We were having a meeting at the office today, 7am. I got there at 6:55 and sat down in the meeting room. I BS'd withg the guys for a while, including Andy, my lead electrician (I'm a 2nd year helper residential electrician).
The company owner comes in and asks to talk my Andy and I privately. Oh great. We got to the other meeting room and had a seat. The other owner came in and sat down.
"Well, guys, the reason we pulled you aside is that we are going to be letting you go.You don't fit in with our company, and you're just not what we need in our electrical division."
Rewind to two weeks ago, when I got my performance review.
"You are exactly what we want in our company, and we're willing to take you as far as you want to go within TechTeriors. You have an excellent attitude and do great work. You're always on time, and you're trustworthy. If there's anything we can do for you, we want to know."
Now fast forward to last Friday morning. I made a mistake and went to the wrong jobsite, then proceeded to the right site, which was putting on an outdoor service. Andy told me that when we got done, we could go home for the day of we wanted to. Of course we went home early, it was Friday, and we were all sloppy from working in the mudhole where we were putting the service on.
Now fast forward to today. "Well, the straw the broke the camel's back was when you left early on Friday. We needed you guys to go to another job."
To which I reply, "I was told I could leave early on Friday, when we got done with the service install. I am just dumbfounded, after I got such a stellar review, how come all the suddden you want to get rid of me."
"Well, it was more than just you leaving early on Friday. There have been other things that have come up which we do not want to discuss. However we feel that you don't fit in within our company. On top of that, things are getting slow, and we asked Jeremy to decide which team we could let go which would have the least impact on the company. We don't need 16 guys"
"What did I do wrong? Everyone I've worked with has said I do great work, and has said they'd love to have me as their helper. I've gotten nothing but positive feedback from everyone I've worked with."
To which Andy says, "I can definately vouch for that. I understand if you let me go, but you're making a huge mistake letting James go too."
"I mean I get told I am everything the company wants in my review just two weeks ago, and now you're telling me you don't want me anymore?"
To which the owner says, "Well, I mean, it has nothing to do with your work or your attitude, but we're looking for the total package."
"You just told me I AM the total package. Ask anyone I've worked with. They'll tell you the same. I don't understand this at all. I love working here, I have a great attitude, I do great work, why are you letting me go?!?"
"Well, maybe we are making a mistake, let Mike and I go discuss this with Jeremy a little more. We will be back."
So they went and had a discussion with Jeremy, the Electrical Services Manager, for about 20 mins. Then they come back.
"Well, I'm sorry guys, but our decision has been made. We're going to let you go. We asked Jeremy which of the teams would have the least impact on the company if we let them go, and he said that you two were it."
"Well I think it has more to do with the fact that James and I don't know Jeremy from outside of work," Andy says. "I mean you look at all the other people, and Jeremy knew them from previous employers. He worked for Bill, he hangs out with Jason and Ryan, he knows Boudry from when they worked at Vector. James and I are the outsiders, that's why you're letting us go."
"I'm not going to disagree with that," says the other co-owner.
"I feel like I'm not getting treated like James, I feel like I am getting treated like 'James and Andy'," I say. "I mean I have nothing against Andy, he does good work, he's a good electrician, but I know there have been problems in the past with him, I feel like I'm getting let go because I work with him."
"I'm not saying you're wrong," replies the co-owner.
"I'm sorry I dragged you down, buddy. This ain't your fault. You're a good helper," says Andy. "This ain't on you at all."
So I got fired from my job. Why? It's pretty unclear. It's a mix between the company getting slow, us being "outsiders" and me having worked with the guy I worked with. Two weeks ago I get a review that would make anyone proud, I even get a BONUS with the review for my "superior attitude and work". And then today I get fired.
ProjectFocusFast wrote: So does anyone need some electrical work done?
Actually I do......
But "Murphy's law" lives a bit closer and I already told him he could do it.
sorry to hear the bad news.
I was at a job site last week and get a phone call from 2 of the company owners. I tell them where I am/what I'm doing and they ask if I can spend a few minutes on the phone with them. I'm thinking "Oh great, this is it, I'm going home." They start off the whole speal with "We think you've been doing good but..." Long story short they gave me a raise but I knew just how you felt for a couple minutes there. I would have screwed them pretty good if they fired me because I had a machine in about 20 differant pieces and would have walked out the door leaving it that way. My boss (one of the owners) wanted to play around and have some fun at my expense. He than said you can have X amount per year raise or Y% my choice. I had to think about it for a second because sometimes he does this and one way is not quite as much as the other but in this case it was exactly the same.
The other owner is a jokester also, he told me how at a job interview when asked what he was looking for in a salary he said "what your making"..... than after a pause said "No, just kidding. 10% less than your making."
Unfortunately Andy doesn't have his master's license, so it'd be hard to go on our own.
I may have a few side jobs coming up, but nothing too major. What really sucks is that right now is the hardest time of the year to find a job in my field. Everyone slows down right about now.
Good news is that I'll be getting paid 40 hours for this week, and they said they won't deny my unemployment claim.
The sad part here is that employers do NOT have to give you a reason to let you go in any circumstances.
I highly recommend that you get a copy of your personnel file ASAP - you have a right to that including the review. it may help you while you're out there searching for work.
I hope someone there will give you a good reference!
Best of luck man, but I think that sounds like a poor situation to be in after all the BS you wrote down...get out now, find someone/some company that will give you what you want and what you need.
hang in there!
____________________ Get in, Sit down, Shut up and HANG ON!
I have a copy of my review. I also have the names and phone numbers of several of the leadmen there, and they all said they'd give me a good reference.
I talked to the one guy, and he said that he's going to go talk to Jeremy tonight (he knows him personally) to see what he can do to get me back in.
Normally, I wouldn't accept an offer to return to work for a company that let me go, but this place pays well, and they have a great atmosphere. I just don't understand why I of all people was let go.
Bill (the Murphy's Law dan was talking about) worked for a company and one day they did the same thing to him. he went in one day and they said that he wasnt working out and could go home... no warning, no nothing.
If they give you an offer to go back I would get something in writing saying they wont pill that crap again... not that they can never let you go, but that you need notices and they need to give reason... thats frigin rediculous!
____________________ Its all fun and games until someone gets poked in the eye with a dick
Sorry to hear that James. IMO it's especially bad when they lie to you about the reasons. They should at least have the guts to tell you why. I hope you find something else soon.
____________________ If you can't read this, you're illiterate.
I'm looking into getting into something a little different. I could use my previous experience and maybe get a decent position in the electrical department at a Home Depot or Lowes or a supply house. Then I could pull off some side jobs, which is CASH MONEY as in tax free.
know what really pisse me off about people getting fired? companies fire you on the spot, but expect two weeks notice if you quit.
i dont give notice to them since they dont have to give me notice.
i hate right to work states. they can fire you for no given reason.
PFF
Sorry you got hit.
From the other side of the desk... Sometimes I've been in a position where I couldn't give the person that I was laying off the true reason.
SEC traded company and we lost a contract but couldn't say a word as it would have been "insider" information. I did send all of those that were let go a letter a month later apologising and explaining why i couldn't, at the time, tell them the truth.
Get the reference letters now while the experience is fresh. You might lose track of the people that offered.
____________________
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams...John Barrymore
Well I'd say it went well, but I don't know about the job...
It's for being a Toyota salesman. 100% commission payment, which is kinda what scares me. They said they'll train me, which is cool... I'm just scared that I won't sell any cars.
They said they'll call me back soon. Hopefully I'll have a job.
car sales can be a good job... if you have savings to fall back on.
You can make GREAT money at it... but need to make sure you have something to fall back on if you have a bad few weeks though! thats when it kicks your ass
____________________ Its all fun and games until someone gets poked in the eye with a dick
ProjectFocusFast wrote: Well I'd say it went well, but I don't know about the job...
It's for being a Toyota salesman. 100% commission payment, which is kinda what scares me. They said they'll train me, which is cool... I'm just scared that I won't sell any cars.
They said they'll call me back soon. Hopefully I'll have a job.
Then maybe I can get an xB?
The xB is about to become extinct, as is the xA.
____________________ If you can't read this, you're illiterate.
So it's like getting a week notice AND getting that week as vacation!
