Ultimate Resumes eNews
SEPTEMBER 2006

Ultimate Resumes was mentioned in Janet Kidd Stewart’s “Your Money” column in the Sept 3, 2006 Chicago Tribune. Check it out: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0609030323sep03,1,6490055.story

Lately it seems that I have been meeting a lot of talented people who have been treated poorly by their employers. I could write a book of the horror stories that clients have told me about the way they were treated when they were fired. Or the way they were treated during corporate restructuring, management changes, mergers, or acquisitions. In nearly every case I find that the people affected by these situations feel badly about themselves and wonder what they did wrong.

It is my opinion that business is becoming increasingly competitive. Companies are merging or being acquired every day. Start-ups often need investors in order to grow which means that outsiders may call the shots regarding the way the company is managed. Publicly traded companies answer to stock holders who often desire larger returns on their investments. Many jobs are being outsourced or off-shored. American companies are doing whatever it takes to cut costs and increase investor profits. Corporate cost cutting often involves eliminating jobs.

If an employer is eliminating numerous jobs, the company may offer a severance package. This is not the worst situation because, chances are, others are in the same boat you are in so you will have an automatic support group. You will also probably get some financial compensation and possibly access to an outplacement service. However, some employers either don’t have or don’t want to spend the money on severance packages for separating employees. Start-ups, in particular, can be notoriously stingy when it comes to offering severance packages.

But, in many cases, employers are simply demanding more of employees and those who can’t keep up are eliminated. Employees who have personality conflicts with the boss or other employees or who are having difficulty adjusting to corporate change are often the first to go. If your boss wants you out of the company he will find a reason to get rid of you.

If your employer wants you to leave the company and if you don’t make it easy for him to fire you by not showing up to work or by demonstrating gross incompetence he will probably create documentation to justify terminating your employment.

The reason your employer will create such documentation is so that he can legally justify your firing if you should decide to sue. One of my clients is a successful saleswoman who worked for the same manufacturing firm for 10 years until the company merged and new management took over. Unfortunately, her new boss made it clear that he didn’t want her on his team. She ignored the problem and assumed that if she just did a great job like she had always done that he would eventually accept her. Boy was she wrong.

My client showed me the documentation that her new boss created to justify firing her. It was one of the most poorly written and insulting documents I have ever seen. My client felt so badly. When she saw those words written about her on paper she couldn’t help but wonder if she had done something to deserve being treated so unprofessionally. She felt awful and was having a hard time getting excited about upcoming interviews. She wondered if her past employer would tell future employers that she had been on probation and had subsequently been fired. But worst of all, she felt demoralized and embarrassed. Fortunately, after leaving the company she contacted Ultimate Resumes. We worked together to create a top-notch resume and an action plan for her job search and my client very quickly began interviewing for great jobs.

An important thing to remember if you find that your life is becoming more difficult at work and you think you could be fired is that you are not alone. This happens to many people and, based upon the number of stories my clients tell me, it seems to be occurring more frequently than ever. Don’t let yourself feel isolated, worthless, or alone. Reach out and get help from an attorney, from family, or a career counselor. Also remember that losing your job may not be your fault. These days, corporate change often leads to a change in staff. For example, any of the following could lead to employees losing jobs:

• Company is under new management
• Company profits aren’t as high as investors expected
• Jobs are being outsourced/off-shored in order to cut costs and increase investor profits
• The boss is afraid that his/her job is in jeopardy

When you sense that corporate change is in the wind be prepared for turbulence in your career. Understand that sometimes when corporate change is imminent someone may decide that the company needs new blood and fresh ideas. Losing your job is not necessarily a reflection of the quality of your work or your overall worth as an employee. I can’t tell you how many really sharp, talented, qualified, and well educated people wind up in difficult work situations. Those who do tell me that they feel isolated, depressed, and/or ashamed. Maybe there should be a support group for victims of corporate abuse.

So, what can you do if you think you will be fired or if you have been fired? First of all, try to stay one step ahead of the game. As a matter of habit you should have a business diary that you maintain at home. Document your achievements and also any difficulties you are having at work. Document any changes in the way you are treated at work. Document when you arrive at and leave the office. Keep records but keep them at home. This type of record keeping will help you to protect yourself if it looks like you are being forced out of your job. It will also help you to recall your accomplishments when you update your resume.

Second, do your best to show up on time each morning and to get along with your co-workers. Tardiness, absence, and “poor attitude” are issues that are easy to document and use as a reason for termination. Don’t make yourself an easy target. If you feel that your boss (new or old) is asking you to do your job in a new way or is creating extra work for you (new documentation, new forms, new reporting, or more meetings) just roll with it. You get paid to do what the company wants you to do. If you don’t like the work you are being asked to do, update your resume and quietly start looking for a job. But don’t rock the boat when times are shaky or you may find yourself out of a job.

If you are fired or if you have reason to believe that your boss is amassing documentation that will be used in your termination, stay calm. Do not panic or get overly emotional. Do not talk to ANY co-workers about your situation. And find a good labor lawyer. Getting legal counsel doesn’t mean you are going to sue your employer. Hiring an attorney simply means that you are going to get some professional advice about your options.

If you find yourself in a tough situation and you want to leave the company before you get fired or before things get more difficult, a labor lawyer can negotiate a separation agreement for you. As part of that agreement you should ask your attorney to add a confidentiality clause so that your employer will be limited in terms of what it can tell future employers about you. Most large companies are very cautious about what information they share about their employees so it’s generally unlikely that an employer would say negative things about any current or former employee.

During times of corporate change do not assume that your employer’s actions toward you are your fault. Psychologically you need to be on your A-game so that you have the energy to show up every day and act professionally. If you have been fired or have simply decided its time to look for a new job you will need to have a great attitude in order to sell yourself to a new employer.

In order to perform at your best in job interviews you need to put yourself in a positive frame of mind. Worrying about why you were fired or second guessing your skills won’t help you to land a new job. Attitude is everything during a job search. The best gifts you can give yourself are a professional resume, a great attitude, and an enthusiastic outlook about the new opportunities that will present themselves to you!

In the next Ultimate Resumes Newsletter:
How to respond to interview questions if you have left your previous employer under difficult circumstances.

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