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Fired: Need Perspective, PLEASE!
I was recently fired from my company and would like some outside perspectives to analyze my situation. I'd just like to know someone else's thoughts, advice, etc.
When I accepted this position, I had a strange feeling about my manager. She was very unprofessional during my interview (answering calls, sending e-mails, putting on makeup). I've always considered myself a pretty good judge of character and she just gave me a bad vibe. She seemed very hard, aggressive and difficult. I accepted the position regardless. I'm a very easy-to-get-along-with type person and have really never had problems working with anyone. My thought was that some people just make a bad first impression. I really feel I should have listened to my gut instinct that she was bad news.
In the two short months that I was employed at this company, this woman was a monster to me. Snapping, barking, lying, putting me down, shooting dirty looks constantly, arguing with me, and the list goes on. She caused me nothing but trouble. I was really enjoying the work otherwise. I loved the company and the work I was doing. I should also note that I got along amazingly with all my other co-workers.
Last week, there was a particularly-bad couple incidents with her bullying me and a two fellow employees went to our CEO about this woman. I was called into the CEO's office on Tuesday and he wanted to hear me out and said he was impressed with the work I had been doing and that hopefully we can work this out. He expressed that he wanted to keep me around for a long time and that he wanted to keep the whole team in tact. He planned to talk to this woman the next day. He thanked me for my time and said to please come to him any time and that he wants everyone to feel good at work.
He talked to her the next day and then I didn't hear anything from her with the exception of an e-mail or two. She kept her door closed, laid low, etc. Wednesday and Thursday go by and then on Friday, as I'm working to meet a deadline, I receive a call that I need to come up to our CEO's office. My first thought was that he was going to have she and I talk thing out. When I got there, it was the CEO and an HR rep. I was told by the CEO that he "gave it a lot of thought" and that things just weren't going to work out. He said "today is your last day here."
I was in complete and utter disbelief. Devastated. He wouldn't tell me anything specific. I was just so confused. I asked why we couldn't try to work things out and got no response. I even asked if there were complaints about me and he just said "well..." and trailed off. I was given a severance package to read and sign after I'd had time to review it. (I'll do this Monday with our lawyer)
I'm sorry this is so long, I am just floored. Anyone have any insight? What could have happened? For a bit of additional background, this woman was hired to turn our department around and has not been doing a great job. She is extremely underqualified for her job and often I ended up doing things she was supposed to do. Sometimes because she didn't know how to do them! Also, the girl who had my position before me quit because of this woman and she has had issues with a number of other employees.
Any advice or insight would be appreciated. I've never been fired or even reprimanded before at a job. Help!
Re: Fired: Need Perspective, PLEASE!
Oh, and I am using an AE to submit this.
It's just too crazy a situation to have it get any crazier by someone recognizing me. Thanks ladies.
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As devastating as it is, I think you dodged a bullet. I worked in an environment like that once, for 6 months, and went to work every day anxious, cried at night, was generally uphappy with my life, and worried every day that I could be fired at any moment. This--to me at least--is the classic definition of a hostile work environment.
I ended up quitting after I found another job, and was soooooooo much happier, I can't even express it. As tough as it is, I hope you are able to find something else soon. Also, FWIW, I am fairly certain that potential employers cannot seek out information regarding past employment; only the dates of employment. Sometimes employers are asked if they would be eligible for re-hire, but even that question might not be acceptable by some state laws.
Good luck.
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Ditto the PP that I'm glad you're meeting with a lawyer. Bring copies of everything you have documented about your performance--reviews, informal "good work" e-mails from higher-ups, etc...
Honestly, and I hate to go there, it sounds like they're going out of their way to protect your supervisor. The two reasons I can think of why they'd go to such extremes to keep her under the cicrumstances are that she has dirt on the company or its CEO, or that she brings some kind of contact or business to the table that they can't do without. Either way, it sucks for you and everyone else who works with her.
Good luck!
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There are a million things that could have happened:
1. Your supervisor is related to someone influential in the company, or in a relationship with them, or was brought on by them, or has dirty pictures of someone
2. Your supervisor met with the CEO and came up with ways to deflect all of you and your CWs' complaints onto you guys instead of herself, and your CEO bought it
3. Your supervisor is under a contract for a certain amount of time, and is using it to her advantage to stay there and get rid of newer people
4. The company has invested serious $ in her to date, and it's cheaper for them to get rid of subordinates who are making less than to try and rehire and train someone new
Etc.
Yes it sucks. But you're making the right moves by meeting with a lawyer and making sure there's nothing hidden in the severance. And they're giving you a seveerance, which is more than a lot of people get.
I would definitely talk to the lawyer about how to handle this going forward. You'll need to have a reasonable answer for future employers as to why you left this job without badmouthing this woman or the company, or making them think you're unreliable.
GL
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Thank you all so much for the advice. This is definitely low point in my life. I'm trying to stay busy and positive. I'm going to start putting myself out there right away by sending out resumes, networking, etc. I have great references and a good work history.
If I learn anything more about the situation, I'll keep you updated. This has been such a wild ride of emotions! Again, thanks!
I'm so sorry you are going through this. I've been there and know it sucks. I also had never been reprimanded at a job and have always been well liked by employers, and then took a job working for someone with a difficult personality. I swear she is just like the boss in A Devil Wears Prada (including wearing Prada). The other partners, my co-workers, and clients all raved about my performance. However, this one partner would forget who she delegated a project to and would blame me for something I had nothing to do with, would tell me to do an assignment one way and then later forget this and question the way I did it, and I could just go on and on. She would send me emails at 10:00 p.m. saying she was disappointed in me because of x, y, z, and they weren't even projects that I had any involvement with. It got to the point where all I could think about was this job and trying to please this woman. I would lay awake at night stressing about it. A few times I closed my office door to cry - and crying is VERY unusual for me. I learned that I was the fourth person in that position in three years. I started interviewing elsewhere, but they did end up firing me before I had a chance to resign. They gave me severance and one more week at the job, and I was able to have another job lined up to start right away.
Luckily for me, this woman has a reputation in my field. Interviewers would tell me that there isn't even a need to explain why I left because they know her and understand.
Like you, when I took the job I felt like it would work out because I'm the type of person who gets along with everyone. It turns out there are some people who are just such nasty, bitter people that it's simply not possible to make them happy.
I felt really hurt for a long time over my experience. I loved the job and all of the other people, so emotionally it felt like a bad break up. I also take pride in my work and it really stung to feel like I hadn't lived up to someone's expectations, even though I knew full well that her expectations were impossible to meet. I kept analyzing what I could have done differently to make this woman happy and wondering why I got fired while other employees just get eyerolls and looks of annoyance. Finally I accepted that I'll just never know, and the reality is that it doesn't matter. My life is a better place without dealing with a toxic personality every day. Yours will be, too. Good luck with your job search.
I came from a very similar environment as you did. And my story sounds a lot like yours. It was devastating to be fired, and if this is the first time you've been fired it really is devastating.
Take a few days, clear your head, and get back into the game either later this week or early next week. When the dust settles from all this you'll see what a blessing being fired was.
there are always horrible employees who are somehow protected. I work with a few but luckily not directly.
I agree that you may have dodged a bullet. Be glad you only were there 2 months and still get severance and can collect unemployment. It sounds like your environment was stressful and toxic.
I would go with your gut next time and trust your instincts. Good luck!
First off, good for you for sticking up for yourself and please do not allow this experience to deter you from speaking your mind in the future. People should NOT act like that in the workplace.
Second off, 99% of the time, women's intuition is right. You should have followed your gut. In the future, when alarms are going off in your head, listen to them.
Third, you will not be the last person to be fired/quit because of this horrid woman. Keep in contact with your coworkers so you can get the scoop. Is this a mature response? Maybe not. But knowing that others are struggling with her will help you to keep things in perspective and will not allow this incident to be a self esteem blower.
Fourth, anyone else think it is odd that the CEO and not her supervisor let her go? That is fishy to me especially given the position of the OP. Something here is not right. Plus, receiving severance after only a few months of service is odd too. It is a good idea to talk to an attorney.
Good luck and I am so sorry you had to go through this!
I'm so sorry. I have been in a semi-similar position before and it is an awful feeling, to say the least.
You asked for perspective so here is some:
This was not a good long-term position for you anyway. Managers make or break your daily job and your career and with her "leading" you, you would have been lead to therapy, not certainly not down any career development path.
Consider this a blessing is disguise because likely you'll find another position which will offer you so much more in terms of a pleasant work environment and growth opportunities.
You are reacting to this with great maturity. Another employer is going to recognize that...and value it. And you'll look back on this old job and roll your eyes at what a lunatic your manager was and how pathetic the CEO was for being so completely spineless.
This is only a bump in the road but experiences like this build character.
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