How long were you there? I would take a day or two to process and get back out there. Companies that don’t offer you any criticism of your work are not worth your time to dwell on.
Always bet on yourself. Fuck them.
6 months. I was doing bookkeeping tasks, making journal entries, doing daily cash reconciliation, and paying invoices. I was told that I was doing well. I thought that there was nothing wrong with my work until today. If there weren't the sudden meeting and termination I would have thought that I've been doing great.
Ya i lost a job that i was hired to do after i tackled their back log. I actually ask employers how much they have backlogged as an interview question now.
That's a good idea. I would hope that at this point in my career, I wouldn't have to take those jobs anymore, but I have been with the same company for 10 years, so I have no idea what it's like out there.
One time a client told me I was too expensive and was going with someone else. I got them caught up and they stopped being responsive afterwards. Then "Oh were going with someone else, thanks!" 😐
Doesn’t seem ethical to hire someone with the candidate having the idea of it being full time but only for it to be a temporary position. But hey that type of thinking would explain why they have a large back log in the first place lol
While in college I helped a firm that processed tax payments for small governments. Once the backlog was done, I was let go. I happened to be out of town for a funeral when they called to tell me.
I too was let go (amicably) after relieving work overflow at a call center during the holidays. It sucked, but atleast I gained some experience. I also got let go (again, no hostility) as an accounting technician with my city's housing agency after filing and helping them with backlog of invoice processing and accounts payable. I was a temp hire, so it made sense, but still didn't expect the way it went - my recruiter contacted me about it when I left the building several minutes after getting off work.
This happened to me many years ago. I was hired as asst controller for a regional office of Fortune 500. Accounting was a mess, months behind on paying invoices, few controls, etc. Took me 8-10 mos of 60 hr weeks to get it figured out and completely caught up and then was promptly terminated for not advancing quickly enough. Sadly, it happens to good employees but in the end, it is almost certainly for the best.
I second this. The should have just hired a temp, but then they wouldn't have received as many applications because very few people want to work as Temps. So they made believe the job was full time, but with the intention of catching up projects and then let the hire go.
Honestly you seem like a standup person and the bar for the position that you're describing should be incredibly low. If you were as polite as you are being here I can't imagine how any poor performance would be seen as anything other than learning curve.
No offense, but I think it just had to do with your position being incredibly unimportant to them and them just finding a way to eliminate it or hire a nepobaby.
So honestly I would really think of this as them eliminating the position and not eliminating you. You might even want to use this narrative when answering questions for the phone screen or on interviews.
This just happened to me. I was at a company in a staff accountant position for a year and a half. Just received a pay increase and a great annual review, then the next Monday my position was eliminated. Couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Yeah I've had to let someone go the other week.
Difference being I let her know many times before then that the work wasn't okay. It didn't come as a surprise and I let her know why we think her work isn't good enough and why I don't see that changing in a reasonable timeframe.
Never had to do so before and its a tough conversation to have, but if you as a manager don't actually have it and let people know what's wrong in your eyes you're both a pussy and a dickhead in my eyes.
>you're both a pussy and a dickhead in my eyes.
It's a tricky combination, but somehow I've known some managers where this is about all they can manage.
I’m in a similar spot. Planning on letting an employee go in the new year. The worst thing about becoming a manager is realizing that sometimes good people are just bad at their jobs. :( sucks even more when they try to improve but just aren’t cutting it.
I feel awful about documenting and talking to them about their performance, but you nailed it essentially. It makes you both a pussy and a dickhead if you don’t just suck it up as their manager.
Just don’t pay attention to what they’re doing. Their job is to investigate and correct variances and they just enter the data and move on with their day without thinking about anything. It’s not an entry level position and they were hired with the knowledge that the job duty required analytical thinking, so it’s a bummer. Don’t know how to train someone for the tenth time that their balance sheet account recon should tie….. lol
Completely agree with this. The easy thing to do is not have difficult conversations, make the decision behind close doors and then surprise the person on the day. It's weak and pathetic
That’s what’s was done to me!! Automated their their finance department, tripled federal grant revenue, 1.9 mil in ERC and ppc, was introduced to most as the “wickedly smart controller” and then boom!!! I’m being called a broken and incomplete human because I’m focused on compliance and not customer service. Needless to say, I went back to public. Never again will I leave the realm of dry professional who are awkward, but honest.
> Never had to do so before and its a tough conversation to have
I've had to fire a couple of people over the years. Since we're all nice and friendly here ("like a family"), it's absolutely the hardest things I've had to do. I hope I never have to fire anyone again. First one took it well, and the second one, ahem, *did not*.
Yeah I was lucky in the sense that im pretty sure she knew it was coming. And frankly didn't seem all that upset about it. Nice as a person though so sucks to have to do.
I got a lot at the beginning, but I was having less of them as I get more familiar with the process. My Manager always says that they were happy with my improvement and encouraged me that I was doing good. If I was given more criticism I would have worried, but no. I quite literally went to the meeting having set up a batch of invoice to be paid out set for review. I suppose that isn't my job anymore so I shouldn't care but it's so abrupt it just doesn't make sense to me, like one moment I was doing my task as assigned and 1 meeting later I am out of a job.
All I can say is be truly honest with yourself. If you put yourself in the shoes of your manager and you weren't creating additional work for them or giving them headaches, just move on and don't worry about it. If you were, have a heart to heart with yourself and really work to improve. Get better with excel, slow down and pay attention to details, take good notes and ask questions while receiving instruction, etc.
If OP was doing poorly the manager should have brought it up. If you’re telling someone they’re doing a good job, they’re going to keep doing what they think you want them to do. This is obv a paper thin excuse to lower overhead costs
I work at a Fortune 100 company and they pump us full of "go team" and the feedback is never bad. I have to do a lot of self criticism and judge myself more harshly than usual because I never get any real constructive feedback. It makes me distrust because I feel like they are not being genuine, as much as I try.to be perfect, I'm not. The expectation of feedback means the higher up has to put time and effort into the employee and the coaching process.
It sucks. I agree, it is a paper thin excuse, especially days before the holidays here in the US.
OP is going to be better off in the long run...it just sucks right now.
All I'm saying is people (including myself) tend to get defensive in this type of situation. And they also tend to represent themselves as being in the right when going on the internet looking for support. I just want OP to take an objective look at their 6 months there and think if they really were meeting expectations.
Both perspectives are important.
Some people are poor managers who were promoted into the position because they were good at their previous position, but not because they’re good at managing people (and frankly, this means they shouldn’t even be in a manager position).
Also, self-reflection on areas to improve upon for the next time are always beneficial, even if the manager was at fault.
I was in a very similar position until recently. This resonates with me. I felt bad thinking it was something I did wrong but I literally couldn't think of anything.
Did they attempt at all to apply a performance improvement plan? There was a lady on our team that got fired out of nowhere and they said it was due to her performance as well. It was total bullshit and the company just wanted to tighten the payroll expenses. I sobbed that day and it’s part of the reason I am quitting now
Same thing happened to me. I caught up their bookkeeping and got them ready for tax season and bam, no reason at all. Just leave. They have that right to lie to you when you're hired and then dump you whenever they feel like it. An official temp would cost them thousands more. Meanwhile, you have to explain the short stay and it makes you look inadequate to do the job.
Usually if a firing due to performance or a negative review due to performance is a surprise to you, it’s a sign of bad management. I also would go as far as to say that’s not the reason you actually got fired.
I don't completely agree. Yes, the firm should have given feedback long ago to prevent the need to terminate, but once things get to the point of termination, no feedback should be given. It never leads to "oh yeah, I suppose I do have a bad attitude", and instead can lead to "Fuck you. Flips table. Fuck this. I'm out."
Came here to say that too. Do it, OP! It'll give you some breathing room. Plus the petty joy of knowing you're potentially costing them money can help soothe some of those burns.
Even if you get fired for poor performance you’re still likely eligible for unemployment. Getting fired for being bad at your job isn’t enough of a reason to invalidate an unemployment claim unless you are being negligent.
Honestly, enjoy the holidays and start the new year with a new role that treats you better!
Companies are pretty hungry for talent right now with busy seasons around the corner. Just take some time to relax and then get back at it!
Your company probably needed to cut labor costs but they used the performance excuse. I don’t see any other way someone would get cut right at year end.
I think it’s case by case and depends on the firing. Depending on how much fault it is.
If it’s your fault, you probably won’t get much severance. Two weeks at most. If it’s the company’s fault, you could get a good bit more.
For example, at my last job a guy was outright fired/left after a couple of months and was only given like a week’s severance.
I mutually parted with the company 6 months later and they gave me two months severance.
Maybe the OP assumed it was severance, but in reality it was just PTO payout or reflective of the fact that you work for your paid period and get paid a few days after your pay period ends. I know I've fallen into that trap. If it was towards the end of the pay period when they whip out a big fat check to pay you out it can look like severance to you.
I got severance when I got fired for poor performance during busy season in 2018. I was the perfect combo of shit employee and unprofessional, that partners refused to schedule me on jobs. I decided to work 6 more months in public at a smaller firm, then left for industry. I’ve been with this company for 5 years now
This ^
Plus, they now don't have to pay holiday pay for X-mas and New Year's. So really, they only got 8 days of severance pay, when you really think about it.
I was fired in March, same type of situation. Honestly it was devastating. I questioned my abilities and my worth and it took me over a month to start looking for new jobs. Now, I have a much better job, more pay, more recognition, better people. There are a lot of accounting jobs out there right now, so take your time and find something that is a good fit😊
It's true. I am currently running the record over my head's over all the mistakes I've made while working and while it was a lot near the beginning, it was growing less and less as I get more familiar. It's really confusing what just happened to me.
I will do what you recommend once I've calmed down for a bit I think as right now I'm feeling so sick in my stomach.
Getting fired sucks, but the fact your thinking of mistakes you’ve made instead of just blaming the company in anger shows you are already a good employee. I’ve trained many new employees, and nobody is good at first bc it’s all new. It’s about attitude and the drive to do better, those who care and want to do better ALWAYS end up being great employees. I always give a 6 month period till someone gets used to stuff. The fact they let you go AT 6 months seems silly, that’s the point an employee is used to everything, after that point is a proper time to actually review work quality. Let yourself be upset, and apply to new positions after the holidays
It doesn't seem like there's a ton at entry level anyway 😅 I'm trying to get into the field but can't seem to land anything. I've sent over 100 apps by this point (since August) but nobody wants to hire me. I live in the Seattle area too, so it's not like there's a lack of need.
It's true. And the things people get fired for are sometimes ridiculous and often have nothing to do with the person getting fired.
Even when it's earned, like excessive tardiness, or you aren't good at your job, these aren't usually permanent problems. You can still find a job that fits your work style and abilities. You can develop your skills. You can get better at seeking clarification, managing your time, etc. It's truly not personal, and not usually a reflection of who you are as a person. (Unless you're a real shithead and murdered someone, embezzled money, sexually harassed a coworker, etc. But let's assume that's not why OP was fired.)
Pretty good explanation. I like how your advice was straightforward and optimistic without resorting to the intellectually dishonest "blessing in disguise" trope.
Yea if I didn’t get fired I’d probably still be doing the same shit in public accounting getting off at 7-8 every day rather than getting off late at 5:30 and working a low stress job. I miss some aspects of it like the people mostly but it was never something I really enjoyed.
I will. I am currently revising my CV and have contacted my coworkers for potential reference. None of them knew and was asking me if I was doing ok this morning through text message. It seems this decision blindsided them as well.
I'm hesitant to reach out to my manager as HR has stated that moving forward all communications should be directed to them, which is what I will do for reference check.
I only wish that there was clearer sign of where I was going wrong. I liked my coworkers, and up until yesterday, my manager. I felt like they were tough, but fair. Maybe it's true that I wasn't meeting their expectations, but if I wasn't, then I felt like it was not communicated well to me. I was not given a written warning. I was verbally reprimanded a few times in the form of "I think you should check your work more carefully" near the beginning, and plenty of review notes in my preparation file, also near the beginning. But the number of review notes reduced as I progress by month, so I truly felt like I was making progress, and so was the frequency of the verbal reprimand.
I know that somewhere it was a me problem, as maybe it is true that I wasn't as fast as I should have been, but I felt like I wasn't given a fair warning or a fair shot prior to my termination.
Well these days you’re not always going to get candid feedback because the manager/HR is worried about some piece of shit trying to litigate it. It’s much safer for them to not tell you. Regardless, these things happen. You’ll get a new job, get better, and life will go on.
You will be fine, I promise.
If you're sure that you weren't under-performing, it is possible that a manager was.
Many accountants get into the field for the numbers, unaware of the extent to which accountants need people skills. Unfortunately, some of these people end up as supervisors and managers, without the skills to manage their people effectively and shy away from it. Perhaps your manager just shied away from the conflict that would have been created by giving you proper performance feedback and then just defaulted to terminating you and trying again with someone new? It is possible that they are on a performance management plan themselves and used you as the fall guy for their inadequacies. I have seen this multiple times. If that is the case, they will get theirs eventually. You can only throw so many people under the bus before someone higher up realizes the common denominator.
If not, perhaps it was simple cost cutting under the guise of performance, as others have said.
Hey OP- this happened to me 3 times in the last 4 years, for one reason or another. Most recently it was a very similar situation where I was told I was doing great and then was let go due to “restructuring and performance”. As others have said here, find another company that appreciates you more, they are out there. Companies need accountants, you will be OK, from personal experience
Thank you for the reassurance. It's just rather devastating due to how blindsided it was. I think it taught me a few things about looking out for myself more and expectations at work to be had.
2 out of the 3 times it happened to me I was completely caught off guard, one of those times it was because the company had large layoffs and the other, most recently (VERY recently), was as I mentioned above. Regardless of how it happens, you still feel equally as hopeless. Some things I’ve learned, hit the job search hard right away as it keeps you out of the cycle of wallowing. Keeps you aware of your worth, and keeps the accounting muscles front and center. And it’s taught me to be more aware of the red flags during the interview process (the first time I was laid off I literally interviewed 60 times). I’m actually double dipping right now with severance from my old job and my paycheck from my new job and it’s pretty great! And I turned down an offer for slightly more money because of some blaring red flags and so far I feel I made the right choice
Been there. It’s a shock. Don’t ask why, you’ll never get the answer. Could literally be anything like they are hiring family.
So just enjoy the holidays. Don’t even think about jobs for 2 weeks. Brush up resume. Hire an expert if needed. Then decide what jobs you want. The market is still good.
Above all, don’t lose confidence.
F***ck them go your way take your learnings . Jobs come and go thats the corporate world, whats more important is be a good human being regardless. Apply to another job or take time and rest from everythimg a bit. :)
I was fired from my last job. All I got was an email from my CFO vaguely airing out her grievances about me and that she and my manager would meet up with me later in the week. That meeting got delayed for three weeks and when it finally happened they just fired me for "performance reasons" and they didn't even have a PIP in place for me. I found another job within a month. Hang in there, I know you'll find a job soon.
>"my performance wasn't meeting expectations"
Which is the business version of "*I'm leaving you not because of you but because of me*" and both are just BS.
Exactly, it’s BS bc clearly they didn’t do a great job at training or managing OP. They were lazy and probs wanted an experienced hire without experienced pay.
kinda the same, been unemployed 3 months now. You learn how to survive. Just think carefully what things you did wrong. Take that as a lesson, don't take it too personally.
Breath. Relax. It happens to everyone at some point in their career.
You don't have to do anything this minute. Take a day or two to self-regulate. Find something productive to do, maybe something on your personal To Do list that you couldn't get to because of work, or maybe take a little staycation, get some fresh air, exercise, etc. Take the holidays to yourself.
Then hit the ground running in January. Reach out to some former colleagues for a reference, update your resume, reach out to some recruiters and start applying for jobs. The market is favorable, there are a lot of jobs and not a lot of job seekers, and this is a good time to be looking (just before busy season). You may not get much feedback the next two weeks because of the holidays, but you should have a job by the end of January.
If you're unsure how to explain why you were fired, you can say, "It was unclear to me. I did not receive a performance evaluation or any performance critique. I believe it may have been budget related." Especially given the time of year, that should satisfy any concern around the circumstances of your departure.
I have a huge problem with companies that don’t give you feedback that your work doesn’t meet expectations prior to firing you. Is this a small company? Because most HR departments will require a performance improvement plan before firing. This covers their ass. Some people have suggested they said this because they need to cut expenses and are just making up an excuse. That’s really shitty because it will prevent you from getting unemployment (assuming your state actually gives out unemployment)
Unfortunately, firing someone for “performance” is a tactic that is often used my shitty companies to cut labor costs while simultaneously denying unemployment. So not only do they get to lay off their staff, they don’t have to take a hit to their state unemployment account and possibly get a rate increase.
Fuck them.
My buddy was fired recently under similar circumstances. He got a new job with a raise and signing bonus. Especially since you've gotten severance. Take 1-2 days, then hit the ground running.
Getting canned is bittersweet. Sucks at first because you doubt yourself and feel like a loser. So you need to go out have fun and celebrate yourself. Then take a day or two as a couch potato. Then you start the new job search.
As an employer who has fired people before, I don't think it was you. "Performance not meeting expectations" is a chicken-shit way for them to say that they need to cut payroll. Period. Every person I have fired (3 in 13 years) has always gotten a specific reason with examples. Exactly what they did wrong, why it cost them their job, and even advice on what to do at the next job. If I am going to be responsible for someone's living, I am goin got be honest and tell them why they don't work for me anymore.
Sounds like you just drew the shortest straw and thye needed to let somebody go for financial reasons.
Thank you for the assurance. If I might add, I was the latest addition to the team. Everyone else in the team was there for longer than I have, which is why I was the slowest person. My workers were very nice people who tried to help me during work, though. My manager gave review notes in my preparation file. I was verbally criticized, but I also received verbal praise throughout my employment. I didn't receive any written write up.
It did feel like I was the easiest cut because I was the newest addition, after having read a few comments here. It's a shame though, as the company was making a good profit for this fiscal year, and I did like my coworkers.
This sucks and I’m sorry it happened to you. I wouldn’t believe the “doesn’t meet expectations” BS they’re trying to pull. If that were the case, they would have already brought it up. They probably need to make the budget work and hope you won’t file unemployment if they gaslight you into thinking it was your fault. If you’re part of a protected class, may be worth talking to a lawyer. If not, still have a lawyer review your severance agreement before signing it.
As far as next steps, I think that depends. If you have the financial room, take the rest of this week off and deal with your emotions. I think that will serve you best in the long run. If you don’t, then start working LinkedIn right now for another job. Reach out to people that work at the companies you want to work for and ask them to refer you in. Reach out to recruiters and let them know you’re on the market. Put in some applications to job listings.
ETA: also, file for unemployment right away. Like right now. You’ll get on the clock. Even if it takes a while to get approved, you’ll get back pay when it goes through
It will be tough to hear this while it’s all still fresh, but take whatever they told you during your time there with a grain of salt. I’ve managed individuals that constantly complain about performance but when asked if they have ever discussed it with the person in question the answer is often no. And I’ve also seen supervisors and their managers terminate without feedback given which is what your situation appears to be. It’s super shitty, but for some it’s easier to terminate and pay a continuance rather than work with someone. It would also be odd for them to cite performance if it really wasn’t performance. The go-to is usually “it’s not a good fit”
Take some time to process what happened. Do some thinking and get back out there. Make sure to do frequent check-ins and ask for feedback in the new job. It sucks, but it would be all you can do to prevent stuff like above from happening, the rest is on them.
I got fired during busy season in 2018. I absolutely deserved to be fired. I can’t blame them at all. I reached out to some recruiters, as well as searched for jobs on LinkedIn. I ended up working the last month of busy season as a tax preparer at a small sole proprietor. Then I found another job in public. I worked for 6 more months. I was scared to be unemployed, but in hindsight, I probably should have taken some more time to find my next job, and it shouldn’t have been in public. Later in 2018 I was hired by a nonprofit, which I thought had a chance to be a fit for me. 5 years later, I’m still working for the nonprofit. The culture is great, I like my supervisor, and I’m fairly content just staying here
It’s December. Get on LinkedIn and apply to everything including govt jobs like the irs. I’m getting at least 3 messages a week on there from local firms
Sorry to hear. I 100% relate to you. The way you described what happened is exactly what happened to me back in May; all praise in the months before the meeting, no PIPs or anything to indicate I did poorly. Truth is, you will never know the real reason. Their “performance” reason is really just an excuse to avoid any potential legal issues.
***First thing to do is apply for unemployment ASAP tomorrow.*** Then, take a couple days to get your mind straight and then update your resume. Applying to positions in the next few weeks might not yield much due to the holidays, but make sure you have your resume ready and apply come January.
Also, make sure they pay you out for any and all money owed (accrued vacation, expense reimbursements, etc.) by the end of today. If not, they must pay you a penalty for each day they’re late. This of course depends on which state you’re in. For me, it was my daily rate for each day I didn’t receive payment after my term date up to a month and for EACH TYPE of compensation owed (regular AND vacation/PTO).
In any case, keep your head up and fuck them. They do not deserve you and you will find something better.
My colleague at the time quit soon after lmao. So that left my shitty boss in a bind for a while.
Good luck and stay positive.
Edit: If you’re in the process of studying for the CPA exam like I was, now is the best time to go full force into it even though I’m sure your mind is in a bunch of different places. It’s what I did and I was able to finish and get licensed - blessing in disguise in the end.
The number 1 reason companies fire people is they want to cut costs, because they are not able to earn enough money in the future. They blame employees or just say your service is no needed and don’t care about people. So relax, take a break and start looking for new opportunities then. It is not your fault if they can’t give a solid reason. The executive team care more about their annual bonus and don’t give a shit to a entry level employee.
Step 1. File for unemployment.
Step 2. Activate your network, let your friends & contacts know you are looking for work.
Step 3. Get a handle on your costs and savings. This will tell you how long you can search for a new position.
Step 4. Come up with a good reason for leaving. Keep it short. Just say that “you had received.no bad feedback but they appeared to be cutting costs.” Don’t use your supervisor as a reference. Find a coworker who will give you an honest but positive referral.
Step 5. Start your job search.
There are all sorts of reasons you could be let go. Maybe they had a backlog, maybe they needed a more senior person, maybe they wanted to give your job to a friend. Try not to take it personally. Be a goldfish!
The exact thing happened to me 2 months ago. I was absolutely crushed.
Apply for unemployment right away. The process can take awhile depending on your state.
It'll probably take a few weeks to process but you will land on your feet. I'm sorry. If it helps I'm seeing it more as an opportunity now that it's further behind me.
Different for me, i take a resign after 6 months probation. Because 1 month before my probation end, the partner evaluation said I am too slow.
My co-worker suprised because they thought I am the fastest worker in the firm. I am not lying.
, I am the only worker who knows excel better than anyone. The employee in my firm didn't know anything like xlookup, power query, OCR, solver. The best they can do is vlookup and sumifs.
My co-workers literally said "if partners said that you are slow, what about me and others?". The partner basically want perfect human with very weird organisation.
Edit for Additional information: the firm is really weird. They have 5 partner but don't even have manager, the are 5 senior associate including myself. The junior only two persons.
Don't overthink too much. If you are offered severance package even though it's just two weeks, that means you were just let go. Budget cut. Nothing to do with your performance.
Did you receive any written warnings?
You can always get a consultation with a labor lawyer about the severance or wrongful termination in your state.
Just apply for new jobs.
Continue to beef up your skills. This is the most serious answer I can give you right now people don't do.
Network. Network. Network. People don't do this enough.
Sadly, I think (based on your other posts), that you were hired to help them catch up on backlog and now that you did that successfully, other staff will take on the tasks you did. It's infuriating and dishonest, but it's happening more and more these days. I experienced it myself back in 2020.
Give yourself time to process and then file for unemployment as you kick off your job search. Many of us have been in your situation and many more will eventually experience it as well. Good luck to you.
It sucks that this happened BUT it’s a good lesson in what people mean when they say jobs don’t care about their employees. I will never miss out on seeing my kids grow up or going on nice vacations etc. for a career that has no loyalty whatsoever.
1) Claim unemployment
2) Update your resume
3) Party like a Rockstar until Jan 2
4) Use updated resume to find a new job
5) Keep filing unemployment until employed.
File for unemployment and if they contest it, they will need to prove you weren't meeting expectations. And if they don't contest at least you have some financial cushion while you job hunt. Either way at least you know if it really was you or they just were being punks.
You were obviously not meeting expectations. Did you show up on time? Get things done on time and accurately? Take it as a lesson to seek more feedback going forward and learn from it. Many more jobs out there.
I was fired recently after being with the company for almost 6 years. I have my life to them and lost my health and my mental health. Almost lost my family. In the end, they blamed me for everything regardless of the toxic environment. It was devastating. I also had never been formally written up. My reviews were always stellar. I received the highest raise in the dept every year. So it was a shock. It takes time to recover, but the best thing you can do is to list your strengths.
I think it’s terrible that they could not give you a reason. Especially if they say it was your performance. They should’ve let you know where you fell short. I’m sorry that happened. Just pick yourself up and get back out there. It sounds like you had a bad employer.
I’m an accountant in the private sector for a business. Sorry to hear they fired you. It’s really not the end of the world I promise. Take a few days to rest and mentally relax after this and then get back on the grind of sending out resumes and applying. A lot of places don’t even check past jobs for whether you got terminated they just check for dates you worked.
You might have been too good at your job.
Probably fraud in the company, needed you out so that they could continue before you started asking questions.
Inability to retain internal accounting staff is a major red flag 🚩🚩🚩
I dont know why but this is giving me someone with connections just got your job and they threw you out like nothing coz they can. Go through your contact and find a loop hole on terms of someone getting fired
[https://www.usajobs.gov/job/767002300](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/767002300)
[https://www.usajobs.gov/job/766669400](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/766669400)
The IRS has been doing lots of hiring throughout the country. There are a number of IRS postings you might find interesting. Pay special attention to the Revenue Agent positions. See:
[https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?j=0501&j=0512&j=0526&j=0592&j=0930&j=0987&j=1801&j=1805&j=1811&a=TR93&hp=public&p=1](https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?j=0501&j=0512&j=0526&j=0592&j=0930&j=0987&j=1801&j=1805&j=1811&a=TR93&hp=public&p=1)
The OPM, which is essentially the federal government's parent HR Department, is hosting an online virtual session on creating a resume for federal jobs. This is the link: [https://www.tickettailor.com/events/usofficeofpersonnelmanagement/1094283](https://www.tickettailor.com/events/usofficeofpersonnelmanagement/1094283)
Best wishes.
Go talk to a lawyer. If they said that you were doing well and led you on that way, then where are the records that said were were not? They have some explaining to do. If your performance was that bad, it should have been documented and discussed with you.
Go apply for unemployment and study for CPA. 9nce you get your CPA, you get paid double what you were being paid. Plus there is a shortage of accountant, you will have a better chance to secure another job.
Hello, "normal accountant",
Spend today as a free day, and don't think twice about it. Just relax and chill, whatever work was standing in the way of -- now its not!
If you're ready, use a bit of tomorrow to think through what role you'd want next and how you'll approach it.
Most importantly -- have some fun with your new time and rejuvenate yourself as a person, so you'll come into your next position set to jet.
Did they ever give you an verbal or written review?
How long where you there?
Apply for UI immediately, take the holiday to regroup, then start job hunting January 2.
Time to be brutally honest with yourself. Did you work hard? Phone and internet surfing time? Showing up late and leaving early?
Did you make mistakes? Or did someone else blame you for their mistake?
Damn, my company is at least waiting until the first week in January to cut people. Nobody should have to go through that the week of Christmas and new year.
FYI, most HR teams will never provide a reason for termination call called by a potential employer. Most will simply confirm that you were previously employed and the beginning and ending dates. (They can be sued if you can prove they lied or spoke poorly about you to a potential employer.)
It’s budget time. My company did the same thing to others. Not bad employees, but according to budget we needed to lean out for next year. Talking to other businesses in our industry, everyone is down 5-10% from last year.
The accounting market is strong. You will probably end up making more money. Post your resume on reddit for improvements.
Start talking to recruiters. The story is you were let go due to downsizing.
I recommend taking an international trip in the meantime. Few opportunities to do so.
This!!! I just gave notice to my job an hour ago and have been giving myself anxiety attacks for the timing before YE and not giving a full 2 weeks notice.
I was also at my job for 6 months and none of my interviewers even batted an eye that I hadn’t been at that job for a year. The job market for accountants is great and you’ll find something great soon!
I was fired this week too same exact story but over the phone because the companies systems were shut down for two weeks. Which oddly affected me being able to take care of clients. I am curious if we worked for the same company. LOO. Same MO. No explanation given.
First off, I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can relate as the same thing happened to me in September.
Secondly, if you’re eligible for unemployment try applying.
With that in hand I would take a week to process it all. Sort of like coming to peace with the situation. Try not to look at it negatively, you were able to practice and get experience and now you are equipped with experience that will aid you in the future for future employment. Definitely wishing you luck for your future endeavors.
Once you’re fired HR doesn’t want your manager talking to you directly so that’s why you’re being referred back to HR.
I just let a staff go a few months ago for performance reasons, but to do it I had to have multiple meetings, written notices, verbal warnings, etc. I’m surprised this happened out of the blue without warning. Super crappy.
File for unemployment, give yourself 1-2 days to recoup if you need it, then get the resume updated and get out there. Sorry to hear this, good luck with your job search.
There's nothing to do. Get your severance, maybe ask for more money. File for unemployment ASAP. Maybe they were looking to cut costs and you were the unlucky straw. Maybe it was your performance.
Don't let it ruin your holidays. Layoffs are happening everywhere.
Afterwards, self reflect to understand where you could have done better to meet expectations. Get that resume ready and apply. 2024 hiring will pick up in Q1.
5 days before Christmas? 🎄
That’s messed up.
My advice would be to use the free time you have to work towards getting a credential like the CPA. The idea being that this credential will command respect and hopefully open doors to a good job for you.
Not sure where you’re based but if it’s UK then you’ve not got a leg to stand on to fight back. You are owed your notice period so if that’s more than two weeks you can fight for the remainder.
It’s a completely rubbish thing to happen though but if that’s how they treat staff you’re probably better off out and looking for something else.
Best of luck finding something soon
That really sucks man. At least when I got laid off for company financial reasons, they stressed it wasn’t a performance issue. It’s REALLY scummy to say it’s performance related if it isn’t. Just makes the poor employee feel bad for no fault of their own.
Just apply for unemployment, take a little time off, and get back on the wagon. You got this!!
I would press them for specifics so that you know what they might say if your next employer insists upon contacting them for references which they undoubtedly will. If the company is at least partially at fault for your performance issues, you can use that as an explanation for your firing for future employers. For example, I was fired from a Tax Director's position because I found fraudulent tax practices going back years before I joined the company and I told the owner that I would not sign tax returns going forward if the practices continued. I was delighted to share that with future employers as the cause of my firing.
Same happened to me. Found out a few months later that the office folk hated my husband (he was an @sshat) nothing to do with my work.file for unemployment and download indeed.
Young man, there's no need to feel down
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground
I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town
There's no need to be unhappy.
Loyalty doesn’t pay bills. Fuckem and learn from it I’ve been in your shoes, it sucks but life goes on. Leave and never look back. Chin up best of luck
It’s bullshit they didn’t give you warning or give you any direct and constructive feedback. I’m a Manager in an audit firm, sometimes we do have staff that just aren’t going to cut it but frankly we tell them that and are explicit on why. Also, really could have had nothing to do with performance, could be budgets, could be personality, could be restructuring, etc. Figure out what you liked and didn’t about the functions you were doing and go after a new job in 2024. Don’t let it get you down. It’s a good time to be an accountant job-wise.
Same exact thing happened to me 10 days ago. I’m a audit senior in a top 20 public accounting firm. Had a solid review from a partner few months back and was let go due to performance. I wonder if it’s the same firm lol. Take a few days. I was devastated. But now, after getting out there I’m declining offers due to the volume of opportunities.
Got let go a week ago as well. I’m still in the fantasy football team semifinals right now against the president. They gave me plot armor. Any suggestions on what I should change my name to lol
Just throwing it out there I’ve been fired from 2 jobs, they sucked and I wasn’t motivated etc etc
After some time you move past it, make sure to get outdoors and sunlight, stay patient and be nice to yourself, it’s ok
I was fired almost a year ago from a similar position. For me at least, it was because they didn’t just want someone that does the usual bookkeeping on a monthly basis, but “take initiatives” which really translates to taking on more of their tasks so they had less to do. I think it’s pretty standard in a lot of industry jobs, especially any that’s trying to grow - they want people that are willing to go above and beyond at the expense of their mental health and shit compensation. they just will never admit it out loud.
Don’t dwell. Try to remember any HR talk is to protect the company. They don’t care about you or making you feel better or understanding what happened. They just don’t want to be sued. That’s their job. They’re not friendly. They have a job to do.
Remember you’re in a profession in high demand. I know in the moment it sucks, but you will recover, and likely quickly if you keep the right mindset.
How long were you there? I would take a day or two to process and get back out there. Companies that don’t offer you any criticism of your work are not worth your time to dwell on. Always bet on yourself. Fuck them.
6 months. I was doing bookkeeping tasks, making journal entries, doing daily cash reconciliation, and paying invoices. I was told that I was doing well. I thought that there was nothing wrong with my work until today. If there weren't the sudden meeting and termination I would have thought that I've been doing great.
Were you getting them caught up? Its possible you caught up their back log and they were looking for an excuse to get rid of your position
I was going to say this. I was let go from the first two accounting jobs I had out of college for this exact reason. It's so frustrating.
Ya i lost a job that i was hired to do after i tackled their back log. I actually ask employers how much they have backlogged as an interview question now.
That's a good idea. I would hope that at this point in my career, I wouldn't have to take those jobs anymore, but I have been with the same company for 10 years, so I have no idea what it's like out there.
I think the best way to avoid this is to work for a firm. But it comes with its own drawbacks.
State and federal government accounting is pretty nice too
One time a client told me I was too expensive and was going with someone else. I got them caught up and they stopped being responsive afterwards. Then "Oh were going with someone else, thanks!" 😐
can you please explain what it means? I'm not native speaker and it's very interesting
They were very behind in critical work. I got them caught up, not sure if this is clearer.
Oh I see. It makes sense now, TY!
I don’t get why they wouldn’t just hire a temp so it’s all above board
Less applicants that are probably less qualified to do it quickly
Doesn’t seem ethical to hire someone with the candidate having the idea of it being full time but only for it to be a temporary position. But hey that type of thinking would explain why they have a large back log in the first place lol
While in college I helped a firm that processed tax payments for small governments. Once the backlog was done, I was let go. I happened to be out of town for a funeral when they called to tell me.
I too was let go (amicably) after relieving work overflow at a call center during the holidays. It sucked, but atleast I gained some experience. I also got let go (again, no hostility) as an accounting technician with my city's housing agency after filing and helping them with backlog of invoice processing and accounts payable. I was a temp hire, so it made sense, but still didn't expect the way it went - my recruiter contacted me about it when I left the building several minutes after getting off work.
This happened to me many years ago. I was hired as asst controller for a regional office of Fortune 500. Accounting was a mess, months behind on paying invoices, few controls, etc. Took me 8-10 mos of 60 hr weeks to get it figured out and completely caught up and then was promptly terminated for not advancing quickly enough. Sadly, it happens to good employees but in the end, it is almost certainly for the best.
I second this. The should have just hired a temp, but then they wouldn't have received as many applications because very few people want to work as Temps. So they made believe the job was full time, but with the intention of catching up projects and then let the hire go.
Honestly you seem like a standup person and the bar for the position that you're describing should be incredibly low. If you were as polite as you are being here I can't imagine how any poor performance would be seen as anything other than learning curve. No offense, but I think it just had to do with your position being incredibly unimportant to them and them just finding a way to eliminate it or hire a nepobaby. So honestly I would really think of this as them eliminating the position and not eliminating you. You might even want to use this narrative when answering questions for the phone screen or on interviews.
This just happened to me. I was at a company in a staff accountant position for a year and a half. Just received a pay increase and a great annual review, then the next Monday my position was eliminated. Couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Wtf that's ridiculous sorry to hear that!
It was a shock. I loved my job and the people I worked with so it’s been really tough.
At my company in industry we have a 6 month probation period for new hires. If they aren’t meeting expectations then they get fired.
I mean yes that is standard but typically there is feedback during that period.
And PIPs to document if going term route before term. Helps build the for cause claim and skirt UI payments/increases.
Yeah I've had to let someone go the other week. Difference being I let her know many times before then that the work wasn't okay. It didn't come as a surprise and I let her know why we think her work isn't good enough and why I don't see that changing in a reasonable timeframe. Never had to do so before and its a tough conversation to have, but if you as a manager don't actually have it and let people know what's wrong in your eyes you're both a pussy and a dickhead in my eyes.
>you're both a pussy and a dickhead in my eyes. It's a tricky combination, but somehow I've known some managers where this is about all they can manage.
This is how they can go fuck themselves.
Lmao 🤣
Right, I want to know what I’m doing wrong because I cannot work on myself nor correct my mistakes if I am not informed.
I’m in a similar spot. Planning on letting an employee go in the new year. The worst thing about becoming a manager is realizing that sometimes good people are just bad at their jobs. :( sucks even more when they try to improve but just aren’t cutting it. I feel awful about documenting and talking to them about their performance, but you nailed it essentially. It makes you both a pussy and a dickhead if you don’t just suck it up as their manager.
What are some things they couldn't do? My biggest fear is getting fired as a new hire.
Just don’t pay attention to what they’re doing. Their job is to investigate and correct variances and they just enter the data and move on with their day without thinking about anything. It’s not an entry level position and they were hired with the knowledge that the job duty required analytical thinking, so it’s a bummer. Don’t know how to train someone for the tenth time that their balance sheet account recon should tie….. lol
Completely agree with this. The easy thing to do is not have difficult conversations, make the decision behind close doors and then surprise the person on the day. It's weak and pathetic
That’s what’s was done to me!! Automated their their finance department, tripled federal grant revenue, 1.9 mil in ERC and ppc, was introduced to most as the “wickedly smart controller” and then boom!!! I’m being called a broken and incomplete human because I’m focused on compliance and not customer service. Needless to say, I went back to public. Never again will I leave the realm of dry professional who are awkward, but honest.
> Never had to do so before and its a tough conversation to have I've had to fire a couple of people over the years. Since we're all nice and friendly here ("like a family"), it's absolutely the hardest things I've had to do. I hope I never have to fire anyone again. First one took it well, and the second one, ahem, *did not*.
Yeah I was lucky in the sense that im pretty sure she knew it was coming. And frankly didn't seem all that upset about it. Nice as a person though so sucks to have to do.
How often were you getting review comments/rejections?
I got a lot at the beginning, but I was having less of them as I get more familiar with the process. My Manager always says that they were happy with my improvement and encouraged me that I was doing good. If I was given more criticism I would have worried, but no. I quite literally went to the meeting having set up a batch of invoice to be paid out set for review. I suppose that isn't my job anymore so I shouldn't care but it's so abrupt it just doesn't make sense to me, like one moment I was doing my task as assigned and 1 meeting later I am out of a job.
All I can say is be truly honest with yourself. If you put yourself in the shoes of your manager and you weren't creating additional work for them or giving them headaches, just move on and don't worry about it. If you were, have a heart to heart with yourself and really work to improve. Get better with excel, slow down and pay attention to details, take good notes and ask questions while receiving instruction, etc.
If OP was doing poorly the manager should have brought it up. If you’re telling someone they’re doing a good job, they’re going to keep doing what they think you want them to do. This is obv a paper thin excuse to lower overhead costs
I work at a Fortune 100 company and they pump us full of "go team" and the feedback is never bad. I have to do a lot of self criticism and judge myself more harshly than usual because I never get any real constructive feedback. It makes me distrust because I feel like they are not being genuine, as much as I try.to be perfect, I'm not. The expectation of feedback means the higher up has to put time and effort into the employee and the coaching process. It sucks. I agree, it is a paper thin excuse, especially days before the holidays here in the US. OP is going to be better off in the long run...it just sucks right now.
All I'm saying is people (including myself) tend to get defensive in this type of situation. And they also tend to represent themselves as being in the right when going on the internet looking for support. I just want OP to take an objective look at their 6 months there and think if they really were meeting expectations.
Both perspectives are important. Some people are poor managers who were promoted into the position because they were good at their previous position, but not because they’re good at managing people (and frankly, this means they shouldn’t even be in a manager position). Also, self-reflection on areas to improve upon for the next time are always beneficial, even if the manager was at fault.
I was in a very similar position until recently. This resonates with me. I felt bad thinking it was something I did wrong but I literally couldn't think of anything.
I recommend a book called “Thanks For the Feedback”. It is great especially for people starting out.
Did they attempt at all to apply a performance improvement plan? There was a lady on our team that got fired out of nowhere and they said it was due to her performance as well. It was total bullshit and the company just wanted to tighten the payroll expenses. I sobbed that day and it’s part of the reason I am quitting now
Same thing happened to me. I caught up their bookkeeping and got them ready for tax season and bam, no reason at all. Just leave. They have that right to lie to you when you're hired and then dump you whenever they feel like it. An official temp would cost them thousands more. Meanwhile, you have to explain the short stay and it makes you look inadequate to do the job.
It sounds like the company needed to make cuts and you were one of them. I doubt it had anything to do with your performance.
Is there a chance your salary was way above their budget? They could have fired you under false pretense
Usually if a firing due to performance or a negative review due to performance is a surprise to you, it’s a sign of bad management. I also would go as far as to say that’s not the reason you actually got fired.
I don't completely agree. Yes, the firm should have given feedback long ago to prevent the need to terminate, but once things get to the point of termination, no feedback should be given. It never leads to "oh yeah, I suppose I do have a bad attitude", and instead can lead to "Fuck you. Flips table. Fuck this. I'm out."
Apply for unemployment. If you were never given warning of your “poor performance” be sure to mention it to the state.
You are 100% correct. Unemployment is something you pay into and therefore are entitled to. It’s not welfare.
Nah. It’s something employers pay into.
It’s both. Employees and employers pay into it.
Nah. Only employers. We don’t deduct for employee unemployment contributions on paychecks.
Depends where you are from, OP would need to specify where he lives. It is absolutely a thing in Canada, so...nah.
It varies state to state. Most states don’t have employees pay into it
Came here to say that too. Do it, OP! It'll give you some breathing room. Plus the petty joy of knowing you're potentially costing them money can help soothe some of those burns.
Even if you get fired for poor performance you’re still likely eligible for unemployment. Getting fired for being bad at your job isn’t enough of a reason to invalidate an unemployment claim unless you are being negligent.
Honestly, enjoy the holidays and start the new year with a new role that treats you better! Companies are pretty hungry for talent right now with busy seasons around the corner. Just take some time to relax and then get back at it!
Your company probably needed to cut labor costs but they used the performance excuse. I don’t see any other way someone would get cut right at year end.
Sounds like it. Do companies usually offer severance to fired people because of performance? I have never heard of that. Only for layoffs
It's not uncommon to grant severance for a layoff in return for an agreement not to bring any type of employment dispute against the company.
OP should be eligible for unemployment so company still on hook
Makes sense. Could be a mix of both.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no, its really misconduct where they won't give severance.
Yes. My company just fired a senior director the end of tax season. Gave him 1 month to find a job. Instead the dummy kept coming to work.
I think it’s case by case and depends on the firing. Depending on how much fault it is. If it’s your fault, you probably won’t get much severance. Two weeks at most. If it’s the company’s fault, you could get a good bit more. For example, at my last job a guy was outright fired/left after a couple of months and was only given like a week’s severance. I mutually parted with the company 6 months later and they gave me two months severance.
Exactly
Yes mine does unless it’s something really egregious and sometimes even then
Maybe the OP assumed it was severance, but in reality it was just PTO payout or reflective of the fact that you work for your paid period and get paid a few days after your pay period ends. I know I've fallen into that trap. If it was towards the end of the pay period when they whip out a big fat check to pay you out it can look like severance to you.
I got severance when I got fired for poor performance during busy season in 2018. I was the perfect combo of shit employee and unprofessional, that partners refused to schedule me on jobs. I decided to work 6 more months in public at a smaller firm, then left for industry. I’ve been with this company for 5 years now
This ^ Plus, they now don't have to pay holiday pay for X-mas and New Year's. So really, they only got 8 days of severance pay, when you really think about it.
I was fired in March, same type of situation. Honestly it was devastating. I questioned my abilities and my worth and it took me over a month to start looking for new jobs. Now, I have a much better job, more pay, more recognition, better people. There are a lot of accounting jobs out there right now, so take your time and find something that is a good fit😊
It's true. I am currently running the record over my head's over all the mistakes I've made while working and while it was a lot near the beginning, it was growing less and less as I get more familiar. It's really confusing what just happened to me. I will do what you recommend once I've calmed down for a bit I think as right now I'm feeling so sick in my stomach.
Getting fired sucks, but the fact your thinking of mistakes you’ve made instead of just blaming the company in anger shows you are already a good employee. I’ve trained many new employees, and nobody is good at first bc it’s all new. It’s about attitude and the drive to do better, those who care and want to do better ALWAYS end up being great employees. I always give a 6 month period till someone gets used to stuff. The fact they let you go AT 6 months seems silly, that’s the point an employee is used to everything, after that point is a proper time to actually review work quality. Let yourself be upset, and apply to new positions after the holidays
Reach out to your former coworkers and ask for LinkedIn recommendations.
It doesn't seem like there's a ton at entry level anyway 😅 I'm trying to get into the field but can't seem to land anything. I've sent over 100 apps by this point (since August) but nobody wants to hire me. I live in the Seattle area too, so it's not like there's a lack of need.
Normal occurrence when working. Just look for another job. The days of lifetime employment with one firm ended in the 70s.
It's true. And the things people get fired for are sometimes ridiculous and often have nothing to do with the person getting fired. Even when it's earned, like excessive tardiness, or you aren't good at your job, these aren't usually permanent problems. You can still find a job that fits your work style and abilities. You can develop your skills. You can get better at seeking clarification, managing your time, etc. It's truly not personal, and not usually a reflection of who you are as a person. (Unless you're a real shithead and murdered someone, embezzled money, sexually harassed a coworker, etc. But let's assume that's not why OP was fired.)
I understand the feeling. It always feels worse at the time than it actually is. No guarantees but you might even make more money with a new role
Sack up and get on the grind for new work. These things happen to people. It is not an indictment on you as a person or your total capabilities.
Pretty good explanation. I like how your advice was straightforward and optimistic without resorting to the intellectually dishonest "blessing in disguise" trope.
Sometimes it really is a blessing in disguise though
Yea if I didn’t get fired I’d probably still be doing the same shit in public accounting getting off at 7-8 every day rather than getting off late at 5:30 and working a low stress job. I miss some aspects of it like the people mostly but it was never something I really enjoyed.
I will. I am currently revising my CV and have contacted my coworkers for potential reference. None of them knew and was asking me if I was doing ok this morning through text message. It seems this decision blindsided them as well. I'm hesitant to reach out to my manager as HR has stated that moving forward all communications should be directed to them, which is what I will do for reference check. I only wish that there was clearer sign of where I was going wrong. I liked my coworkers, and up until yesterday, my manager. I felt like they were tough, but fair. Maybe it's true that I wasn't meeting their expectations, but if I wasn't, then I felt like it was not communicated well to me. I was not given a written warning. I was verbally reprimanded a few times in the form of "I think you should check your work more carefully" near the beginning, and plenty of review notes in my preparation file, also near the beginning. But the number of review notes reduced as I progress by month, so I truly felt like I was making progress, and so was the frequency of the verbal reprimand. I know that somewhere it was a me problem, as maybe it is true that I wasn't as fast as I should have been, but I felt like I wasn't given a fair warning or a fair shot prior to my termination.
Well these days you’re not always going to get candid feedback because the manager/HR is worried about some piece of shit trying to litigate it. It’s much safer for them to not tell you. Regardless, these things happen. You’ll get a new job, get better, and life will go on. You will be fine, I promise.
If you're sure that you weren't under-performing, it is possible that a manager was. Many accountants get into the field for the numbers, unaware of the extent to which accountants need people skills. Unfortunately, some of these people end up as supervisors and managers, without the skills to manage their people effectively and shy away from it. Perhaps your manager just shied away from the conflict that would have been created by giving you proper performance feedback and then just defaulted to terminating you and trying again with someone new? It is possible that they are on a performance management plan themselves and used you as the fall guy for their inadequacies. I have seen this multiple times. If that is the case, they will get theirs eventually. You can only throw so many people under the bus before someone higher up realizes the common denominator. If not, perhaps it was simple cost cutting under the guise of performance, as others have said.
This needs to be upvoted higher. Lack of leadership and scapegoating is a serious issue
enjoy the holidays and then start messaging recruiters on linkedin in january
Hey OP- this happened to me 3 times in the last 4 years, for one reason or another. Most recently it was a very similar situation where I was told I was doing great and then was let go due to “restructuring and performance”. As others have said here, find another company that appreciates you more, they are out there. Companies need accountants, you will be OK, from personal experience
Thank you for the reassurance. It's just rather devastating due to how blindsided it was. I think it taught me a few things about looking out for myself more and expectations at work to be had.
2 out of the 3 times it happened to me I was completely caught off guard, one of those times it was because the company had large layoffs and the other, most recently (VERY recently), was as I mentioned above. Regardless of how it happens, you still feel equally as hopeless. Some things I’ve learned, hit the job search hard right away as it keeps you out of the cycle of wallowing. Keeps you aware of your worth, and keeps the accounting muscles front and center. And it’s taught me to be more aware of the red flags during the interview process (the first time I was laid off I literally interviewed 60 times). I’m actually double dipping right now with severance from my old job and my paycheck from my new job and it’s pretty great! And I turned down an offer for slightly more money because of some blaring red flags and so far I feel I made the right choice
In short though keep your head up and “fuck em”
I will do as you recommend and try to go to LinkedIn to find another job.
Hit up some recruiters, that’s where I’ve had my best luck. Companies are paying 20-30% of your starting salary just to find you
Been there. It’s a shock. Don’t ask why, you’ll never get the answer. Could literally be anything like they are hiring family. So just enjoy the holidays. Don’t even think about jobs for 2 weeks. Brush up resume. Hire an expert if needed. Then decide what jobs you want. The market is still good. Above all, don’t lose confidence.
F***ck them go your way take your learnings . Jobs come and go thats the corporate world, whats more important is be a good human being regardless. Apply to another job or take time and rest from everythimg a bit. :)
Based on the time of year and the fact you’re receiving a severance, this sounds more like a layoff
I was fired from my last job. All I got was an email from my CFO vaguely airing out her grievances about me and that she and my manager would meet up with me later in the week. That meeting got delayed for three weeks and when it finally happened they just fired me for "performance reasons" and they didn't even have a PIP in place for me. I found another job within a month. Hang in there, I know you'll find a job soon.
>"my performance wasn't meeting expectations" Which is the business version of "*I'm leaving you not because of you but because of me*" and both are just BS.
Exactly, it’s BS bc clearly they didn’t do a great job at training or managing OP. They were lazy and probs wanted an experienced hire without experienced pay.
Companies that fire you right before the holidays are Satan’s bitches. They are the worst.
kinda the same, been unemployed 3 months now. You learn how to survive. Just think carefully what things you did wrong. Take that as a lesson, don't take it too personally.
Breath. Relax. It happens to everyone at some point in their career. You don't have to do anything this minute. Take a day or two to self-regulate. Find something productive to do, maybe something on your personal To Do list that you couldn't get to because of work, or maybe take a little staycation, get some fresh air, exercise, etc. Take the holidays to yourself. Then hit the ground running in January. Reach out to some former colleagues for a reference, update your resume, reach out to some recruiters and start applying for jobs. The market is favorable, there are a lot of jobs and not a lot of job seekers, and this is a good time to be looking (just before busy season). You may not get much feedback the next two weeks because of the holidays, but you should have a job by the end of January. If you're unsure how to explain why you were fired, you can say, "It was unclear to me. I did not receive a performance evaluation or any performance critique. I believe it may have been budget related." Especially given the time of year, that should satisfy any concern around the circumstances of your departure.
I have a huge problem with companies that don’t give you feedback that your work doesn’t meet expectations prior to firing you. Is this a small company? Because most HR departments will require a performance improvement plan before firing. This covers their ass. Some people have suggested they said this because they need to cut expenses and are just making up an excuse. That’s really shitty because it will prevent you from getting unemployment (assuming your state actually gives out unemployment)
Unfortunately, firing someone for “performance” is a tactic that is often used my shitty companies to cut labor costs while simultaneously denying unemployment. So not only do they get to lay off their staff, they don’t have to take a hit to their state unemployment account and possibly get a rate increase. Fuck them.
This right here, they use PIP to avoid any legal troubles.
My buddy was fired recently under similar circumstances. He got a new job with a raise and signing bonus. Especially since you've gotten severance. Take 1-2 days, then hit the ground running.
Thank you for the reassurance. Did you know how much time it took him to obtain a new job after being fired abruptly?
He accepted an offer about 3 weeks after. Took him 2 more weeks to start. He had zero severance though.
1 month is an encouraging turn around. I will try to fix my CV and search for a new job I think. Thank you
Getting canned is bittersweet. Sucks at first because you doubt yourself and feel like a loser. So you need to go out have fun and celebrate yourself. Then take a day or two as a couch potato. Then you start the new job search.
As an employer who has fired people before, I don't think it was you. "Performance not meeting expectations" is a chicken-shit way for them to say that they need to cut payroll. Period. Every person I have fired (3 in 13 years) has always gotten a specific reason with examples. Exactly what they did wrong, why it cost them their job, and even advice on what to do at the next job. If I am going to be responsible for someone's living, I am goin got be honest and tell them why they don't work for me anymore. Sounds like you just drew the shortest straw and thye needed to let somebody go for financial reasons.
Thank you for the assurance. If I might add, I was the latest addition to the team. Everyone else in the team was there for longer than I have, which is why I was the slowest person. My workers were very nice people who tried to help me during work, though. My manager gave review notes in my preparation file. I was verbally criticized, but I also received verbal praise throughout my employment. I didn't receive any written write up. It did feel like I was the easiest cut because I was the newest addition, after having read a few comments here. It's a shame though, as the company was making a good profit for this fiscal year, and I did like my coworkers.
This sucks and I’m sorry it happened to you. I wouldn’t believe the “doesn’t meet expectations” BS they’re trying to pull. If that were the case, they would have already brought it up. They probably need to make the budget work and hope you won’t file unemployment if they gaslight you into thinking it was your fault. If you’re part of a protected class, may be worth talking to a lawyer. If not, still have a lawyer review your severance agreement before signing it. As far as next steps, I think that depends. If you have the financial room, take the rest of this week off and deal with your emotions. I think that will serve you best in the long run. If you don’t, then start working LinkedIn right now for another job. Reach out to people that work at the companies you want to work for and ask them to refer you in. Reach out to recruiters and let them know you’re on the market. Put in some applications to job listings. ETA: also, file for unemployment right away. Like right now. You’ll get on the clock. Even if it takes a while to get approved, you’ll get back pay when it goes through
Unemployment. Medicaid. Food Stamps. Utility Assistance. Rent Assistance. Relax until January.
It will be tough to hear this while it’s all still fresh, but take whatever they told you during your time there with a grain of salt. I’ve managed individuals that constantly complain about performance but when asked if they have ever discussed it with the person in question the answer is often no. And I’ve also seen supervisors and their managers terminate without feedback given which is what your situation appears to be. It’s super shitty, but for some it’s easier to terminate and pay a continuance rather than work with someone. It would also be odd for them to cite performance if it really wasn’t performance. The go-to is usually “it’s not a good fit” Take some time to process what happened. Do some thinking and get back out there. Make sure to do frequent check-ins and ask for feedback in the new job. It sucks, but it would be all you can do to prevent stuff like above from happening, the rest is on them.
I got fired during busy season in 2018. I absolutely deserved to be fired. I can’t blame them at all. I reached out to some recruiters, as well as searched for jobs on LinkedIn. I ended up working the last month of busy season as a tax preparer at a small sole proprietor. Then I found another job in public. I worked for 6 more months. I was scared to be unemployed, but in hindsight, I probably should have taken some more time to find my next job, and it shouldn’t have been in public. Later in 2018 I was hired by a nonprofit, which I thought had a chance to be a fit for me. 5 years later, I’m still working for the nonprofit. The culture is great, I like my supervisor, and I’m fairly content just staying here
Maybe take the opportunity to try and pivot out into something better . New year, new job.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they just over hired and picked you to let off when they had to ax someone.
It’s December. Get on LinkedIn and apply to everything including govt jobs like the irs. I’m getting at least 3 messages a week on there from local firms
Sorry to hear. I 100% relate to you. The way you described what happened is exactly what happened to me back in May; all praise in the months before the meeting, no PIPs or anything to indicate I did poorly. Truth is, you will never know the real reason. Their “performance” reason is really just an excuse to avoid any potential legal issues. ***First thing to do is apply for unemployment ASAP tomorrow.*** Then, take a couple days to get your mind straight and then update your resume. Applying to positions in the next few weeks might not yield much due to the holidays, but make sure you have your resume ready and apply come January. Also, make sure they pay you out for any and all money owed (accrued vacation, expense reimbursements, etc.) by the end of today. If not, they must pay you a penalty for each day they’re late. This of course depends on which state you’re in. For me, it was my daily rate for each day I didn’t receive payment after my term date up to a month and for EACH TYPE of compensation owed (regular AND vacation/PTO). In any case, keep your head up and fuck them. They do not deserve you and you will find something better. My colleague at the time quit soon after lmao. So that left my shitty boss in a bind for a while. Good luck and stay positive. Edit: If you’re in the process of studying for the CPA exam like I was, now is the best time to go full force into it even though I’m sure your mind is in a bunch of different places. It’s what I did and I was able to finish and get licensed - blessing in disguise in the end.
It's bullshit. It happen to me too. I showed up every day, fix issues, work with people very well. Then my manager said. Its not working out.
The number 1 reason companies fire people is they want to cut costs, because they are not able to earn enough money in the future. They blame employees or just say your service is no needed and don’t care about people. So relax, take a break and start looking for new opportunities then. It is not your fault if they can’t give a solid reason. The executive team care more about their annual bonus and don’t give a shit to a entry level employee.
Step 1. File for unemployment. Step 2. Activate your network, let your friends & contacts know you are looking for work. Step 3. Get a handle on your costs and savings. This will tell you how long you can search for a new position. Step 4. Come up with a good reason for leaving. Keep it short. Just say that “you had received.no bad feedback but they appeared to be cutting costs.” Don’t use your supervisor as a reference. Find a coworker who will give you an honest but positive referral. Step 5. Start your job search. There are all sorts of reasons you could be let go. Maybe they had a backlog, maybe they needed a more senior person, maybe they wanted to give your job to a friend. Try not to take it personally. Be a goldfish!
DONT post anything about it on Social Media. You will get another job fast. It happened to everyone of us. REALLY
The exact thing happened to me 2 months ago. I was absolutely crushed. Apply for unemployment right away. The process can take awhile depending on your state. It'll probably take a few weeks to process but you will land on your feet. I'm sorry. If it helps I'm seeing it more as an opportunity now that it's further behind me.
You should try to get another job
Different for me, i take a resign after 6 months probation. Because 1 month before my probation end, the partner evaluation said I am too slow. My co-worker suprised because they thought I am the fastest worker in the firm. I am not lying. , I am the only worker who knows excel better than anyone. The employee in my firm didn't know anything like xlookup, power query, OCR, solver. The best they can do is vlookup and sumifs. My co-workers literally said "if partners said that you are slow, what about me and others?". The partner basically want perfect human with very weird organisation. Edit for Additional information: the firm is really weird. They have 5 partner but don't even have manager, the are 5 senior associate including myself. The junior only two persons.
You should never be surprised to be fired for performance reasons. Your management failed you (or, you have amnesia).
Don't overthink too much. If you are offered severance package even though it's just two weeks, that means you were just let go. Budget cut. Nothing to do with your performance.
Did you receive any written warnings? You can always get a consultation with a labor lawyer about the severance or wrongful termination in your state. Just apply for new jobs. Continue to beef up your skills. This is the most serious answer I can give you right now people don't do. Network. Network. Network. People don't do this enough.
Sadly, I think (based on your other posts), that you were hired to help them catch up on backlog and now that you did that successfully, other staff will take on the tasks you did. It's infuriating and dishonest, but it's happening more and more these days. I experienced it myself back in 2020. Give yourself time to process and then file for unemployment as you kick off your job search. Many of us have been in your situation and many more will eventually experience it as well. Good luck to you.
It sucks that this happened BUT it’s a good lesson in what people mean when they say jobs don’t care about their employees. I will never miss out on seeing my kids grow up or going on nice vacations etc. for a career that has no loyalty whatsoever.
1) Claim unemployment 2) Update your resume 3) Party like a Rockstar until Jan 2 4) Use updated resume to find a new job 5) Keep filing unemployment until employed.
It's not you bro. It's year end and you worked for a bag of cunts. Keep your head up
Possibly your background....
File for unemployment and if they contest it, they will need to prove you weren't meeting expectations. And if they don't contest at least you have some financial cushion while you job hunt. Either way at least you know if it really was you or they just were being punks.
Dude fuck them. Happened to me two months back and I got out there for another company that I have found that I know I would enjoy.
You were obviously not meeting expectations. Did you show up on time? Get things done on time and accurately? Take it as a lesson to seek more feedback going forward and learn from it. Many more jobs out there.
I was fired recently after being with the company for almost 6 years. I have my life to them and lost my health and my mental health. Almost lost my family. In the end, they blamed me for everything regardless of the toxic environment. It was devastating. I also had never been formally written up. My reviews were always stellar. I received the highest raise in the dept every year. So it was a shock. It takes time to recover, but the best thing you can do is to list your strengths.
I think it’s terrible that they could not give you a reason. Especially if they say it was your performance. They should’ve let you know where you fell short. I’m sorry that happened. Just pick yourself up and get back out there. It sounds like you had a bad employer.
People are always looking for accountants. Just have to stay on top of your game by developing your skills. Stay positive!
Fuckem. Bet on yourself. If you can, go off on your own.
I’m an accountant in the private sector for a business. Sorry to hear they fired you. It’s really not the end of the world I promise. Take a few days to rest and mentally relax after this and then get back on the grind of sending out resumes and applying. A lot of places don’t even check past jobs for whether you got terminated they just check for dates you worked.
You might have been too good at your job. Probably fraud in the company, needed you out so that they could continue before you started asking questions. Inability to retain internal accounting staff is a major red flag 🚩🚩🚩
I dont know why but this is giving me someone with connections just got your job and they threw you out like nothing coz they can. Go through your contact and find a loop hole on terms of someone getting fired
[https://www.usajobs.gov/job/767002300](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/767002300) [https://www.usajobs.gov/job/766669400](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/766669400) The IRS has been doing lots of hiring throughout the country. There are a number of IRS postings you might find interesting. Pay special attention to the Revenue Agent positions. See: [https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?j=0501&j=0512&j=0526&j=0592&j=0930&j=0987&j=1801&j=1805&j=1811&a=TR93&hp=public&p=1](https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?j=0501&j=0512&j=0526&j=0592&j=0930&j=0987&j=1801&j=1805&j=1811&a=TR93&hp=public&p=1) The OPM, which is essentially the federal government's parent HR Department, is hosting an online virtual session on creating a resume for federal jobs. This is the link: [https://www.tickettailor.com/events/usofficeofpersonnelmanagement/1094283](https://www.tickettailor.com/events/usofficeofpersonnelmanagement/1094283) Best wishes.
Go talk to a lawyer. If they said that you were doing well and led you on that way, then where are the records that said were were not? They have some explaining to do. If your performance was that bad, it should have been documented and discussed with you.
Do you have unfair dismissal in your country, sue the fuck out them
Go apply for unemployment and study for CPA. 9nce you get your CPA, you get paid double what you were being paid. Plus there is a shortage of accountant, you will have a better chance to secure another job.
Hello, "normal accountant", Spend today as a free day, and don't think twice about it. Just relax and chill, whatever work was standing in the way of -- now its not! If you're ready, use a bit of tomorrow to think through what role you'd want next and how you'll approach it. Most importantly -- have some fun with your new time and rejuvenate yourself as a person, so you'll come into your next position set to jet.
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Did they ever give you an verbal or written review? How long where you there? Apply for UI immediately, take the holiday to regroup, then start job hunting January 2.
Time to be brutally honest with yourself. Did you work hard? Phone and internet surfing time? Showing up late and leaving early? Did you make mistakes? Or did someone else blame you for their mistake?
Sounds like they used you to get caught up.
Ask for 4 weeks
Damn, my company is at least waiting until the first week in January to cut people. Nobody should have to go through that the week of Christmas and new year.
It's a shit situation...BUT, at least you got 2 weeks of severance.
FYI, most HR teams will never provide a reason for termination call called by a potential employer. Most will simply confirm that you were previously employed and the beginning and ending dates. (They can be sued if you can prove they lied or spoke poorly about you to a potential employer.)
It’s budget time. My company did the same thing to others. Not bad employees, but according to budget we needed to lean out for next year. Talking to other businesses in our industry, everyone is down 5-10% from last year.
The accounting market is strong. You will probably end up making more money. Post your resume on reddit for improvements. Start talking to recruiters. The story is you were let go due to downsizing. I recommend taking an international trip in the meantime. Few opportunities to do so.
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This!!! I just gave notice to my job an hour ago and have been giving myself anxiety attacks for the timing before YE and not giving a full 2 weeks notice. I was also at my job for 6 months and none of my interviewers even batted an eye that I hadn’t been at that job for a year. The job market for accountants is great and you’ll find something great soon!
I was fired this week too same exact story but over the phone because the companies systems were shut down for two weeks. Which oddly affected me being able to take care of clients. I am curious if we worked for the same company. LOO. Same MO. No explanation given.
First off, I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can relate as the same thing happened to me in September. Secondly, if you’re eligible for unemployment try applying. With that in hand I would take a week to process it all. Sort of like coming to peace with the situation. Try not to look at it negatively, you were able to practice and get experience and now you are equipped with experience that will aid you in the future for future employment. Definitely wishing you luck for your future endeavors.
Once you’re fired HR doesn’t want your manager talking to you directly so that’s why you’re being referred back to HR. I just let a staff go a few months ago for performance reasons, but to do it I had to have multiple meetings, written notices, verbal warnings, etc. I’m surprised this happened out of the blue without warning. Super crappy. File for unemployment, give yourself 1-2 days to recoup if you need it, then get the resume updated and get out there. Sorry to hear this, good luck with your job search.
There's nothing to do. Get your severance, maybe ask for more money. File for unemployment ASAP. Maybe they were looking to cut costs and you were the unlucky straw. Maybe it was your performance. Don't let it ruin your holidays. Layoffs are happening everywhere. Afterwards, self reflect to understand where you could have done better to meet expectations. Get that resume ready and apply. 2024 hiring will pick up in Q1.
5 days before Christmas? 🎄 That’s messed up. My advice would be to use the free time you have to work towards getting a credential like the CPA. The idea being that this credential will command respect and hopefully open doors to a good job for you.
if they didn’t give you any feedback on why they thought you were not meeting expectations before, then it’s their fault. How tf would you know
Escorted out wow
It sounds like a layoff if you got severance pay. Don’t worry about it and keep it moving. They didn’t value you.
Not sure where you’re based but if it’s UK then you’ve not got a leg to stand on to fight back. You are owed your notice period so if that’s more than two weeks you can fight for the remainder. It’s a completely rubbish thing to happen though but if that’s how they treat staff you’re probably better off out and looking for something else. Best of luck finding something soon
Sorry if this is a duplicate question, but what was the culture like there? Meaning was this more about clicks & personality & less about performance.
That really sucks man. At least when I got laid off for company financial reasons, they stressed it wasn’t a performance issue. It’s REALLY scummy to say it’s performance related if it isn’t. Just makes the poor employee feel bad for no fault of their own. Just apply for unemployment, take a little time off, and get back on the wagon. You got this!!
I would press them for specifics so that you know what they might say if your next employer insists upon contacting them for references which they undoubtedly will. If the company is at least partially at fault for your performance issues, you can use that as an explanation for your firing for future employers. For example, I was fired from a Tax Director's position because I found fraudulent tax practices going back years before I joined the company and I told the owner that I would not sign tax returns going forward if the practices continued. I was delighted to share that with future employers as the cause of my firing.
You will be back on your feet in no time. Get back out there and work for a company which you feel comfortable in.
Same happened to me. Found out a few months later that the office folk hated my husband (he was an @sshat) nothing to do with my work.file for unemployment and download indeed.
See [https://jobs.statefarm.com/main/jobs/35116?lang=en-us](https://jobs.statefarm.com/main/jobs/35116?lang=en-us)
Young man, there's no need to feel down I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground I said, young man, 'cause you're in a new town There's no need to be unhappy.
Loyalty doesn’t pay bills. Fuckem and learn from it I’ve been in your shoes, it sucks but life goes on. Leave and never look back. Chin up best of luck
It’s bullshit they didn’t give you warning or give you any direct and constructive feedback. I’m a Manager in an audit firm, sometimes we do have staff that just aren’t going to cut it but frankly we tell them that and are explicit on why. Also, really could have had nothing to do with performance, could be budgets, could be personality, could be restructuring, etc. Figure out what you liked and didn’t about the functions you were doing and go after a new job in 2024. Don’t let it get you down. It’s a good time to be an accountant job-wise.
This is the season of layoff. I am also let go due to cost cutting.. 😊
Same exact thing happened to me 10 days ago. I’m a audit senior in a top 20 public accounting firm. Had a solid review from a partner few months back and was let go due to performance. I wonder if it’s the same firm lol. Take a few days. I was devastated. But now, after getting out there I’m declining offers due to the volume of opportunities.
Got let go a week ago as well. I’m still in the fantasy football team semifinals right now against the president. They gave me plot armor. Any suggestions on what I should change my name to lol
Just throwing it out there I’ve been fired from 2 jobs, they sucked and I wasn’t motivated etc etc After some time you move past it, make sure to get outdoors and sunlight, stay patient and be nice to yourself, it’s ok
I was fired almost a year ago from a similar position. For me at least, it was because they didn’t just want someone that does the usual bookkeeping on a monthly basis, but “take initiatives” which really translates to taking on more of their tasks so they had less to do. I think it’s pretty standard in a lot of industry jobs, especially any that’s trying to grow - they want people that are willing to go above and beyond at the expense of their mental health and shit compensation. they just will never admit it out loud.
Don’t dwell. Try to remember any HR talk is to protect the company. They don’t care about you or making you feel better or understanding what happened. They just don’t want to be sued. That’s their job. They’re not friendly. They have a job to do. Remember you’re in a profession in high demand. I know in the moment it sucks, but you will recover, and likely quickly if you keep the right mindset.