To Fire Or Be Fired - Which Shall It Be?
Some of us have been there before. A lump in the middle of your throat. Or perhaps, you had no clue at all as to what was just about to happen to you. The day you get fired or “downsized” from your job. All too familiar for some, foreign for others.
[photo source: socialanxiety.blogspot.com]
Then there’s the boss who has to do the firing. Maybe that’s you and you are having to make this difficult step. Easy? For some it is, for others it’s not so easy. No one likes to see someone lose their jobs, but in certain work situations it’s necessary and conducive for the profitability of the business. But whether you’re getting fired or doing the firing, there are some things you can do to soften the blow or take the news well.
Let’s start with getting fired.
1. If you get called into the office at 4 p.m. on a Friday, don’t panic. If you are getting fired, it’s likely you may have some sort of inkling about what was/is going to happen. Just wait and see.
2. Ask questions. Ask why you’re being let go. Ask if anyone has had problems with your performance. Ask if there’s anything you can do to keep your job. Just ask.
3. Leave with dignity. See number two but don’t grovel. Just like you found that job you can find another one. Don’t give your employer the impression that they hold that much of your destiny in those two little words, “you’re fired.” They’re not Donald Trump and you’re not on The Apprentice show.
4. Take the next day off. If the deed happens on a Friday, sleep in as late as possible on Saturday. If it happens on a weekday, take the next morning “off” and do something fun and leisurely. Sulking about it isn’t going to help your attitude and will not bring your job back. Besides, before you start the mad job hunt, get the much needed R & R you’ll need to perform interview marathons.
5. Talk about it once or twice, then let it go. Don’t relive the whole “experience” to everyone you encounter, including the mailman, the grocery store clerk or your cousin Melinda. Although people genuinely sympathize with such a gloomy situation, they do not want to hear about it incessantly every time they ask “so, how are you doing?”
Being fired is no fun. I’ve been there a couple of times myself. Thought I was going to die from humiliation and embarassment, but I’m still here and have the battle scars to prove it. I’m wiser, more experienced and better able to deal with rejection much more than I did during those “downsizing” times.
Have you ever been fired? How did it affect you?
Come back tomorrow and I’ll tell you about the time that I had to fire someone. Rough stuff.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Interviews, Job Hunting
0 opinions for To Fire Or Be Fired - Which Shall It Be?
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: