Posts tagged hate job
Workaholics go to meetings
Chapter 2: Nice and Easy (part 2)
Dec 2nd
As I sat there wasting away minutes at useless calculations, I wondered why everything was bundled into one giant PTO pool. Imagine if baseball didn’t break down hits into singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. You’d be as confused reading the back of the baseball card as the manager trying to set the lineup. Being the statistical guru that I am, I separated everything into categories: PTO that is automatic (like holidays), PTO that is granted (like vacation), and PTO that is urgent (like sick time). This made perfect sense – PTO as a single category should not exist if you plan to track it. But no one really tracked it before. People just entered their PTO hours in the weekly time reporter and that was it. No one checked it, no one cared. But I decided that I would.
The owners were on board right away, and I was writing policy change notices before I knew it. Advance request requirements, half day options, the snowball had been pushed off and was barreling down at the speed of light. And in the midst of it all, there I was, like a wizard waving a magic wand, creating rules and policies, setting requirements… Little did I realize, this made life harder on everyone. Not that I cared. I felt power, I felt importance.
What the f**k did I know about setting policies? I wasn’t a business owner now, I had never been one before. I’ve been an employee my whole life, yet I was sitting there with a suit and tie and a smart ass look on my face setting up hoops for everyone to jump through. Everyone but those deemed exempt, those lucky few living outside the black and white of the policy world. And who would decide who is granted membership to this exclusive club? Why, I, of course.
Would you rather quit or be fired?
Nov 13th
If I told you that you were being replaced at your current job, what would you say? And I’m not talking about the immediate shock and anger about the pending loss of your job. Once you’ve had a moment to think rationally, you’ll probably be wondering, “should I ride this out, or should I make a move?” What’s the right decision here?
I think the answer should be based on your long term and short term goals. There are many negatives that come attached to being fired – you may lose your reference, you may be affected psychologically. Every application you’ll ever fill out in the future, the answer to “have you ever been fired?” will now be yes. Quitting before this happens, 
however, has its benefits and negatives as well. For one, you can forget about any severance package you may otherwise have received. In most cases you won’t get unemployment benefits (which in some states are so small, it hardly matters). But you’ll save face, you’ll leave with your chin up, and most likely retain more connections and references from this employment.
The choice between waiting to be fired and quitting is not easy, but once you’ve realized that either one is inevitable, you cannot afford not to take action. Build a plan, apply for other jobs, research business ideas – anything that will put you back on the right path. If you’re ready to give up on the career path that you’ve been following with your current job, then letting the firing happen may not be the worst idea. You’ll switch industries, jump into new job assignments, responsibilities. If you’re planning on moving on to a field that has no connection to your previous employment, it’s more than likely that your new employers won’t even bother contacting the company that fired you. But if you’re planning to continue your career in a similar setting (even if it’s a different industry – think about how different your job responsibilities will be), then you may be better off jumping the gun. Start interviewing as soon as possible. Get out there and push yourself, instead of sulking. Believe it or not, speaking with your boss about your plan will play to your benefit in this situation. The company will be much more inclined to keep you on just a while longer, until you’re ready to move on. Your quitting instead of being fired is a huge benefit to the company – they don’t have to pay your unemployment (their state unemployment insurance is likely to rise as a result of your termination), and more importantly no negative effect on employee morale.
When the time comes, the decision is hard. If you’re prepare yourself, you can think rationally and make a decision that’s right for you.
Loading …Taking an unexcused day off won’t get you Fired!
Oct 13th
Employee punishment for faking an illness to skip out on work is becoming less severe.
Take the day off
According to a survey done for CareerBuilder.com, 15% of employers said they terminated employees for an unexplained absence, down from last year’s 18%. Similarly, only 29% of employers stated they check on the absent employees, down from 35% two years prior.
So go on, call out sick! Take an extra day off! Off with the pressure! Ah, freedom….
I didn’t show up for work and got Fired!
Oct 12th
When I was about 19, I had worked the cash register in a pharmacy for 2 years. I liked the people I worked with, and got a lot of freebies from the place. But I hated the boss so much – he was a cheap and nasty person who refused to give me anything more than a $.50 cent raise. I was so sick of it that when I went on vacation, I just decided not to come back to work. They called me for a week after, begging me to come back and asking me what happened. Finally, my boss called me and told me not to bother coming and that I was fired. Who was he kidding at that point? The funny part, I wound up needing some medicine a few months after and stopped by to pick it up. I got smiles and hugs from my ex-coworkers, but the owner of the place treated me as if I didn’t exist. Jeez, man, upset much?
Hate your job?
Oct 12th
We all come into a job with certain expectations. Those may be based on previous personal experiences, others
Has your employment hit a wall?
experiences in a similar setting, something from TV, movies, or books. Basically, anything that you come into contact with throughout your life influences your perception and expectation of the world, society, and your workplace. Alas, expectations and perceptions are seldom reality. What you perceived as a dream job can quickly turn into a nightmare, and unless you’re ready to cut bait, you might find yourself in an undesirable situation.
What would you tell me if I told you that from this point forward you have to sleep on the bare floor? Such an arrangement would make you uncomfortable, unhappy, and be a detriment to your health. Being employed in a setting you hate has the same effects. Read the rest of this entry »
Why are employees fired?
Oct 8th
- Could this be your fortune?
Let me just start off by saying this: there isn’t one person in this world who, after being fired, sits there without a clue as to why.
Think about that for a moment. What image pops into your head when you think of the word, “fired”? It’s not one of a smiling boss, I’m sure. We’re not talking about lay-offs here. We’re not talking about a company going bankrupt, cutting its workforce, or terminating a branch. Don’t fall into the modern day PC terminology: there is a BIG difference between being fired and laid off. Getting canned, the plain old boot in the ass is never pleasant. But the odds are, you’ve brought it onto yourself.
So what is it that employees do to deserve a kick out the door? The truth of the matter is, most employers do not want to fire anyone. It takes a lot of time and effort to recruit, train, and retain an employee. So if you’ve already been recruited and trained, the job is yours to lose. The biggest force working against you is yourself, and your own perception of what a workplace should be.
Read the rest of this entry »
