The boss calls you into his office, closes the door and tells you: "… we are not happy with your job performance, so we terminate your contract. Free your desk and go to the human resources office to finalize the dismissal and take the job. your last paycheck. " What is the best way to handle the situation without losing your dignity?
Steps
Step 1. Take a minute (or five) to recover from the shock and get your brain moving again
If you feel like crying, go for it - it won't change the situation but will help you release the tension and handle the situation better.
Step 2. Live it right
Your first impulse may be to think that you are not a good employee, a beautiful person, or a complete failure, but it is the panic that is speaking. Instead, repeat to yourself, "I was doing a job that wasn't right for me." This is very important - it's not the job's fault, and neither is yours - it's the combination of you and the job that didn't work. So don't be ashamed. There are a million reasons why jobs aren't doing well, and none of them are 100% your fault.
Step 3. Don't try to change the decision
You may be tempted to ask for a second chance, but don't. The decision has been made and it is almost always irreversible. Begging weakens your bargaining power.
Step 4. Negotiate the terms of the dismissal
Your boss will want everything to go smoothly so he doesn't get a bad reputation. So here are some things you should ask:
- Agree with him what he should say in case someone calls him for references. The safest option for him is: "Yes, he worked here during this time, but our company policy prevents us from discussing the job performance of former employees."
- Ask for a generous settlement. Ask that all holidays and permits accrued be converted into cash and, if possible, also from one to three months of salary included in the liquidation. You probably won't get everything you asked for, but it's a great starting point for a negotiation.
- If you work with temporary agencies, ask for help in finding a new job as soon as possible. If you are in the company you could try asking your boss if he knows companies that hire similar profiles to yours.
Step 5. Walk away with dignity
Don't wait until the day is over - clear your desk and leave right away. If people stop to greet you, thank them kindly but don't stop in the hallways to explain what happened to you. Never speak ill of the boss or the company - getting scorched around you could be counterproductive for you in the future.
Step 6. Tell your family right away
Even if you are in shock and ashamed of it, tell your family what happened right away and decide together how to deal with the situation. While they may be upset and bewildered, in the long run the anxiety will subside as you begin to react together.
Step 7. Give yourself some time to recover
You will be tempted to go look for work the next day, but you need to give yourself time to process what happened to you, expel panic and shame from your system, and think clearly. So set a specific period of time, one or two weeks, to dedicate only to yourself and your family.
Step 8. Remember it is not the end of the world
It's not easy, but you need to stop thinking that firing is the end of something, and start seeing it as a change of path that could lead you to a better situation. It's not fun, sure, but it could turn into an opportunity.
Advice
- Take some time to decide if you want to work in the same industry or change.
- Your phone will likely ring continuously in the days following your firing, as friends and former colleagues will want to know how you are doing. Resist the urge to talk to everyone. Get a friend to spread the word that you are fine and taking the time to recover and you will call everyone back in a matter of days, weeks, months or whatever.
- Be responsible. When you get home, wipe out unnecessary items from your budget and try to better manage the money you have. Having a financial plan will help you be less stressed and therefore less likely to take the first job that comes your way.
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Generally, after being fired you will no longer have access to your computer or files. So (since you are assumed to be reading this article before being fired) today, when you go to work and then regularly, until you work in the same place:
- Send to your personal email address everything you don't want to lose if you no longer have access to your work pc: personal emails, document templates, the cookie recipe your colleague gave you, anything. Do not send them from your office address: log into your personal mailbox and send everything from there.
- Make copies of all the files you don't want to lose in case of firing (document templates, contracts, etc.) and take them home.
- You put in writing all the various promises that have been made to you by your superiors.
Warnings
- Don't call your former colleagues to complain about the company or superiors.
- Once home, don't pack your bags to leave the city. Running away from problems only makes things worse, and also looking for work in a new city without a valid reason (relocation for work, for family reasons, for a natural disaster, etc.) is a bad signal for potential employers. Get to work by updating your resume and posting it on sites like Monster.it, as well as using all your contacts to find a new job.
