I started a new job in a new industry in July 2009 after months of unemployment. I went through 3 months and 3 interviews to get this job. In retrospect, that was probably a huge warning sign.

I was trained haphazardly by co-workers. They’d squeeze in 15 minutes before lunch to show me how to do X and then hand me documentation. Or I’d have a half a day of a co-worker complaining about how useless dept processes were under the guise of “training” After a couple weeks working, a co-worker just wasn’t there. I was told that he wasn’t happy with the job and had moved on. In a recession sure… I wouldn’t quit shoveling horse manure in this crummy economy! Then the manager who hired me left the company so I had a new boss.

This new boss was never around, didn’t understand her own department’s processes/reports, and had really horrible social skills. I had maybe 3 meetings with her in 6 months.

End of December a couple co-workers and I were made aware of a huge mistake I had made. In my defense, I wasn’t aware or clear on how to perform the task and had been trained once in July. So, we scrambled to correct my mistake and it looked like most was correctable. So, I thought the mistake would go by unnoticed and didn’t say anything to my boss.

End of January 2010, my mistake turned out to be huge and cost the company a lot of money. I came in Monday morning, none of my computer passwords worked, I had a meeting with my boss and the VP. I was back home with a bag of my stuff within an hour.

I was officially let go three days later. It didn’t matter that I didn’t understand the whole process of how this mistake became so huge. It also didn’t matter that a new hire was given such an important task with no check-up at all for six months. The bottom line was that I didn’t notify my boss. When I was let go, I suggested better training in the future to avoid such problems.

This post was submitted by AnnaB.

I arrived at work one morning and my key didn’t work in the lock. I banged on the door, as I could see colleagues inside. No one came to the door. I called from my cellphone and got the owner–”yea, he said, I have made some changes and we don’t need you any more.” That was it, no letter, no severence, nothing.

This post was submitted by John.

My husband and I worked for the same company, he for almost 4 years and myself for almost 3. This past Wednesday, we were both laid off at the same time due to the economical downturn in the housing industry. With a 4 year old son, and Christmas knocking on the door, I am trying to find the sense in why this happened to us. We were fortunate enough to make it through past lay offs before, but what would make it acceptable to a company to put an entire family out of work and not try to hold on to at least one of them?? I wonder if anyone even lost any sleep at night knowing that they were about to choose my entire family’s fate, as I know I have every night so far. We were both told in the past that we were considered great assets to the company, but then learned all too quickly that we were not. I am hoping and praying that this will pass quickly and we will both be able to find jobs. Thank you very much to our former employer for a very Merry Christmas.

This post was submitted by Hope.

Well, where do i begin…when you think and are made to think that your are safe, YOU ARE NOT! that is what happened to me at a well known law firm that does personnal injury. I gave them my all, sometimes staying late and coming in on holidays. The girls there were very contradicting and gossipers. I was the total opposite. They talked about everyone in the building, but themselves, as if they were a gift to that lawfirm. They were engulfed in their work and expected that from everyone else. The job was full of stress and deadlines, but i liked the suspense, the manager and I got along well, so i thought i was safe. Little did I know that one of the girls had enough power to get me fired. One month before I got fired, they were purposely finding things to accuse me with, that had no merit, but careless me went ahead and signed a lease to a new house TWO weeks before those heartless people threw me out, mind you they knew I just signed a lease so that my son and I can get out of my mothers tight home.

Don’t ever get comfortable in a place and always keep your resume up to date because people never warn you, and they don’t care.

This post was submitted by Ana.

I work for a small company, So work was going great we were working overtime till november and started to slow down in december. My review was coming up and I was hoping to do well on it. So when It came for my review my boss asked how I was liking my job. I said I love it. The guys are great and we all get along together. He then asked me if I got offered a better job somewhere else would I take it. I said no, I love it here and I like what im doing. He then asked if there was anything I would like to do on my free time. I awnser by saying I would like to volunteer my weekend to keep me busy as I just lost my farther few day from my review. My dad committed suicide and I was back to work the next day. So i was given a raise and work keep coming in it looked all as well. In febuary I took my hoildays for 3 weeks hoping that theres alot of work pilling up once I got back.

When I came back to work in the middle of march of 09 I worked for 12hrs and then I and 2 other guys I worked with were let go. My boss said its just for a month you will be back before you no it. so as time went by my boss finaly called me to come back so I was only working part time because thats all I could get with so many other people in my area lossing there jobs.

so I quit my part time job and went back to work in september 1st 2009. I worked for 3 weeks and I was let go agian. Well I have came up with the Let me go once shame on me, let me go twice shame on you Im not coming back… im GONE Im now go into the army and looking forward to it.

This post was submitted by Joe Simp.