Learning the hard way in the work world

I got fired from my job six years ago and feel like it wasn’t until a year ago that I put it completely behind me. I was a manager in healthcare for over 20 years and was lucky to have a pension so am okay financially. If you’ve heard someone say getting fired turned out to be a good thing I don’t agree with it. Listening to a podcast I learned that people who get fired have taken a chance either consciously or unconsciously so put themselves in that vulnerable position and that was me. I was foolish enough to make a request to report to someone else as my boss didn’t have anything to offer me. When I would tell colleagues who I was reporting to they would laugh, it was a frustrating situation. I was spoilt as previously I had the same boss for many years and he was above average in competence and I learned a lot from him. A Human Resources consultant advised me that making a request to report to someone else should be fine but she did warn me that she had gotten fired when working for a large company because her and colleagues were working 10 to 20 hours over their paid work week and she was the one who complained about it. In retrospect I should have applied for a job elsewhere it would have been nice to end my career on a positive note. A lot of coworkers I really liked were hurt by my firing and I wouldn’t have done that to them intentionally. Once I was gone they immediately made changes so nobody was reporting to the person I didn’t want to report to. My ego was too big. They say we often have a higher opinion of ourselves than others do, that was me. Hard lesson learned.

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May 11, 2021 at 9:55pm

Worked for a large government entity for 20 years. My doctor said I had to report to a different manager because I was being harassed and had become physically sick as a result. They refused. I filed a human rights complaint, but it went nowhere. So I had to retire early. That was 3 years ago, that jerk is still there and he's forced out at least 2 other people, that I know of. I felt really guilty about the younger employees who I was trying to protect, but it's up to them now to get out if they can. I think it's really sad that employers allow this kind of thing to carry on.

23 6Rating: +17

The Oppressed

May 11, 2021 at 10:01pm

I totally understand your frustration. Often corporations are unwilling to admit that it was their mistake in the first place. I was recently fired and only through studying safety recently have I realized how much my firing was the mistake of the workplace I was working at and not mine. I was too traumatised at the time to take action to sue the company thinking I would get a job quickly but have now realised that thanks to age discrimination I cannot get a decent job and I should have sued plus my former workplace made me sign a non disclosure agreement which prevents me bad mouthing them but does not stop them badmouthing me. Bad managers protect themselves and companies are destroyed from within.

19 6Rating: +13

john soft

May 12, 2021 at 3:10am

I refused to sign any N.D.A. with my ex employer.
I might want to write a book!

5 3Rating: +2

You Made 2 Serious Mistakes

May 12, 2021 at 11:03am

First was maybe you having higher opinion about your self as you say and the second more serious mistake was you thinking anybody noticed and certainly gave a hoot so you magnified the problem only in your head which lead you to quit in which case its only affected you. Everybody is too busy thinking about their own issues and just give lip service about others really. Managers changing organization after you left was no big deal to them. They just didnt want the hassles of further hr issues. But I sympathize with your experience!

4 3Rating: +1

Working the learn way in the hard world

May 12, 2021 at 6:52pm

hahaha ... i just like to play with words but, who knows? Maybe there's method in my madness.

3 4Rating: -1

Ok

May 12, 2021 at 9:11pm

Had a hard time reading this long post to get the point (smartphone short attention span). But I will say this: Everyone should be laid off or fired at least once in their life. You know why? Because you will then never be afraid of being fired or laid off again. You learn that a job is just a job, and even without a job, you will be OK. The first time you get fired or laid off, you learn to hustle for yourself and find eventual comfort in your new identity. It truly makes you stronger and more resilient. I was fired long time ago and at first I was crushed, but it turned out to be a gift: I eventually moved into bigger companies and learned how to fend for myself, both on and off the job. You will discover that a place of work will never control you again because you won’t let it, and this is freedom.

16 4Rating: +12

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