Employer Type: Other Organization (United States)

I was fired from a GOOD company making GOOD money. I wanted to cry!

I've only been fired 2x in my whole life, once in 1996 and this year (2008). I left a company I had been with for 4.5 years, and started w/this company in January 2008.

We were in training for 3 months (we had classroom training and on the job training). During training we also took several tests. I passed the final test, and they put us on the floor permanently. I admit that there were a lot of times where I thought to myself, "Maybe I should have stayed at my previous job." However this was a good company and I was determined to be there for a long time.

It seemed that it would be easy, but it really wasn't. When you're in training, everything is structured and controlled. When you get "Live" on the phones, you don't know what to expect.

I first struggled w/the fact that this is a company where the employees have been there 20, 30,40 years. Well the system they had us working on was over 35 years old. Can you say DOS?? This company brings in millions of dollars each year, and can't afford to get an up to date system!

To make a long story short, they were very strict and did a lot of call obervations, some good, some bad. The trainer was very impatient.

A lot of people told me that a lot of the things I would learn would come with experience. Okay, no big deal. Well, they expressed that they "thought" I wasn't improving like I should.

I made an 100% effort to improve, I requested that I go over training material, I did call observations on others, etc... Everything I could to show that I was making an effort. Finally I met w/the managers, it was a Monday. They basically told me that if I didn't improve by that Friday, they were going to terminate me.

The whole week I was a nervous wreck, I was smiling, holding back tears, but I wanted to just sit there and cry, knowing Friday may be my last day, and I didn't have a backup plan like I would normally have.

After a few days, the mentors and trainers were saying I was doing better. I felt better and figured, "They're not going to fire me!".

Friday afternoon, they pulled me in the office, and I'll never forget what she said " I'm afraid It's going to come to an end". I looked at her in shock, I told her that everyone was saying I was doing well and improving. She said she didn't see any "marked" improvement.

I don't think it was fair, but life happens. Like I said, I often had doubts during training about the job and confided in friends that maybe I should have stayed at my previous job.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. I'm officially unemployed (for the first time in my life), and all I can do is savor it as a learning experience. All I can do is take it day by day, and put my trust in God, that he will open another door for me.

I was terminated for being honest about reporting a 8% negative variance in physical inventory. I wasn't obnoxious or threatening about the incident.

The plant I was at was subject for sale or shutdown and perhaps the timing of the event seemed to fray the nerves of division management. Though the termination, in my opinion was unjust, I am relieved and unburdened by my decision. I am boycotting my former employers products but wish my former co-workers well.

In summary, you work to live not live to work.

If you are working for a company and you are working closely with one or more of the owners, you'll probably begin to see adverse ways of business...Watch out! More than one owner results in chaos. When the business is booming all is well, no idle minds, but when things equalize you can bet they will find fault where there is none. I was fired because I didn't respond to a "hearsay meeting". I was out of work because I pulled a muscle in my back, ya know ..took a day out, I got word that it was exscused for that day but if I didn't attend a supervisor meeting the next day that I was going to be written up. I called the office for the owner and I called his cell phone and left messages for him to call me, to no avail. I had a Dr's appointment already scheduled for the following morning. Dr.gave me heavy anti inflammatory pills and the day in bed. The next day I went to work, business as usual...almost..I tried a couple of times to get in to see the owner but he spoke with reserve and said he didn't have time to see me right now. I got to see him 3 hrs later in the yard. He handed me 4 write ups, 3 of which were bogus the 4th I excepted, 2 were for missing the 2 days which I had Drs. excuse for??? Dah, the 3rd was for not predicting that the shop was going to overload the cherrypicker and take out the 4wd section in the powertrain while they were trying to move something??? Dah. I didn't have my crystal ball on auto I guess. Anyway I tried discussing some of the companies needs for the day and upcoming jobs and it was like talking to a void, he said I have a problem with my attitude and that he had come to see me to terminate me. He said take the rest of the day off and that I could come in in the morning and plead for my job!I Couldn't believe what he had just said to me. He said I could call him later and set a time. The arrogance and pompas pride of someone who has just began to succeed in the industry!I I made the call, but what I said was not what he expected! I said that" My Jesus and My Family are first and foremost in my life and that he was not worth the Effort to try to appease, but I would say a prayer for him.! My advice is this: If you know someone in Business and you think they are your friends you'd better watch them very closely for small changes in character, they'll change before your very eyes and you won't know what's coming, smiles in your face...daggers in the spine....