From the article: Job Interview Answer: Why Were You Fired?
Why were you fired? Read responses and share your suggestions on how to answer interview questions about why you were fired. Share Your Answer
New Management
- New mgt. came in to harrass, clean house and when I hung there through the abuse. I was relocated and fired with a pretext reason. I worked at same company for 23 years and really got a rude awakening to find out it was all legal.
- —Guest Fired in finance
Not a Cheerleader
- I was fired because I lacked "cheerleading skills" (exact words said to me). Was told that I was great at my job and taking care of all the details and getting things done, and ran circles around my predecessor, but that I did not have the right personality. They wanted to take the position into a different direction and did not think it would work for me. I was also told I did not eat lunch with the staff enough (what?!). Yes, apparently eating lunch and spending the day chatting was more important than actually doing the job I was paid to do. I was fired for working hard and going above and beyond my job duties. I wish they would have put "be a slacker" in the job description. I found out that three days later the Ex.Dir.'s son's girlfriend was put into my old spot. I guess that is the different direction they wanted to go.
- —Guest Guest Surprised in PA
Fired with False Accusations
- For a year I worked with developmentally disabled children. I loved my job and I had a great relationship with almost every parent, child, and day care provider I encountered daily. I received praise from my manager and other office staff regularly. During Christmas break I had become very ill, and when Christmas break was over I had missed a few days because I was still ill. When I came into work to deliver my doctor's note excusing my absences I was fired on the spot. My manager claimed a few parents called within the past couple of weeks complaining that I had a bad attitude and was verbally abusive to their children. Mind you, I hadn't even been into work for three weeks! When I pointed this out to my manager he then said the complaints came in 5-6 weeks ago. Not only are these claims false but I was completely blindsided because I had not received any warnings of any kind. Now I'm trying to get unemployment and they're claiming they had given me verbal warnings!
- —Guest Keta
Violation of Unknown Rules
- I worked in a program with adolescents for 8 years. I had a great reputation with the company and my superiors. I would often purchase supplies for the program after work with my own money and bring them to work the next day. I parked my car by the building, swiped in, dropped the stuff off then parked in the lot. I did this to avoid several trips thru the parking lot. I was called into HR and told i was terminated because I swiped in, then parked my car, which was supposedly stealing company time. I tried to tell them my intention was never to avoid being late (I was never late and not written up even once the whole time I was employed there). I even said there were people who could verify that i was carrying things. They didn't care and said its company policy and there was nothing they could do. Eight years of praise from supervisors and great reviews, and in the end I was made to look like a criminal.
- —Guest Brenda
Let Go After an Accident
- I drove a bobtail for 11 years. I worked very hard but on April 7 2011 I had an accident on the freeway. The car ahead of me suddenly stopped on the freeway and I could not stop in time, hitting the back of the car. But the car I hit was doing fraud so they can collect from the Insurance. I had 2 fraud police officers that came to my home to talk to me. The company I worked for knew it was fraud because the 2 police officers came to talk to me. My company has a 30 point policy on accidents. Because of the last crash I had 31 points and was let go. But I feel because of the fraud the points should of not counted against me. So I feel I was wrongfully terminated.
- —Guest Jesse
Fired by New Manager
- My staff was reduced and my workload was increased to a point I couldn't keep up with Corporate Procedures. I actually believe this new manager wanted to bring in his own people and was looking for a way to get rid of me. I wonder if it was because I was 70 years old. I must say at this age, it didn't stop me. I could keep up with the best of them. I'm mentally & physically fit and will continue to work until I drop. Have to because of these bad times.
- —Guest Jimzie
Termination from an Undoable Job
- I was hired as "a first hire in Canada" for a Scientific company that wanted a clinical consultant for their blood biomarkers division. They do not sell the blood test directly to end users (hospitals) and really what they wanted was to push the sales for higher royalties. I was lead to believe this job was a higher level education role and it was really a high pressure sales role. No hospitals in my area purchased or had intentions of purchasing this blood test and did not feel the research was adequate to move forward and use in clinically. There were many things wrong with the role including a poorly run orientation and a insecure manager who majored in minors and was very critical and unsupportive of a new employee on a learning curve. Finally after week 6 I contacted HR to explain my challenges and said I felt the position was not what I expected and I was going to resign. I was encouraged to stay on and they would try to work things out only to be fired 4 weeks later??
- —Guest Perplexed
Sexual Harassment Complaint Filed
- I worked for same company for 15 years, this was my third job change and was hired in May 2012. HR called me in and stated a complaint was filed for the following things. I touched a co-workers bum. She is female, as I am. I supposedly stuck my tongue out to a male coworker and referred to myself as a dirty old women. I was terminated.
- —Guest Renee
Bare Minimum for a Pervert
- My boss is a complete pervert and narcissistic control freak. I was a month into an internship (after 2 great ones) and I was half an hour late after being stuck on the subway. He was annoyed that I didn't text "to make the effort" (even though he wouldn't have got it until i pretty much arrived to the office anyway) so he sacked me saying that I didnt listen to him. The reason he thinks I don't listen to him is because I put in the bare minimum and I don't suck up to him, apologising every 2 seconds like his spineless assistant. Well, who would have respect for a dirty old man when they have to put up with being called "sexy" and asked to turn around so he can look at your bum! I was afraid to bend down in case he made comments, similar to "he was so cute i wanted to bend him over and f him" about a 21 year old potential client (boss is an agent).
- —Guest Dex
RN
- Ethical dilemma: critical hemoglobin, order for blood transfusion but patient came in with blood band ID in purse and not on arm. Policy states ID must be not removed. Manager notified but said she would back my decision no mater what. MD called who said it was the logical thing to do to give the blood today. Now they say I deceived the doctor in a "he said /she said" and I was fired.
- —Guest SSmith
Involuntarily terminated
- I was let go because I had a couple of days off, came back to work and everything in my office was moved without my knowledge, so I said to a non employee of the company, Jeez, after 21 yrs. Called in by VP, the next day I was let go. Meanwhile this person who complained about me was only there a few mos, and I was there for years. Just the week before I was being thanked by the VP for helping out. Even the day before, they put a temp right in front of me to train, this was very unprofessional of the company, would not even hear me out.
- —Guest Lisa
A Year of Bullying
- As a Manager, I thought you provided good and bad feedback to help you grow. I have always been of the impression a person should speak up to keep innovation moving. I have learned over this past year to never correct your direct reports, never speak up when someone is wrong, and never talk if you are in an office with cubicles. Last year, I had issues with a WAH staff. She tendered a resignation and my boss "saved her". Shortly after she transferred in the Co. I was placed on CAP. Weekly meetings occurred. In Jan. I completed the CAP, only to be placed on another before I could transfer. Then that CAP was extended for unjust cause. I was calling HR and Human Capital. Absolutely no help. I finally came off the CAP in May, and had a transfer set up and approved. A week later I was told it was rescended and offered to someone less qualified. My state is right to work. I cannot fight it. I was told I was fired for my management style and complaints from my staff.
- —Guest Tired
Fired Because I Disapproved of An Affair
- I had worked for attorneys that I knew for 15 years. One of the attorneys used to be a friend of mine and she confided in me that she had been having an affair with another attorney in the office. It was very awkward for me because I worked for him, and know his wife and kids. When she asked me what I thought, she didn't like my opinion and after that she was very cold with me. Afterwards she would nitpick with my work this went on for years and then my employment terminated when she went to the attorney I worked for and told him that she felt I was disrepectful to her and that she just could not continue to work with me. I never told him what she had confided in me and what really started all of this --- I didn't want to be involved -- so he said to me I have to let you go because "you cannot get along with her".
- —Guest Priscilla
Fired for Theft
- My supervisor worked with her niece and other friends of hers. She used to give them some of the chemicals we were using. She discriminated against us, so me and one of my colleagues stole tissues and we get caught. It was for the first time. We were fired immediately. What we did was wrong and we admitted our guilt. I keep blaming myself, even today.
- —Guest Lebza
Federal Judge Disarms Homeland Security
- In May 2009 a federal judge drafted a memo deligating the authority to decide who could carry their duty weapons, inside the five federal courthouses in southern WV, to the chief U.S. Marshal. The Marshal then precluded the officers of the Federal Protective Service from carrying their duty weapons in the performance of their duties within the courthouses. This presented an officer safety issue. 40 USC 1315 authorizes the FPS officers to carry duty weapons inside the federal courthouses and a Memorandum of Understanding between the DHS and DOJ clearly states that FPS will be a uniformed and armed entity operating in federal courthouses. The Marshal fabricated allegations against a FPS officer to facillitate the termination of that officer. No investigation was conducted by the HQs of FPS even after the officer reported the hostile work environment created by the Marshal. FPS violated the officers 4th Amendment rights and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
- —Guest Joe Sailor
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