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Original poster

Sacked after ONE day! :(

171 replies

PrankedByLife · 28/12/2020 12:24

This happened a couple of weeks ago but I still can't get over it.

After TEN years of temporary and contract work I finally got a permanent job!
£40k, permanent, 3 month probation period, in my field of expertise, directly employed with the company, no crappy agencies involved - I thought finally, after 10 years of rubbish God had finally rewarded me.

They sacked me after ONE day!!!

First he said I was over qualified and then I was too slow.

The irony of this situation is, I've never worked so hard in my first day in any job. I was hands on, got a lot done.

I emailed the owner of the business who actually hired me to let him know that the MD had sacked me and nearly two weeks on he hasn't bothered to reply.

I can't believe they only gave me one day to prove myself!!

I have to admit the atmosphere was strange the minute I got there - no one was prepared to even say hello!

Has this happened to anyone else and did you ever find out why?

I feel like I'm meant to take the scraps of jobs forever, I'm not good enough for a proper job.

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 28/12/2020 12:51

That's awful and you have probably dodged a bullet. I bet there is an awful lot more going on than you were told.

Good luck with the next one.

GabsAlot · 28/12/2020 12:53

my sister was let go after a week meantto be 3 weeks training they said she wasnt picking it up quickly enough

she heard rumours they wanted someone else for the job

Toptotoeunicolour · 28/12/2020 12:53

Headcount cut after you were offered the contract but before you started?

Notthe9oclocknewsathon · 28/12/2020 12:54

Could it be something like a contract fell through and they didn’t have the money to pay you? Shabby way to treat someone whatever the reason, they should be honest. Unless there is some huge omission (like you turned up high) this is nothing to do with you as a worker or person. Chalk it up to bad luck and try again. Flowers

Sparklesocks · 28/12/2020 12:57

That’s awful, as others say there’s no way they could get an accurate assessment of your competency one day in...especially when you’re brand new and learning the ropes. It’s not like you punched someone or stole something!

There might be something else going on behind the scenes but either way I agree it’s a bullet dodged. It must’ve really stung but what they did and how they handled it (MD not replying etc) is an indication of how they treat staff, so best to be out of there.

dottiedaisee · 28/12/2020 12:58

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Third line of the OP says 3 month probation period. Hmm

OP, that sucks. It will be difficult for you to accept, I'm sure, but my sense is that you've dodged a bullet.

This...you have dodged a missile💐
HTH1 · 28/12/2020 12:58

I agree with the PP who thought people already knew. They should have told you not to come in at all and have dealt with this badly.

pennylane83 · 28/12/2020 12:58

Dependant on how long between interview and starting they may have realised they no longer had the budget for a permenant employee (esp given the knock businesses have had to finances this year) or enough potential work to warrant keeping you.. Had other people been laid off in the run up to you starting as that could account for the bad feeling from others.

KatherineJaneway · 28/12/2020 12:59

I have to admit the atmosphere was strange the minute I got there - no one was prepared to even say hello!

Because they already knew you were for the chopping block. It wasn't you, they had to make wage bill cuts and used an excuse to let you go as they couldn't afford you rather than tell you the truth.

I heard of someone who left a steady job and went to work for another company. On his first day they were shocked when he turned up. The entire team he was joining had been made redundant the Friday before his start date and they 'forgot' about him.

Sorry you are going through this Flowers

SnowyOwlWan · 28/12/2020 12:59

Wow, how upsetting. I've been sacked four months in to a 6 months probation and that was pretty distressing. I really feel for you.

nosswith · 28/12/2020 12:59

Is the company one anyone of us is likely to do business with directly, OP?

category12 · 28/12/2020 13:01

@AcornAutumn

"I have to admit the atmosphere was strange the minute I got there - no one was prepared to even say hello!"

This strikes me as being that people knew.

Maybe funding was withdrawn for the role and someone was trying to cover up incmpetence.

I think it was something like this.

Someone in the process had fucked up and the job should never have been offered, or something like that.

I doubt very much it had anything to do with you.

UntamedWisteria · 28/12/2020 13:02

Does the business have a social media presence OP?

Worth checking what sort of feedback they get there.

Assume it's a small business, without a proper HR department?

Did you sign a contract?

daisychain01 · 28/12/2020 13:03

I emailed the owner of the business who actually hired me to let him know that the MD had sacked me and nearly two weeks on he hasn't bothered to reply.

I wonder if the Senior Leadership Team had a broader discussion about the finances of the company and if revenues have continued to weaken and it was some time from when you were interviewed, offered and actually joined, they decided to pull your headcount. £40K++ they've saved.

Your comment that you contacted the company owner and they still haven't responded makes me think it was with their agreement that your role was cancelled.

Is it in a sector that is vulnerable/under threat at the moment?

Bottom line, comfort yourself there is no way this dismissal was anything to do with your performance after only 7 hours in the role. They wouldn't have gone through all that hassle to pull the plug so soon.

notanothertakeaway · 28/12/2020 13:04

My cousin had this. Two managers, with poor communication, both hired for the same position. It only came to light when they both turned up on the same day. Some employers are idiots, unfortunately

Sparklfairy · 28/12/2020 13:04

@KarlKennedysDurianFruit

Maybe they thought someone internal was going to get your job and then they were told you had and you copped the flack for that, nothing you can do really, but it's usually very difficult to just sack someone with immediate effect that quickly, I'm assuming you were on a probationary period?
Why do people spout such bollocks on here. You can be sacked for ANY reason in the first two years, probation or no probation!

Sorry this has happened to you OP. Sounds like you were collateral damage in some weird office politics. You must have been so excited to start and absolutely gutted to be let go after one day!! SadFlowers

AcornAutumn · 28/12/2020 13:07

@notanothertakeaway

My cousin had this. Two managers, with poor communication, both hired for the same position. It only came to light when they both turned up on the same day. Some employers are idiots, unfortunately
Yes.

One place where I was on a contract hired a lady who had been 20 years in her previous job. Then the funding got pulled three days after she started. It was chaos there and the department who hired didn't know there was a recruitment freeze on.

andawaywego · 28/12/2020 13:08

It sounds like you stepped into some office politics. Not your fault at all, just really shitty that you got caught up in it.

Have you checked out the company on Glassdoor, Indeed reviews etc to see if there are similar experiences?

Don't give up. I know it's disheartening to get your hopes up, but you never know what's round the corner.

Roselilly36 · 28/12/2020 13:10

Were your references ok?

Longdistance · 28/12/2020 13:13

I’d say that was a bullet dodged too.
As the atmosphere was awful when you arrived I think there was something going on internally. Very unfair of them to muck you about like that.

Skipsurvey · 28/12/2020 13:13

i believe they knew the job wasnt for you, and there had been a balls up

BooBahBoo · 28/12/2020 13:13

That's really shitty. Even if you had been utterly dreadful, they should have at least sat you down and explained the issues and gave you a chance to rectify them. In time you'll look back and be glad you got out of there. Awful place to work with awful people.

Mousehole10 · 28/12/2020 13:14

Sorry this happened to you op. I agree with others it most likely wasn’t about you personally. When my team recruits we never judge anyone on the first day, how can you when you barely know them and first days are not meant for proper work, they are for introductions and getting you set up to work properly. It would also be difficult for your immediate manager to sack you without approval from higher up unless it’s a very small company. I recon something happened internally and it was decided before you arrived. Try not to take it too personally and don’t let it stop you applying for more jobs in future.

Yerroblemom1923 · 28/12/2020 13:14

What was the job? 40k is quite good pay.

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 28/12/2020 13:15

I'd guess something has happened behind the scenes after you were recruited.
Maybe they've realised they couldn't afford to pay that wage out.
It'll not be something you've done. You'd have to be absolutely horrific to get sacked in your first day. I mean, assault someone or something.