes for the future! You're young and should be able to "shake it off!" and go forward with little difficulty! Onward and upwards!

[longknocker]

Good Luck In Finding Your Next Job, Brother.:tu Now May Be The Time When You Think About What You Want Your Career To Be In The Future. While You're Young Is The Best Time To Pursue Additional Education.:tu

[mosesbotbol]

Been a contractor for 20 years, so jobs coming and going has been a constant. Make sure your resume is up to date and posted on relevant job boards. Update the resume every other day and spend a few hours daily applying to new jobs.

Do you hope to stay in the same field or do something different? Do as much exercise as you can since you have time and get up early every day. The longer you are unemployed, the less you'll be able to accomplish during the day. You'll be amazed how lazy you can become in a matter of a few weeks.

See the firing as an opportunity for new job and more money. Good luck

[shark]

And the reason for your most recent separation will be brought up in every interview. Be prepared to put it in as positive terms as possible.

[Blueface]

Good luck.
Things happen for a reason.
I was fired at 23, just a few months before my planned wedding.
Turned out to be the best favor anyone ever did for me.
I hated that career path but was too blind to see I should have abandoned it.
Landed a career job after that and have been employed by the same company for 33 years now.
Again, things happen for a reason, just need to make the best out of it.

[RJrocker]

Sorry brother, good luck with your next endeavor!

[CRIMPS]

For someone who interviews a lot of people, may I offer the following quick points that the majority of prospective applicants mess up:

* Verify your contact info in on your resume. Seriously :(
* Have someone else look at your resume as well. You can't spot the mistakes. Preferably a woman.
* Once you update your resume, save it as a PDF. Don't send out your resume in MSWord.
* Add a cover letter if you send out your resume.
* In an interview, turn off your phone.
* In an interview, smile, and find some common ground with the interviewer. Many times, interviewers simply want to hire someone they see themselves becoming friends with.
* Show some passion for whatever it is your are applying for.
* Send a followup email after the interview, thanking them for their time.

Good luck. :tu

[Flynnster]

Thanks for all the support everyone! Still trying to figure out or understand what the heck I want to do. I know it was tough for me to go into an a office every day and sit there for 9 hours, so it might be time for a new path.

In the meantime I've been taking some side gigs and fishing a lot!

[badbriar]

I know it was tough for me to go into an a office every day and sit there for 9 hours, so it might be time for a new path. :hy

ahhh, youth!!! Nobody likes that, but it's what 95+ % of us do.
Take a look at some kind of sales position. Once you get a base of accounts, it can pay well. Every business needs sales personnel - jobs everywhere!

I was in your shoes about 2 months back - downsized because I told the owner's b!tch girlfriend off. Now, I use my production and estimating experience and am doing inhouse production / sales. Calling on all of the accounts the previous company has. Proving to be VERY productive. Best move I've made in over a decade! Life is GOOD! :tu

[mosesbotbol]

When you take on any work opportunity; consider what skills you will learn and set milestone for when you have learned that skill set. Every job is a chance to build your resume, so pay attention to the opportunity.

Once you gained what they have to offer and you are at plateau in knowledge/resume building with them; time to start to looking for the next role.

[jjirons69]

For someone who interviews a lot of people, may I offer the following quick points that the majority of prospective applicants mess up:

* Verify your contact info in on your resume. Seriously :(
* Have someone else look at your resume as well. You can't spot the mistakes. Preferably a woman.
* Once you update your resume, save it as a PDF. Don't send out your resume in MSWord.
* Add a cover letter if you send out your resume.
* In an interview, turn off your phone.
* In an interview, smile, and find some common ground with the interviewer. Many times, interviewers simply want to hire someone they see themselves becoming friends with.
* Show some passion for whatever it is your are applying for.
* Send a followup email after the interview, thanking them for their time.

Good luck. :tu

Great advise, Zach. I, too, do a lot of interviewing, or have over the years. Most have the same education backgrounds so what separates them from each other is being personable. Most of the time you only have upwards of an hour to talk with an interviewee. The ones I end up hiring have positive attitudes and are easy to talk with and connect with. If they don't blend in well with my current staff, I would never chance it.

Best of luck!

[Col. Kurtz]

For someone who interviews a lot of people, may I offer the following quick points that the majority of prospective applicants mess up:

* Verify your contact info in on your resume. Seriously :(
* Have someone else look at your resume as well. You can't spot the mistakes. Preferably a woman.
* Once you update your resume, save it as a PDF. Don't send out your resume in MSWord.
* Add a cover letter if you send out your resume.
* In an interview, turn off your phone.
* In an interview, smile, and find some common ground with the interviewer. Many times, interviewers simply want to hire someone they see themselves becoming friends with.
* Show some passion for whatever it is your are applying for.
* Send a followup email after the interview, thanking them for their time.

Good luck. :tu


Solid advice!

[Flynnster]

Thanks for all the advice everyone! Still not really sure what direction I want to go, so I may just tend bar or serve for a few months while I figure things out. Just don't want to rush back in to going to a job I hate every day.

Plus, fall fishing is my favorite!

[mk05]

If you have the savings, take a breath and see the world. You have a lot of time.

[AdamJoshua]

For someone who interviews a lot of people, may I offer the following quick points that the majority of prospective applicants mess up:

* Verify your contact info in on your resume. Seriously :(
* Have someone else look at your resume as well. You can't spot the mistakes. Preferably a woman.
* Once you update your resume, save it as a PDF. Don't send out your resume in MSWord.
* Add a cover letter if you send out your resume.
* In an interview, turn off your phone.
* In an interview, smile, and find some common ground with the interviewer. Many times, interviewers simply want to hire someone they see themselves becoming friends with.
* Show some passion for whatever it is your are applying for.
* Send a followup email after the interview, thanking them for their time.

Good luck. :tu

As someone that is stuck interviewing a lot of people lately, don't over sell yourself. We're looking for designers and if I see one more person that says there were a "Senior" this or "Lead" that, that has no idea what they are talking about I will scream. Today we had a girl that graduated a year ago and the only exp she has is some non profit intern work, oh but she was the "Senior Designer". Overwhelmingly under qualified people wasting my time just ticks me off, granted it's the people doing the pre-screening that suck at their jobs, we've already had to speak to them 2 times about the quality of candidates they are sending us.

Oh sorry that turned into a rant, but yes, don't oversell yourself or along the lines of Mark's suggestion maybe you could become a competitive eater!

[mosesbotbol]

We're looking for designers and if I see one more person that says there were a "Senior" this or "Lead" that, that has no idea what they are talking about I will scream. Today we had a girl that graduated a year ago and the only exp she has is some non profit intern work, oh but she was the "Senior Designer". Overwhelmingly under qualified people wasting my time just ticks me off, granted it's the people doing the pre-screening that suck at their jobs, we've already had to speak to them 2 times about the quality of candidates they are sending us.

So funny, we get that at our work too. New hire is "senior principal threat researcher" or "senior engineer" and they've don't even know our product yet (we are in DLP - Cyber Security). You look in our GAL, it's mostly chief's with little indians... I have not added or changed my basic title since I started there almost 5 years ago... Some are big on titles, but it's the actual job done and your experience that determines whether you are "senior" or not. Not your title.

[M1903A1]

When you take on any work opportunity; consider what skills you will learn and set milestone for when you have learned that skill set. Every job is a chance to build your resume, so pay attention to the opportunity.

Once you gained what they have to offer and you are at plateau in knowledge/resume building with them; time to start to looking for the next role.

^^^^^ This. A lesson I wish I'd learned long before in my prior job.

[JIMBETHYNAME]

As someone that is stuck interviewing a lot of people lately, don't over sell yourself. We're looking for designers and if I see one more person that says there were a "Senior" this or "Lead" that, that has no idea what they are talking about I will scream. Today we had a girl that graduated a year ago and the only exp she has is some non profit intern work, oh but she was the "Senior Designer". Overwhelmingly under qualified people wasting my time just ticks me off, granted it's the people doing the pre-screening that suck at their jobs, we've already had to speak to them 2 times about the quality of candidates they are sending us.

Oh sorry that turned into a rant, but yes, don't oversell yourself or along the lines of Mark's suggestion maybe you could become a competitive eater!I've been at mycurrent job, I'm a carpenter, for 6 months now and I dont get paid to be a foreman. But for some reason Ive been in charge of a $400,000 additionin scarsdale ny.
Now , understand that I worked my way up by proving myself on numerous shitty jobs, and never touted myself as a lead carpenter.
In the last 2 weeks, I had 2 different new hires that were sent to work with me, that swore they were lead carpenters,that didnt knowthere ass from there elbows and neither knew basic construction. One guy made $2.00 more an hr than me but couldnt put a shelf up level.
he had to go. I think his firstwords to me on the job were, "you carry a ***** tape", cause he had a 35' fatmax and I use a 25' fatmax. This is because "hes a lead carpenter " and he does layout,whens the last time you laidout a 35' wall asshole?
Im 45 and he was 26, said he ran crews for 7 years prior.
my point being, Ive notice in construction that the ones who say they know everything and think they a re gods gift usuallydont know ****.
the older guys dont brag about how good they are, but the younger guys are all the best mechaics inthe world in their mind, but are just dumbasses

[mosesbotbol]

^^^^ At least you had the smarts to cut him loose before you start losing time and money. ^^^^

Keep strict notes of what you did each week and the leadership responsibilities you took on during this build out. Next job you could be the real lead!