Need Help! Employment Issue (employee, average, interview, unemployed)

[Andy265]

I had recently been fired from my Subway job. The job aint much, but for for me being 16 its a place to get good work exp. I have been there for Several months and within the last month my manager had been replaced. My managers decision to leave was her own. I was recently fired for 2 reasons. First was taking a ten minute break without being punched off the clock. Ever since i was requested to punch out for my ten min breaks i did so EVERY time. I even requested that my manager would look at my Hour's Log, check Cameras, and ask my fellow employees as proof of me doing so. She did not. My bad, i messed once there.... I admit it...

The second reason was A situation me and my Area Manager had. She was not happy with the pants I had on. When she said something to me she stated i should go home and change my pants. I told her i did not have any other pants to ware and i also did not have any money to purchase new pants. I asked her if i could just go home and come back next time with pants that my Parent could buy, since she was working at the time and wouldn't be able to provide me the money till later that day. The only reason i requested that i went home was because we had 2 extra employees that current day. I was not needed. As i approached the register to clock out, i said exactly "alright, I'll just clock off then." I do recall her saying "what was that" but since I was around the corner i thought it was not directed to me. The whole time I talked to her she didn't seem to listen to what i had to say at all. She didn't seem to care about anything except the fact that i had to leave.

So the second reason i was fired, was because she stated i was arguing with her. I don't recall me being able to say much when she talked to me, but when i asked my mates i worked with that morning, they told me i wasn't rude at all.

I'm not sure how it goes, this was my first job. But i wasn't told i was fired until I walked in on the average Wednesday (our schedules are made to be from Wednesday-Tuesday), and noticed i didn't only not have any hours, but my name was no where to be seen on the schedule. And then 2 days later went in to talk to the manager, and she slapped a TERMINATION sheet in front of me.

I had no pre-warnings about getting fired, I was never written up for the reasons of being fired, and last the reasons of me being terminated were not and COULD not be proven.

I'm not so upset that i was fired at all. I'm upset that those 7 months the whole reason i had that job was to build up my resume and experience. Now i have currently been looking for a job and everywhere i turn Have been overstaffed, or not hiring.

So, a couple days after being fired, I walked into subway with my uniform to receive my last paycheck. The manager was not working and there was no paycheck to be found. An employee told me that i should then give her a call and i did. When i called her and asked she told me that i had to wait until Wednesday to get my paycheck like everyone els (we got paid every other Wednesday.) I then asked if i might be able to talk to her about "the situation about me being fired." After stating just that, she immediately raised her voice, cursing, about how "its not my ****ing fault you were fired, you cannot get your job back" i then interrupted her and said "no, i was wondering if, since it was a misunderstanding that i might be able to get it as a layoff instead of a termination." She, then, yelled even louder, cursed up a storm, and treated me even worse than before. I hung up on her because i did not know how to react to the situation, and did not want to say something i would later regret.

To me it seemed like the whole situation was unfair. It sort of angers me how my first job that i worked my best at ended so harshly. IDK, maybe its just me. If anyone could give me some advice, or a professional opinion i would greatly appreciate it. I'm in a pretty bad situation here and don't know how to approach it....

[Magnolia Bloom]

Let it go. Just don't use this reference on your resume. And, even though you don't think or didn't intend to be disrespectful, she obviously had a different take on the situation. In this case, her perception of what she probably saw as being "attitude" on your part, turned your reality into being unemployed. May not be fair, but life often isn't fair.

The good thing is that you learned this lesson at a young age. Now just go out with a positive attitude and get a new job. Remember, not only is the customer always right, so is the person who signs your paycheck.

Oh, and go to a thrift store and get a couple of pair of black or navy blue Dockers that fit. You should be able to pick them up for $3-$4 a pair. And maybe a polo shirt and a belt. Then you will not only have an "interview outfit", you won't have to scramble to buy new clothes when you do get that new job.

The fact that you have posted this question asking for input says a lot about you- that you don't want to make the same mistake twice. Good for you!

[Crew Chief]

GREAT reply, HIF! Andy 265, as frustrating as it was, getting fired from that Subway job was a learning experience. Even at the low end of the wage scale, employers (especially those that have employees that face the public) have certain expectations about what you will wear at work and what procedures you MUST follow. As HIF said, blue, black and khaki are pretty much "uniforms" in the retail and food service industries. Get a few pants that color and a polo shirt or two and you'll "wow" 'em at interviews every time. You'll also have good and bad bosses along the way. Learn from all of them and make yourself ever more valuable to whoever you work for and you'll go far. Best of luck!