If you’ve never been fired from a job, then you can probably safely skim to the end and read the list of warning signs. If you have, or think you might be, then every word that follows matters.
Shortly after I was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army, I was riding out that Twilight Zone between the civilian world and my officer basic course, working a job to make ends meet while preparing for the future. It was a good job, one I’d held on a part-time basis as a college student that evolved into a full-time position when I graduated. The pay was good, and I was just waiting out the 10-month gap between graduation and my initial entry schooling.
My longtime boss had retired about the same time I finished school, and his replacement was promoted from his role as the manager of the university’s golf course. When he bragged that he had mastered the ability “to get people to fire themselves,” I should have sensed what was coming. When he systematically destroyed the workplace culture and forced longtime employees to leave, I should have seen the writing on the wall. And when my termination letter arrived in the mail, I should not have been surprised.
But I was. I just wasn’t seeing the signs.
WHY ME?
No one takes a job assuming that they will eventually be fired. But it happens. Sometimes it’s your fault and sometimes it’s not. It could be the result of a number of self-inflicted career faux pas, or it might just be that you crossed the wrong person one too many times. But understanding why you lost your job is the first step toward rectifying the situation and landing on your feet somewhere else.
In my case, I had dared to provide negative feedback after an incident in which my new boss had not presented himself well to the administration. A classic narcissist, his ego couldn’t tolerate criticism – even in a constructive form – from a subordinate. So, he retaliated. I learned in short order that I had no job protection and no recourse. I filed an obligatory complaint that went nowhere; then found a new job at a nearby academic institution and settled in for the next several months.
There are a number of reasons why we might be fired. It could be simple incompetence; you’re just not good at your job. Maybe misconduct was involved; every workplace has rules and there’s a reasonable expectation that you’ll follow them. Are you habitually late? That wears on people after a while. Are you lazy? If you do less work in a week than most people do in a day, you’re going to get fired eventually. Or maybe it’s insubordination; say the wrong thing to the wrong person too many times and you’ll find yourself on the outside looking in.
A little self-reflection in the aftermath of a termination goes a long way. Don’t ask, “Why me?” Ask what you could have done differently.
WHEN THE HAMMER FALLS
Assuming you have any situational awareness whatsoever, you’ll know when the end is near. People telegraph their intent when the hammer is about to fall. The only people who are genuinely surprised are those who are oblivious to their surroundings, their own behaviors, and their interactions with others. If you’re even remotely aware, being fired is an inevitable – and inescapable – Captain Obvious moment.
1. Your pay is cut.
This is a dead giveaway, and usually an early sign the end is near. Don’t rationalize this away.
2. Your responsibilities are reduced.
In most workplaces, there is more work to do than people to do it. And it gets worse…
3. Your responsibilities are assigned to others.
When you put these two together, it’s an invitation to resign. Maybe you won’t get fired, but you can bet that they’re looking for a way to get you to quit.
4. You’re no longer included in important meetings.
Forget the excuses you’re fed. If you’re not welcome in key meetings, it’s because you’re no longer considered value added.
5. Praise is a thing of the past.
When people stop acknowledging your contributions, it’s a bad sign. Because what you do – good or bad – no longer matters.
6. People keep asking you if you’re okay.
Unless you had a family member pass away recently, you should take this as a sign of the career apocalypse.
7. Your supervisor bypasses you completely.
When your subordinates are invited to a budget meeting and you’re excluded, assume that you’re excluded for a reason. It’s not an oversight.
8. Performance reviews seem a little hostile.
When you feel like you’re on the defensive in every performance review, it’s a bad sign. It’s worse if you feel like you’re in a courtroom and the charges are stacked against you.
9. Things get weird when you walk into the room.
Everyone knows when you’re about to be fired, even if they say they don’t.
10. There is a job opening for your position.
I once heard a colleague say, “This looks like they’re advertising for my job!” They were. She just didn’t know it yet.
Losing my job was a humiliating experience. But, in time, I got over it. A year or so later, Karma came calling for my boss when the university found that he’d been embezzling funds as the golf course manager. I like to think that he wished he’d been fired and not prosecuted. But wishes only come true in fairy tales.
