Posted on 03/26/2019 5:56:29 AM PDT by NewJerseyJoe
Need some advice....
Background: starting in September 2018, I was working at a multinational pharma company in central New Jersey. It was a well-paid contract position through a staffing agency. I had learned quickly, was doing good work, and had already contributed substantive improvements to streamline their review process.
On Friday (3/15), I was off on a (pre-approved) vacation day. After the close of business hours, I received a phone message and an email from my agency -- telling me that my contract had been terminated. I asked why and was told that they didn't know the reason, only that my contract was terminated as of that day, and that I was not to return to the company campus.
As I said, I'd been doing good work. And I had done nothing wrong on the job. My only theory is that the department head didn't realize that I had been on vacation (which, as I said, was approved, and I had notified everyone on the team) and just decided to fire me because I wasn't there that day. (I can't prove that; it's just a hunch from knowing the person.)
In New Jersey, as in many other states, employment is "at will" -- a worker can be let go at any time, for any reason (except for illegal things, like racism, and unless there is a contract that specifically spells out otherwise). So my only recourse is to move on.
Though I'm still in a state of shock, I've accepted that I'm probably never going to find out why I was let go. But going forward, I need to give future interviewers a better answer than "I don't know" when asked why I was let go from my previous job.
Any advice on what I can say in interviews? Thanks, folks.
PS: my unemployment claim was denied, so I'm in somewhat of a state of panic.
Life in today’s world of employment...Never get comfortable as a lay off or firing is just around the corner....been laid off twice in 4 yrs myself.
You already know nj is at will state. You were a contract could be terminated at anytime. What do you think you will tell prospective employer that are were a contract person who worked 6 months. Contract people don’t get unemployment benefits.
You are probably still working for the staffing agency, just not getting paid until you get another position.
My daughter just went through the same thing as a federal contractor. The reason was that the new boss wanted to go in a different direction. Translation: She wanted to hire her people.
Don’t expect a reason.
Are you a white middle-aged male? It happens quite often these days.
It happened to me in late January. I had been working a contract for over 4 years and my agency called me up one evening and told me I was terminated. No reason given either.
I was replaced by two other contractors, who have since left because they were not able to produce results.
I have a second interview this afternoon with a company that is growing and I feel like it would be a good fit for both of us.
Good luck in your search.
Do you have the original contract info? sounds like it was a 6 month gig? Sept to March?
In this day and age, old employers don’t give ANY info to new employers. This leeway should work to your advantage.
Think of all the things, even tiny things if nothing else, that old employer might not have liked. Perhaps things beyond your control - project nearing completion? department over budget? Imagine a prospective new employer hearing these rationales - a good new employer will understand old employer’s trials and tribulations of budgeting, staffing, and so on... especially for contract workers, where no reason to terminate is required.
Roughly six months? I would be thinking this relates into some kind of probation-period, and if you went past a certain point, they had to go onto some extra deal with the staffing company.
As for reasoning for the next company, I would just state that the staffing company was given a downsizing directive.
They didnt need your,services anymore. They did not let you go because of an approved vacation day. Stop thinking like an employee.
Tell them the project was canceled or ran out of money. It happens all the time in the consulting business and it’s not likely the interviewer would pry much further.
There are limits on what a previous employer can reveal about a former employee.
22 years in Corp America here. I can be released any day for no reason. The company and I work together “at will”.
Sucks, but that’s the current state of affairs.
You simply say that you were a contract employee and the contract ended. The reason contract employees are used are because they are only needed for a short term project, so it won't be a red flag to a future employer that you were only under contract for six months.
I work as a contract engineer. I get let go because the project I get hired for ends, the client runs out of money earmarked for the project, government funding ends, the company terminated the project before it ended, the company was laying off direct people and contractors are first to go.
Perhaps one of the above can help with an explanation on a future interview.
Keep in mind that it is possible that the work you were doing was fine, but the person who was told to cut costs or whatever took the easy way out and did it while you were out of the office.
Scummy. But it doesn’t sound like you have much recourse.
I would think the agency that hired you out might have more information, since they would want feedback to know about the quality of the people they were contracting out, but I don’t know how forthcoming they might be either.
Come on. You do not tell them you don’t know. It was a 6 month assignment. Grow up and move on.
Where I work they give classes to managers on how to not bring direct feedback into an employee/manager discussion.
Been there; experienced that.
You can’t afford to dwell too much on why they cut you loose. But I would appeal the UE. They may not need a reason to terminate you, but (in my experience) they need to declare a specific reason why they challenge your claim.
I have successfully appealed under similar circumstances when I was let go from Microsoft.
So, the company can’t tell anyone you were fired. All they can do is verify you worked there and how much you were paid. Tell your future employers you were ready for a change and took time off to research and find the perfect job.
It's just the way of business in the world of "job shops". Don't take it personally.
My advice: First, trust God. The reason might very well be that He has something better for you.
Second, be honest. If you don't know, you don't know. Tell the person interviewing you exactly how it happened. There are youtube videos that will guide you on how to navigate such questions.
Hang in there. Everything will work out for you.
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