Why did i get Fired
Fired. The word conjures up images of burning, incineration, being jettisoned from the business you once called home. Companies have adopted new, friendlier vernacular to replace this word: termination, the end of an assignment, being let go; it all means the same thing. Why did it happen? Perhaps you violated one of these spoken, or unspoken rules.
• Poor attendance
You've been late every day for a week, and you are a frequent attendee at every funeral, wedding, birthday, and bar mitzvah you are invited to; each occurring right inside your schedule work shift. Employers are serious about attendance. Since they don't want to hire any more personnel than they need, you should be there right on time, and unscheduled days off should be few and far between.
• Insubordination
The most sacred right of the employer is to govern your work day. If you are given a task to complete, and essentially say, "I don't feel like it.", or, "that wasn't in my job description", they can draft another job description for you: unemployed. Be open to accepting responsibilities, unless you are asked to break the law, or feel like the demand is completely egregious.
• Sleeping on the job
With so much of the work forcesplitting time between two or more jobs, sleep is often left on the back burner. If you have a designated work station, falling asleep is dangerous. Those on their feet in retail often try to find a place to hide, and are awoken by the furrowed eyebrows and furious condemnation of their manager. Sleeping on the job is never tolerated, and you will be fired. Try to sleep, even if it eats into your social life, and carry a few no-doze caffeine pills on you for when the need arises.
• Stealing time
Payroll departments hate paying out overtime. When they've had enough of seeing 1.5 on your pay stub, the order will come down for employees to come in for their shifts right when they are supposed to, and to leave right when they are supposed to. Since they can't avoid paying you for hours worked, they'll set disciplinary action for stealing time. Wrap up your work and leave right when you are told.
• Failing to adapt
Routine is our mind's way of creating shortcuts; the path of least resistance. You've been filling out the same form for three years, ignoring the same non-highlighted areas, and suddenly you're told to fill out the whole thing. Blank spots and missing information are irrevocably damaging to the company, and won't be tolerated. Keep your eyes open and ask questions constantly. Don't lose sight of your new goal.
• Lying
Made a huge blunder? Told a customer to stick it where the sun don't shine, but give your side of the story differently? Perhaps you've even built a retail display the wrong way, and it's prone to falling over on the customer. Lying is often done to avoid fixing one's mistakes. If you are shrewd and can get away with it (and few can), it can benefit you. But it will always catch up to you in the end.
• Drama
Unless you work on the set of a new movie, or soap opera, drama is never appreciated. To a company, this is making waves and it bites into their perception of your teamwork skills. Another facet of this is bringing your problems to work. No one wants to hear about your divorce, or your trips to the psychiatrist. Keep discreet, and separate things in your outside life to your time at the grind.
• Mishandling a customer
Customer service often pins you against the most foul-mouthed, inconsiderate, inconsolable people. When facing a complainer, you can treat them like a civil human being, or shut them down at the peril of your own job. Customer service is about swallowing your pride and fixing the customer's problem. Your employer won't care if the customer is abusing you, they will care that you made them happy again.
• Theft
Theft is frequent in the food service industry. You are hours away from your break, and brought no food. While preparing a tasty morsel for a customer, you sneak a little for yourself. Even in retail, you've gotten so used to spritzing a bit of that cologne on yourself from the test bottle, that you decide to take the whole kit, aftershave and all. The situation you'll end up with is giving back the stolen item, and forfeiting your job. For food service, try to load up on food before serving your shift, and in retail, keep your hands to yourself.
• Sexual harassment
This last one is tricky. The main reason is because there is dating in the workplace, and everyone knows it. Your best bet here is to allow the other party to send you the signals, and to never ever let it interfere with your job. Flirting once or twice is one thing, but to make your attraction feel cornered or followed is entirely different. Try to keep anything intimate outside of work.
A confident, cool head is needed in the workplace. Establish a go-to attitude, and the rest will come. Many companies will have their own policies to avoid violating, but these are universal. Keep your job, because it is rough being without one.
