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Old 01-06-2011, 08:32 AM
 
4 posts, read 44,032 times
Reputation: 10

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Are their any second chances in America? Maybe only in the movies?

After College Graduation in 2007, I got a good job for a great company as an Office Manager. I struggled constantly to complete my duties and responsibilities up to my very difficult managers expectations. No matter how hard I worked I just could not satisfy my boss. I was constantly being told my work performance was not good enough. I was in and out of performance warning status. I would improve but then fall back to bad habits and be written up again.

Finally a few months ago I was fired for incompetence. I lasted three years and tried my best but was still fired. Because it is the only full time job I ever had I have no professional references. When I do get an interview I am asked why I am not working. I try to put a good spin on it but I have to be honest, I WAS FIRED! After being honest I am quickly dispatched from the interview and rejected.

Anyone land on thier feet after being fired? HOW?
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Old 01-06-2011, 08:49 AM
Status: "Mistress of finance and foods." (set 11 days ago)
 
Location: Coastal Georgia
49,955 posts, read 63,265,686 times
Reputation: 92371
So, Kiddo, do you think you WERE incompetent, or was your boss unfair? At any rate, if I were you I would tell future employers that I was downsized out of the job. I believe an HR department will only verify that you worked there, and when, without elaborating. They are very conscious of not being sued for defamation.
No bad experience is worthless. I hope you learned from that job and so you will not make the same mistakes again. My advice would be to get ANY job while you look for the job you really want. It will look better if you are working.
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Old 01-06-2011, 08:58 AM
 
4 posts, read 44,032 times
Reputation: 10
Yes, I was incompetent.

I tried saying I was laid off but when a potential employer called for an employment verification the nice folks in HR told them I was fired and was not eligible for rehire. My ex boss will not act as a professional reference either. I am in a bad place!

Quote:
Originally Posted by gentlearts View Post
So, Kiddo, do you think you WERE incompetent, or was your boss unfair? At any rate, if I were you I would tell future employers that I was downsized out of the job. I believe an HR department will only verify that you worked there, and when, without elaborating. They are very conscious of not being sued for defamation.
No bad experience is worthless. I hope you learned from that job and so you will not make the same mistakes again. My advice would be to get ANY job while you look for the job you really want. It will look better if you are working.
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Old 01-06-2011, 10:06 AM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,800,013 times
Reputation: 13161
Two possible solutions...

First, sign up with some temp agencies. Be honest, tell them that you wereoverwhelmed due to lack of experience at your last job, but you are quite capable of doing "x, y, and z" listing your strengths. After a few months of completely assignments succesffuly, you'll have a positive reference.

Also try to get a volunteer position that involves doing some office type work--your local Habitat for Humanity or United Way are good places to start. Again, after a few months you'll ahve a good reference.

And instead of telling a potential employer you were fired for incompetence, tell them that unfortunately you were in over your head from the start and got caught in a vicious cycle of playing catch up that you were never able to get out of. Then add that you learned a lot in that position and if you had a fresh start elsewhere you know you'd be very successful.
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Old 01-06-2011, 10:10 AM
 
Location: New York City
4,035 posts, read 10,253,685 times
Reputation: 3753
Quote:
Originally Posted by Currently Unemployed View Post
Yes, I was incompetent.

I tried saying I was laid off but when a potential employer called for an employment verification the nice folks in HR told them I was fired and was not eligible for rehire. My ex boss will not act as a professional reference either. I am in a bad place!
You never should have been hired in the first place. Management, by definition, is not an entry-level job. Are you looking for a similar job? That might be the problem.

You might want to change jobs, or even try a different industry, where your previous problems won’t be held against you.

Another option is to go through a temp agency and get into a company without a formal interview. Once they like your work, they would be more disposed to hire you. Also, if you get a number of temp jobs on your resume you’ll have other references.
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Old 01-06-2011, 10:19 AM
 
536 posts, read 1,423,753 times
Reputation: 417
I got a second chance so to speak after getting fired, but it was mostly due to changing careers and temporarily working my way down the corporate ladder by accepting an entry level government internship job.

This was 7 years after University. The good things about the change were two-fold: 1/ they didn't care/ask about reasons I was unemployed at the time, or the gap in my resume, or my decision for a career change and 2/ my prior experience worked to my advantage in getting promoted much more quickly than the young recent graduates who were in the same internship as me.

You're in a tough spot but you could be lucky enough to come across an opportunity where they don't check on your previous job or trust what you tell them (resignation/needed new challenges/downsizing/contract position not renewed/etc).

They fired you for incompetence but why didn't they do it right away instead of stringing you along a job that wasn't right for you for three years? In the future, you might consider that the moment you get a negative performance evaluation, start looking elsewhere. You will never be able to get in their good graces again. You're in their sights for firing.

Have you considered working for the competition? Are you allowed to? In some industries you sign an agreement to not work for a competitor for at least 1 year or so after discharge.
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Old 01-06-2011, 11:47 AM
 
2,017 posts, read 5,622,665 times
Reputation: 1680
Nick99-- sometimes it takes companies a good while to fire for incompetence. I know at some companies if you are on a performance plan-- you can't even be laid off-- since it is almost like a contract to see if you can meet demands after that.

A LOT of documentation in some cases has to be completed so you don't have someone saying that they were wrongfully let go.
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Old 01-06-2011, 12:07 PM
 
Location: Raleigh, NC
6,793 posts, read 8,984,459 times
Reputation: 5163
Even if you think it's incompetence, I'd still find a way to say that your bosses expectations were too high. You could also say that you and your boss didn't agree on what your responsibilities were supposed to be. Just because you were fired for incompetence, it doesn't mean you have to agree with that. You certainly don't want to say you were incompetent in a job interview!
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Old 01-06-2011, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
1,715 posts, read 2,824,192 times
Reputation: 1514
I am painfully incompetent. They never fired me but I have a lot less responsibilities than a few years ago and haven't had a raise in about 5 years. I am totally screwed when I have to look for another job!
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Old 01-06-2011, 12:22 PM
 
26,585 posts, read 61,800,013 times
Reputation: 13161
Quote:
Originally Posted by zitsky View Post
Even if you think it's incompetence, I'd still find a way to say that your bosses expectations were too high. You could also say that you and your boss didn't agree on what your responsibilities were supposed to be. Just because you were fired for incompetence, it doesn't mean you have to agree with that. You certainly don't want to say you were incompetent in a job interview!
You also don't want to badmouth a previous employer.
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