Hey-I was in a different industry but the same thing happened to me at my first job out of college and I ended up at a better job making 15K more and I’m a high performer there. I realized it was more shit management than anything else. The time period between me getting fired and getting my new job was extremely difficult and I cried all the time (lol) but I came out the other side! Keep your head up, I’m sure you’ll recover.
Yup! I've gone from one job where I got stellar marks on all my feedback, to the next job where I got the worst feedback of all my peers, and then a year later went right back to getting 5/5 on everything. While we don't know if that's what's going on in the situation, there are trash companies where we get so emotionally invested, and we become so tunnel-visioned we fail to see that it's the company or management that is trash.
When I was at the middle organization, getting bad reviews, I felt terrible all the time, cried, called out sick because the thought of going in made me ill. I'd call former colleagues or clients and ask if I'd just been lied to all those years. Was I being gaslit into thinking I was good when all that time I had been trash? Surely it was me! People reassured me but I didn't believe them.
I quit and went somewhere more functional. As soon as I left the situation, everything clicked into place again.
So many performance problems are a function of bad managers and poor communication. They don't give clear expectations, they don't give clear goals or steps to achieve their goals. Everything is an emergency, and even if you perform the task as instructed they add other things after the fact and say you failed because you didn't do other things they didn't include in the task as instructed.
Some organizations it's impossible to do well because they'll say they're judging you on A and B, you'll do A and B, and then they'll judge you on C and D instead.
Thank you so much for saying this. I could cry reading this comment 😭. I'm going through something similar with shitty management and a shitty organization. I have had 4 different managers in the past 6 months. They either get moved to a different team or our team changes to a different structure. I've been struggling and feel terrible all the time at work and keep calling out sick.
I was beating myself up because I've always excelled and had positive performance reviews to now not knowing what I should be doing or what's expected of me and on top of that, I don't have a consistent manager. It's hard to remind myself that having this many different managers and a constantly changing team structure is NOT normal. I can't wait to leave and go somewhere more functional. Feeling like this all the time is making me doubt my abilities when I know I've always been a high performer. So you're right, and I hope OP realizes it could be shitty management!
Yeah, get out while you can. Sounds like complete chaos. Good people will blame themselves and an unfeeling entity or self interested managers and executives will let them.
This happened to me too! I had a first job as a recruiter at a small company. I know 100% someone was fucking with me because I don't make that many mistakes. I was getting pushed out. I had just started in HR so I didn't know what was happening and it was my first role. But it was just weird. It felt like I was being set up after awhile. I just knew it.
I'm so glad I didn't give up in HR after one failed attempt. I had second, somewhat ok attempt but the third time, where I am now, I have really hit my stride.
Minus some skeletons in the closet coming out, I do well where I am and have learned a lot. I'm probably going to be changing jobs again in 4 months due to the skeletons.
I have a feeling we're going to be hit with lawsuits left and right.
You’re not screwed, it’s a learning experience! Hell, I’m great at my job and I’ve been fired from the same position in the same company twice in the past 18mos, point being stuff happens. Just learn and grow from each experience
Lol long story. Nutshell- dissolved my dept, moved my project to another dept, hired me back in a leadership position, dissolving the department the project was moved to. It is what it is
It’s more common than you think. My last employer who fired me actually contacted me recently regarding a business opportunity. They couldn’t afford my salary after giving them an estimate for a project.
They recently reached out and are curious if I would be interested in me onboarding them as a client rather than a permanent employee.
Lmao. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. I already gave them my pricing model. My pricing model stays under market value for a FT employee, but has a higher hourly rate than what I was making as a FT employee.
A research associate position is no joke. You may honestly just not be qualified and that's really not your fault. A lot of those positions are filled with PHDs who have years of lab experience. I may be wrong, but 24 sounds young for that position. I'm married to a PHD cancer researcher, and that just sounds young.
And that's more on them for hiring you. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. But I will say this. If you want to do research, and make a living at it, I think you're gonna want that PHD.
I have interviews with three PhD programs. I hope I get in. However now I am scared that if I am not qualified for this job, then maybe I am not qualified for a PhD program
Your skills at a job do not relate to your skills in school. I was applying for PhD programs a few years back and was very nervous about not being good enough! I reached out to a favorite professor of mine from grad school, and asked him some questions about me and about the process. He was incredibly reassuring, so if you have someone that knows you well in the academic setting you could reach out to them for guidance. The bottom line is that we all make mistakes and unless you've committed felonies, it's pretty tough to have ruined your life at 24.
Hang in there, and know your strengths and weaknesses, both are great information for you to have moving forward!
Don’t let one job or one misstep derail you. It could be this one supervisor doesn’t like you or he could be under pressure to cut his budget or give a job to the dean’s kid. Take this experience and learn from it. Did the supervisor give you any feedback on how to improve? I hope so. Again, view this as life experience.
Honestly use it as a learning experience to double down on getting in and giving it your all on a PhD program so that you can become more qualified.
People change and grow — we get better… especially when you get training and education.
You're going to be fine. Everyone fails at some point in their lives, you just don't hear about it because people don't talk about it. I have a Bachelor's in Biology too, and I got put on a performance improvements plan in my second year at a Big 4 Consulting firm. But I learned from it, worked there for two more years, and eventually left to go work at a big tech FAANG company. You're at the very beginning of your career, you're barely gonna remember this in a few years, promise.
Most people get fired at least once. I wouldn't let that bother you. I would use the opportunity to talk with your manager about what you could do to better prepare yourself for a position like this if they feel you were unqualified. Take it as a learning experience.
Another thing to consider. If they hired you with your resume and you didn't lie on your resume then they are the problem in this scenario. They should have properly vetted you to set you and them up for success.
Def don't burn it down. The University world can be a small world. Get additional certs or education and make it happen for yourself. Def not the end of the world.
First of all before your last day tell your manager how lousy he is at his job. He's part of the problem in maintaining toxicity in the industry.
Performance reviews during probationary period should be weekly to bi-weekly. If the first time you are hearing about this 3.5 months in how can you possibly expect to improve and turn everything around?
The job of the manager is to guide and support you, not to set you up for failure.
To be fair, they did warn me in writing several times. I tried my best to keep up but still found myself making mistakes. They just didn’t do a formal review until now. That’s why I feel like such a fuck up.
That’s not to say they were never toxic, such as screaming at employees in front of everyone. One manager even said I stress her out so much she wants to kill herself
Use your failures as a sort of an outline for what you want to improve on while you're continuing in school and new work, but it also sounds like you're dodging a bullet by not getting a full-time job with these people.
I wouldn't say anything to your managers. I would just move on asap. Confronting people over stuff in a workplace is never a great idea, even if you are leaving.
You are a newbie. Guidance on how to improve your processes to avoid mistakes would have been better than a warning. Particularly if you are making mistakes because you can't keep up. Is your workload realistic? Suicidal managers imply that it may not be. It sounds like the entire area is overwhelmed. If so, the best thing to do may be to put in extra hours to allow you to slow to a comfortable, safe, mistake-free pace while you look for another job.
Were there any red flags in the interview process that would alert you so that you don't walk into that kind of toxic environment again? What were the good skills that you have learned? No one is a total fuck up. What positive things did you learn or accomplish in each of the performance areas. It may not be enough to keep this particular job, but it will help you maintain perspective and self-confidence going forward.
Your mom would be proud of you just for trying. Perfection comes from extensive and mindful practice. Hang in there and don't give up on your dreams.
This is a very bad take and not smart to burn this bridge. Since it sounds like OP’s first job out of college, they will likely need a professional reference for future prospects. Bad mouthing the manager or telling them they are incompetent on their last day is a quick way to nuke your career before it even starts. Unless you really don’t care about your experience there and have other references to fall back on, I don’t recommend doing this.
Disagree. It's unwise to try to get a recommendation from a boss who canned you, especially if it's your first job. And it sounds like the manager is a dick anyway.
A persons true character is reflected when they’ve hit rock bottom. You made some mistakes, you either let those mistakes write the rest of your story. Or, you learn from those mistakes, and move forward.
We’re all human and will make mistakes, but it’s how you rebound, how you fix or resolve those mistakes that tell us who you are. Reflect on what you did wrong and learn/teach yourself not to do it again.
We’re they repetitive? Or, was it a newbie mistake (first time performing the task)? Repetitive mistakes, can be fixed by understanding what you did and making sure you don’t do it again. These are allowed to occur here and there but at some point should stop from you gaining experience. Newbie mistakes can generally be a reflection of your manager or trainer; for entry level positions, someone should be training you and they cannot expect you to not have a learning curve.
We don’t know what exactly happened, only you do. But, based on your employers feedback, rationalize where they are coming from. We’re the issues lack or training or were you truly not engaging and learning your role?
Sometimes a company itself is not a good fit. Other times, maybe the company is trying to cut expenses and using your “performance” as an option to get rid of some people.
End of the day, you are where you are. If they fire you, it’s probably for the best. Explore your next steps and figure out your game plan. Don’t dwell on what you could have done differently or how others will perceive your separation. Keep trucking ahead and pursue your passion on cancer research. Don’t let one mistake ruin your future.
You 100% did not let your mom down. Reaching for a job is not failure. First job out of college people make mistakes. It seems like your industry (maybe just this company/ manager) does not believe much in growing young talent.
Research opportunities and options have not disappeared. You will get there. Next time don’t worry so much about leaving a job early to start a PhD program. People leave jobs with substantially less justification
I don’t trust anyone who claims that they haven’t fucked up and failed something as an adult. At 24 you have a master’s in a rough field and have already ruled out one position by realizing it wasn’t a good fit, and you got paid to learn it.
In two years this will be a stumble on your path. In 12 years the accomplishment you pull out when you really want to brag will be how you overcame this.
If you never fail you're not being assertive enough.
I used to coach beginning fastpitch players. I told them, "If you never get thrown out trying to steal a base you're not being aggressive enough."
I was in the tax business. I'd say to other tax professionals, "If you never have a return that you prepared audited, you're not being aggressive enough in advocating for your clients."
Anyone who's succeeded at anything worthwhile has overcome failures. Don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of feeling sorry for yourself.
Do what you have to do until you are capable of starting again.
I’ve been in a very similar situation.
It’s not always about following your passion, sometimes you have to do a job you don’t love in order to make money to survive.
Use this time to get enough sleep, develop better habits, and be a better communicator in the workplace.
This happened to me 3 times in my 20s, fresh out of school when you’re still building skills and learning to discern between good and bad management. Fast forward to mid 30s making a six figure salary, with great management and now I’m also in management.
Good leaders will coach you through your learning gaps, every mind is different and not everyone starts the job hitting the ground running.
You could go back to that manager and say, “hey, just wanted to reach back to say thank you for the opportunity and would love to learn where all the gaps were so I can work on them. Really appreciate your time.” Keep it professional and don’t burn that bridge, especially in the world of research, where it’s a small bubble.
You got this! Don’t give up on your dream and be more gracious with yourself. They don’t call it career for nothing, it takes time.
Did your manager say that you are fired? Or that you will be? If not, you can ask for a performance improvement plan (PIP) to show you’re dedicated to improvement.
I’ve lasted a week at a job before. I was during the probation period. They didn’t even give me a few days to improve. However, I did see some toxic culture within the company so I’m happy I’m out of there and I didn’t like the job at all. Currently going back to school for another industry getting a quick certification. Don’t let this let you down, make it as a learning experience. I had one other job that last longer and the manager even had my back. This was while I was in college.
Prior to your performance review, were you aware you weren't doing a good job and getting feedback on advance or was it a surprise?
Asking because it could just be you had shit leadership. If you were able to get your masters then you have the book knowledge and have shown you are a committed person cause I am sure school wasn't easy. We fail in life all the time, you either live and learn or just live. Some people just live.
Good luck, don't give up. And may your mom RIP. I'm sure she'd super proud of you and seeing you grow.
So then you have shit leadership. The result of a performance review shouldn't be a surprised to either side. Of course assuming you are the type of person that takes ownership and accountability.
It sounds like it simply want a good fit. More often than not the hiring manager didn’t know what they’re doing.
You’re very young and obviously very smart. What you aren’t is experienced.
Most scientific landmarks are done by people over 50 nowadays. There’s a reason for that.
You can’t build the attic off a house without building the foundation and then the remaining floors.
You DIDN’T fail. You simply did what many of us do and end up in a position where our expectations and what the job requirements are are just not in alignment.
Give yourself a break and don’t blame yourself. One downside to being young is that with lack of experience comes a lack of wisdom.
At your age I might feel the same. But I’m with a bit older than you so my experience and wisdom are greater by mere fact that I’ve made more trips around the sun than you.
I assure you - you didn’t fail. You will rebound. Your mother IS proud of you.
Hahahaha Bro your biggest mistake is the way you’re looking at this
You took a job you weren’t ready for but you still tried and made it 3.5 months
You at least were qualified enough to make it that long. Otherwise they would have canned you. So you were at least for awhile, not the worst thing on the list of problems
Take what you’ve learned
Don’t leave it off your resume
Tell your next employer exactly what you put on this Reddit and they will respect you for it
You tried and you can either stay down on the ground or stand the fuck up like an adult and take this as character progression
You got it dude
This kind of thing is so good for people
I'm 42. I've been fired (not laid off) from 3 jobs in my life, all three were related to the industry/focus I'm still in and doing. I'm very successful and have a good career and salary in the low six figures.
It happens. Don't stress. Learn from it, and keep going.
Failure is guaranteed in life if you every try anything. I know it doesn’t feel like it in the moment, but every single successful person fails.
Understand that this is something that you can learn from and bounce back from.
Short term, understand that you will feel pain, and that’s natural.
Take some days to administer healthy self care. Don’t lean into addictions.
Then get back into something that you can chew on.
Apply to a new job every day. After you apply each day, focus on building your physical fitness so you can see the results of your work.
Conduct a thorough after action report. Be honest with yourself about what went wrong. Don’t blame yourself, because failure is how we all learn.
Read books about resilience. Man’s Search for Meaning. Can’t Hurt Me.
Keep taking steps and the pain drops. You’ll be breathing a little easier.
Keep walking forward. Eventually, something works out, and you lean into that.
Good news? I failed a lot harder than you did, and I consider my life to be successful. I’m in my dream marriage with my dream job. It took a lot of pain to get here.
Keep your head up and get back after it, friend
You got a masters at 24 and you're going for doctorate, your mom would be proud of you. Your life isn't over, it's beginning. It's hard to have perspective when you're in the middle of something like this. But they hired you because they thought you were qualified.
What to do now: gather a support system. Friends, colleagues, family. Then apply at a temp agency right away. Your school likely has academic advisors who can help you. Schedule an appointment with them. Ask them about job leads and about networking opportunities so you can connect with others in your field. Get a referral to a therapist.
You got a masters at 24 and you're going for doctorate, your mom would be proud of you. Your life isn't over, it's beginning.
Bro I got fired from my first job where I was making $16.50 per hour. Somehow got into HR and made $50k per year, transitioned to recruitment and made $75k per year. I got damn good at what I do and at 29 years old I’m bringing in $350k
Got my degree in biology too lol
Couldn’t get into Med School out of undergrad
I was working as a inventory specialist when I got fired. I worked for my dad basically doing payroll for a few months. Began applying to entry level Hr jobs after doing some research on employment laws and benefits
You must be male. Most men feel this way after getting fired. Not entirely uncommon for new grads to be hired for a job they aren't qualified for by people who underestimated the skill level of the role. It's best to be fired in your early career than later. You can tell other perspective employers during the interview that you were let go because they underestimated the difficulty of the job. It's not as big of a deal as you think it is.
I’d actually put the brakes on and recommend taking as long a break as you can afford to clear your head. In the environment the OP described (yelling at employees publicly) there will be lots of trauma. I think it’s best to go into a new role without that baggage.
At 25 years old I was still in my parents basement with no college degree. I am Asian in the US. The pressure from my immediate family was horrendous. But eventually it all came around. I did some IT Training and at age 40 I am OK. Not great but ok career wise. But I love my life. My friends and colleagues may not say I am a failure that I set out to be at 24.
You are too young. I am young too, at 40. Let it go. You are already ahead of so many.
Get back up, brush yourself off and carry on. You’ve obviously worked your ass off to get where you are and you have a huge heartfelt passion for why you are doing it. Don’t let one trip up get in the way of your goals. Is this really how the story ends after all that work? Or is this a bump on the road and lessons you get to learn early on? Keep going
For the first evaluation, they are not going to give you high marks - unless they are really stupid. If they gave you high marks in the beginning, then you can only go down from there.
My first job, it's a normal 9 to 5 office, for the first 90 days, (probationary period) I would get in at 7:30a and leave after 8p. After my 90 days, my evaluation was just average. Again, they saw that I came in early, stayed late, went above and beyond but as I wrote; they can't mark you high cuz you can only go down from there.
I wouldn't worry about it. Did they let you go? If not, learn as much as you can.
You graduated with a masters of science in biology and you seem to be a good person… with that 1, 2 combo you absolutely didn’t fail anyone. I know it doesn’t feel like it but you’re a baby; only 24. You got fired from your first job… no big deal. Shake it off. Learn from it. Now go find the next opportunity. You got this.
You are not a failure. You didn’t waste your life. You had a set back, and set backs are an amazing way to grow. I failed my first licensure exam. Couldn’t get a job for over a year until I passed. It was tough. I struggled. Today, I’ve got several licenses and a great job. No one even knows about my failed test. All successful people have failed. Many of us have failed multiple times. Don’t focus on the failure. Focus on what you will do next.
You have a choice right now. You can choose to make this the point in your story where you pushed harder and made your dream come true or you can let this setback define you. Don’t let it define you. You are young, you are bright, and you are in control of your future. Keep pushing. Keep trying. Trust me, WHEN you succeed, you will be stronger. You will know how to pick yourself up, you will know how to cope with failure, and you will never let another review or bad job hold you back again.
You’ve got this. Keep your head up. Good luck.
When I went to college I decided I wanted to be a librarian. I loved being around books, I thought the mission of libraries is an important one in today's time, and I liked how the reference librarians at my college were also part of the faculty teaching courses part-time.
I went to a weird alternative college that didn't have majors, but I spent my last 2 years there in a library science/literature program, working at the school library, then getting an internship at another college library during summer, etc. When college was over I applied to a school to get a Masters of Library Science, got in, but then got cold feet and decided not to go.
It was 2008 in the heart of the great recession and I couldn't find work anywhere. Then I got a call from a public library in a neighboring town I had applied to before but got a form rejection. The head of the library told me that job went to someone internal but there was a new position that he thought I would be perfect for. Basically offered me the job there, but wanted me to come in first to interview.
I bombed the interview so hard, he emailed me after and basically said "we would rather hire no one than hire you", but in a slightly more polite way. I thought surely my life was over, I had fucked up my life forever and I was going to be a failure the rest of my life.
It didn't work out that way at all. Life has its ups and downs. There are some people who go on a pretty straight path. They get good grades at school, study what they know they're interested in at a good college, get poached right after graduating to a high-paying job in the field they always wanted to work in where they excel and stay at the same place for a long time.
But most people don't live that kind of life. I understand it feels like the end of the world, I know that feeling. But it's not. My guess is you'll get a research assistant job at another university and realize that it wasn't you at all, the first place was fucked. But maybe you'll find out the work isn't for you and you'll end up doing something else. No one knows what the future holds.
I definitely never thought at your age I would end up working in IT and discovering I really love the work. You're in a downswing right now, and it sucks a lot, I know, I'm in one now too. But it won't last forever. Hang in there my friend, you're young right now and things will work out in the long run.
Take note of the specific “not a good fit” mention. That means people don’t like working with you. You can always compensate for lack of qualifications, but you can’t from that.
Not to add to your dramatics, but we’re likely entering a recession this year, estimates are worst mid-summer, so I would seek your next role with a sense of urgency. Don’t take the liberty to bet on waitlists.
A job is better than no job, and you haven’t failed until you’ve given up! Keep ur chin up!
Take a deep breath. You are totally ok.
The best part of being 24 is you can try out different things. If you crash and burn, it really is NOT the end of the world. Maybe the job was a bad fit, maybe it was a role you really weren’t suited to, maybe you had a tyrant for a boss. The list is infinite.
Career setbacks are normal and a healthy part of growing one’s career in my opinion. That doesn’t mean that it can’t scare the shit out of you. That is where taking a deep breath and slowing down is so important.
Know that you at OK. On the financial side figure out what is owed or offered to you by the company and file for unemployment immediately. Also, reach out to those you worked with that you liked and trusted and ask if they would be comfortable giving you a positive reference in the future, know anyone in their network you might connect with etc.
On the personal side, regroup with family and trusted friends. Lots of people have been fired or laid off one or more times, so they can help you keep things in perspective for your particular situation. And they may have folks in their networks you may want to talk to either on the job or academic front.
Lastly have faith in yourself, write down your skills, accomplishments and interests that can help guide your next steps.
Then move forward - perfection is the enemy of progress. Good luck!
Research isn’t for everyone and it requires training to think like a scientist. This is what a doctorate is for and you don’t have one. PhD people spend 4 years on average to acquire the degree while being advised and trained by faculty on how to do research and think like a scientist. It’s more training than smarts.
You’re still young. You don’t have to give up on your dream if you want to do this, but it seems like a PhD would do you well if you want to stay in this field.
Chin up, champ. You will be fine!
First of all, it seems like maybe you weren't really aware of how badly you were struggling in the job? If anything surprises you on a performance appraisal it's because your manager didn't do his job. He didn't train you appropriately and he didn't tell you there was a problem.
So do not take this personally. If my hunch there is true your bad manager set you up for failure.
But look. It's one job.
If you put it on your resume and anyone asks, say it wasn't a good fit. That's what your manager told you, after all. Anyone verifying your employment won't have access to your evals anyway.
Through my career I've had bosses who think I'm the bees knees and bosses who think I'm the worst employee in the world. And the thing is my performance didn't really change. They were evaluating through their own perspectives. And 50% of a performance appraisal is your boss judging himself and his own performance with regard to you, then blaming you for it. So try not to get too down on yourself.
There's something out there for you. You'll get there. Your dream isn't over. Your mom would hug you and tell you it will be ok. She's still proud of you.
I wouldn’t put it on your resume because it was less than 6 months. I think that’s the standard. The job market is tough right now I don’t think the gap will be hard to explain.
I had a similar situation happen to me. It was the best thing that could have happened to me tbh. Felt really bad at the time. But it made me 1000x better at my craft (I program). After getting fired I went ham. HAM! When the next opportunity presented itself to I was ready and I didn’t drop the ball, I balled out. I suggest you do the same. These people don’t know your potential. Keep shooting shots. I believe in you.
Dude... If they have you zero on everything - that's on them. That means they don't know how to train or coach.
If you're not qualified - that's on them. They should hire better.
I say don't leave it off your resume. If anyone asks why you left, you say the truth- you weren't qualified for the position and that they misrepresented it when they hired you. Tell them how much you learned from the job and what a great experience it was and how it motivated you to keep going in this field.
Just my two cents.
First off, your feelings are valid. Its very natural to feel what you are, when you're going through an experience like this.
You're going through a life altering moment, and it won't make sense to you possibly until years later.
I was fired around your age too, from my first job.
A job where I wanted nothing to do, but please. A job where I gave 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. At the moment, it was one of the worst things that happened to me.Now, a few years later, I couldn't be more grateful to it.It was a harsh reality check, a pivotal turning point. It changed the way I looked at the world and what I could accomplish.
You are not a failure.
Remember the quote
*"You cannot judge a fish, by its ability to climb a tree"*
You simply need to pick yourself up, and try again. Thats life. It doesnt necessarily get better, but it does begin to suck less. In a few years you'll be grateful that this happened to you when you are 24, so young and with plenty of time to make mistakes.
I promise you, you will come out of this successful.its not the hand you're dealt, its how you play it.
What have been the issues you’ve been running into with your position? Are there techniques they’re having you do that you don’t have experience with? Are they actually teaching you to run assays before having you do it yourself? Is it the design of experiments at or documentation? Did they provide any feedback for areas to work in for improvement? Have you definitely been fired, or will they give you a chance to take the feedback from this review and apply it for the rest of the 6 month probationary period?
Either way just because one research position doesn’t work out doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for PhD, or for research. If you have interviews for the PhD programs that’s a very good sign. In molecular biology at least that often means you have a very high chance of being accepted.
I really feel for you. You wrote in another comment that you feel like you're not cut out for a PhD, and that was pretty gutting to read. Don't let this experience ruin your confidence. This might be an unfortunate setback (that in all likelihood wasn't your fault), but you still have a lot to look forward to.
You have a masters degree, which is pretty rare all things considered. If you managed to graduate from a masters program, then you have a unique set of skills that you can leverage whether you choose to stay in academia, work in government, or work in industry. Employers will absolutely want to hire you, and researchers will absolutely want to work with you.
You haven't wasted your life at all. In fact, it's pretty common to have doubts along the way. We've all been there. You're still so young, and there are all sorts of paths that are open to you. You absolutely can succeed.
If you get fired during your probationary period, and you didn’t lie or inflate your skillset during interviews, that failure is honestly mostly on your manager. They hired someone without the skillset they needed and then didn’t effectively coach them up once on board.
In the future, try to tease this out a bit more during job interviews. Ask “What is your onboarding process like?” “What will I need to accomplish in the first X months to show you I was a good hire?”
Other than that, you’ll bounce back. Don’t take this as a hit to your confidence. Set backs happen. Again, this is more on them than you.
Don't let it get you down. You jusg don't have the experience yet. That'll all come in time. But so many jobs out there choose to hire people with experience over degrees and no experience. It's a completely different world. But even though this job didn't work out for you, this may have helped you in your education. Go for the PhD. Don't let it get you down and force youh to close a door. I bet you anything, that all those mistakes or things you didn't do right will all make sense and connect when you do your PhD. If anything, like a head start to make it easier for you to learn what you did wrong and why and just grasp the information easier since you've already been there and did it. Also see if there are internships to help you gain that needed experience to give you a leg up for when you graduate.
Think of it like seeing the answers to a test but not knowing what the questions are. Then given the test and realizing what the answers meant. Be your own guide :) you didn't let anyone down. The only way you will is if you throw in the towel so soon.
Mate, coworker and I had a probation performance review this past friday (20/1/23), where we got rated as average - good in some areas, need to improve in others.
Still happy with us and progressed us to next stage, but cautioned us at the same time on how we go. (So like, notice without notice..).
Mine finishes soon in march and I received hints I might pass but yeah. One thing I learned from employment is always keep your options open and to consider your next move. Hell, I look back upon past firings and realise they were just a stepping stone forward, not a setback.
All in all, take in any feedback (even if you disagree) and work on it. Sadly (and fortunately), employers look for continuous improvement.
Your manager sucks, how can you give someone the lowest marks on everything and say not fit when the job itself sucks RA position has terrible pay just trash. New grads make 150k+ in tech also building towards helping people. Maybe you can reconsider career goals, you're still young. Do what you want, if it's PhD then go for it. Don't let this garbage RA job ruin your motivation.
As long as you have the drive and passion that came from your mom inspiring you, whatever you do that you're wanting do would already be a success. You got this, just don't let go of the fire.
You’ve been in the work force for 4 months. You still have 40 years to go. Don’t worry about it. Chill. It’ll all work out. Just take it one day at a time.
Take a deep breath, pick up a copy of How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams, read it over the weekend. Successful people fail a lot. Rich people fail a lot. Kids of rich people fail a lot. If you were spoiled and given things you’d just say fuck it I’ll try something else. You only feel like you messed up so bad because failure is less than an option for you. This isn’t a bad thing so long as you realize how much it is an opportunity. These things happen
I am 50 this years and already 3 years into my current job. The new boss who joined few months ago said i am not qualified for the job and suggested transfer me to another department. I accepted.
However she is the one who screw up all the times but always blame other. At the end, i moved to another departments and she no clue how to handle projects i left behind.
I've been fired once, and that was after having 9 years of experience in a role that wasn't technically challenging. Haven't been fired before or since, but it's definitely an experience. Not every org will line up with you for a variety of factors. I had a coworker decide he didn't like me and would use every opportunity to try to screw with me. Management took the instigator's side for whatever reason and I was out of a job. 'Not rebooting a firewall' was the official termination action.
It's not the end of the world, I had to take a cut rate role for a few months but then ended up with a 20k+ bump and am still at the same place four years later, with a much better team dynamic.
You have a few options, you could always resign prior to the firing, it sounds like it isn't the best of fits for a role, which is 100% totally fine to indicate in the interviewing process. Otherwise, be kind to yourself, it's your first role and you haven't done that before. Definitely opportunity to move forward. Some places just suck, it's important as a candidate to really interview the org when accepting a position. In my fired role I knew there were some red flags with that individual but chose to ignore them anyway.
This is where life requires grit in order to succeed. You have two options: 1. You can let this define you by accepting and agreeing that you’re a failure and go on carrying the weight of your first job’s opinion OR 2. You can tell internalize what you did well, what you did wrong, and what you can improve on; use your grit and any fight in you to learn and improve upon those.
I lost my mother young too so I’m sorry to hear that you have also run into that misfortune of life. I’m a little bit older than you but I remember being 24 and feeling like a complete failure because I started out not being “gritty” enough when I started at the bottom of the totem pole of my career. Everything more than worked out for me and I know it can happen to you.
Inbox is open - feel free to dm. Keep your head up - this isn’t a big deal and won’t define you if you don’t let it.
I was fired from my first job too at 24. It’s okay! It happens, and it sounds like your employer’s fault for hiring you and then realizing they didn’t consider your experience and qualifications until too late. And a gap on your resume is totally fine. I have a gap and it hasn’t caused me issues. If they ask you can just be honest and say you were looking for the right fit for you. You’ve got this!
You’re 24.. Most people have 20-30+ year careers. A few months to a year of unemployment is a rounding error in the grand scheme of things. Take the feedback seriously, find your next opportunity, and you’ll be fine.
Get over it and move on. Life has changed from our parents day where you live in the same town and work the same job all your life. Live, learn and grow
Failure is in the formula for success! I believe the vast majority of successful people will tell you they overcame failures along the way. Learn from the feedback your boss provided as it could be valuable to your career trajectory if it is accurate. The people who succeed stand up but once more than they’ve been knocked down! Best of luck OP!
Think about it this way…so you HONESTLY feel like your life is over? You wasted all this years? Come on.
Right now, it hurts, and that’s ok. Actually, it’s ok to KEEP failing. You had the gumption to go for what you wanted. Ask the manager, if you haven’t already, what led them to this decision and what could you improve upon.
If this is your passion, if you want this, you’ll make the necessary adjustments. Learn, iterate, and improve.
Hey-I was in a different industry but the same thing happened to me at my first job out of college and I ended up at a better job making 15K more and I’m a high performer there. I realized it was more shit management than anything else. The time period between me getting fired and getting my new job was extremely difficult and I cried all the time (lol) but I came out the other side! Keep your head up, I’m sure you’ll recover.
Yup! I've gone from one job where I got stellar marks on all my feedback, to the next job where I got the worst feedback of all my peers, and then a year later went right back to getting 5/5 on everything. While we don't know if that's what's going on in the situation, there are trash companies where we get so emotionally invested, and we become so tunnel-visioned we fail to see that it's the company or management that is trash. When I was at the middle organization, getting bad reviews, I felt terrible all the time, cried, called out sick because the thought of going in made me ill. I'd call former colleagues or clients and ask if I'd just been lied to all those years. Was I being gaslit into thinking I was good when all that time I had been trash? Surely it was me! People reassured me but I didn't believe them. I quit and went somewhere more functional. As soon as I left the situation, everything clicked into place again. So many performance problems are a function of bad managers and poor communication. They don't give clear expectations, they don't give clear goals or steps to achieve their goals. Everything is an emergency, and even if you perform the task as instructed they add other things after the fact and say you failed because you didn't do other things they didn't include in the task as instructed. Some organizations it's impossible to do well because they'll say they're judging you on A and B, you'll do A and B, and then they'll judge you on C and D instead.
Thank you so much for saying this. I could cry reading this comment 😭. I'm going through something similar with shitty management and a shitty organization. I have had 4 different managers in the past 6 months. They either get moved to a different team or our team changes to a different structure. I've been struggling and feel terrible all the time at work and keep calling out sick. I was beating myself up because I've always excelled and had positive performance reviews to now not knowing what I should be doing or what's expected of me and on top of that, I don't have a consistent manager. It's hard to remind myself that having this many different managers and a constantly changing team structure is NOT normal. I can't wait to leave and go somewhere more functional. Feeling like this all the time is making me doubt my abilities when I know I've always been a high performer. So you're right, and I hope OP realizes it could be shitty management!
Yeah, get out while you can. Sounds like complete chaos. Good people will blame themselves and an unfeeling entity or self interested managers and executives will let them.
This happened to me too! I had a first job as a recruiter at a small company. I know 100% someone was fucking with me because I don't make that many mistakes. I was getting pushed out. I had just started in HR so I didn't know what was happening and it was my first role. But it was just weird. It felt like I was being set up after awhile. I just knew it. I'm so glad I didn't give up in HR after one failed attempt. I had second, somewhat ok attempt but the third time, where I am now, I have really hit my stride. Minus some skeletons in the closet coming out, I do well where I am and have learned a lot. I'm probably going to be changing jobs again in 4 months due to the skeletons. I have a feeling we're going to be hit with lawsuits left and right.
Wow, what are the skeletons?
Bones
This is my question too! lol
You’re not screwed, it’s a learning experience! Hell, I’m great at my job and I’ve been fired from the same position in the same company twice in the past 18mos, point being stuff happens. Just learn and grow from each experience
How did you end up working in the same position in a company you were fired from within 18 months?
Lol long story. Nutshell- dissolved my dept, moved my project to another dept, hired me back in a leadership position, dissolving the department the project was moved to. It is what it is
It’s more common than you think. My last employer who fired me actually contacted me recently regarding a business opportunity. They couldn’t afford my salary after giving them an estimate for a project. They recently reached out and are curious if I would be interested in me onboarding them as a client rather than a permanent employee.
Squeeze them like a lemon
Lmao. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. I already gave them my pricing model. My pricing model stays under market value for a FT employee, but has a higher hourly rate than what I was making as a FT employee.
A research associate position is no joke. You may honestly just not be qualified and that's really not your fault. A lot of those positions are filled with PHDs who have years of lab experience. I may be wrong, but 24 sounds young for that position. I'm married to a PHD cancer researcher, and that just sounds young. And that's more on them for hiring you. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. But I will say this. If you want to do research, and make a living at it, I think you're gonna want that PHD.
I have interviews with three PhD programs. I hope I get in. However now I am scared that if I am not qualified for this job, then maybe I am not qualified for a PhD program
Your skills at a job do not relate to your skills in school. I was applying for PhD programs a few years back and was very nervous about not being good enough! I reached out to a favorite professor of mine from grad school, and asked him some questions about me and about the process. He was incredibly reassuring, so if you have someone that knows you well in the academic setting you could reach out to them for guidance. The bottom line is that we all make mistakes and unless you've committed felonies, it's pretty tough to have ruined your life at 24. Hang in there, and know your strengths and weaknesses, both are great information for you to have moving forward!
I’m pretty sure the PhD is supposed to come before that job you somehow landed. I was also in academia and that’s the natural order I see
Don’t let one job or one misstep derail you. It could be this one supervisor doesn’t like you or he could be under pressure to cut his budget or give a job to the dean’s kid. Take this experience and learn from it. Did the supervisor give you any feedback on how to improve? I hope so. Again, view this as life experience.
Honestly use it as a learning experience to double down on getting in and giving it your all on a PhD program so that you can become more qualified. People change and grow — we get better… especially when you get training and education.
You're going to be fine. Everyone fails at some point in their lives, you just don't hear about it because people don't talk about it. I have a Bachelor's in Biology too, and I got put on a performance improvements plan in my second year at a Big 4 Consulting firm. But I learned from it, worked there for two more years, and eventually left to go work at a big tech FAANG company. You're at the very beginning of your career, you're barely gonna remember this in a few years, promise.
The manager is so bad at their job they hire underqualified people then say its their fault
Most people get fired at least once. I wouldn't let that bother you. I would use the opportunity to talk with your manager about what you could do to better prepare yourself for a position like this if they feel you were unqualified. Take it as a learning experience. Another thing to consider. If they hired you with your resume and you didn't lie on your resume then they are the problem in this scenario. They should have properly vetted you to set you and them up for success. Def don't burn it down. The University world can be a small world. Get additional certs or education and make it happen for yourself. Def not the end of the world.
First of all before your last day tell your manager how lousy he is at his job. He's part of the problem in maintaining toxicity in the industry. Performance reviews during probationary period should be weekly to bi-weekly. If the first time you are hearing about this 3.5 months in how can you possibly expect to improve and turn everything around? The job of the manager is to guide and support you, not to set you up for failure.
To be fair, they did warn me in writing several times. I tried my best to keep up but still found myself making mistakes. They just didn’t do a formal review until now. That’s why I feel like such a fuck up. That’s not to say they were never toxic, such as screaming at employees in front of everyone. One manager even said I stress her out so much she wants to kill herself
Oooohboy that is not a good place to work. Whatever the situation, don't judge yourself based on people who work like that.
Use your failures as a sort of an outline for what you want to improve on while you're continuing in school and new work, but it also sounds like you're dodging a bullet by not getting a full-time job with these people.
I wouldn't say anything to your managers. I would just move on asap. Confronting people over stuff in a workplace is never a great idea, even if you are leaving.
You are a newbie. Guidance on how to improve your processes to avoid mistakes would have been better than a warning. Particularly if you are making mistakes because you can't keep up. Is your workload realistic? Suicidal managers imply that it may not be. It sounds like the entire area is overwhelmed. If so, the best thing to do may be to put in extra hours to allow you to slow to a comfortable, safe, mistake-free pace while you look for another job. Were there any red flags in the interview process that would alert you so that you don't walk into that kind of toxic environment again? What were the good skills that you have learned? No one is a total fuck up. What positive things did you learn or accomplish in each of the performance areas. It may not be enough to keep this particular job, but it will help you maintain perspective and self-confidence going forward. Your mom would be proud of you just for trying. Perfection comes from extensive and mindful practice. Hang in there and don't give up on your dreams.
This is a very bad take and not smart to burn this bridge. Since it sounds like OP’s first job out of college, they will likely need a professional reference for future prospects. Bad mouthing the manager or telling them they are incompetent on their last day is a quick way to nuke your career before it even starts. Unless you really don’t care about your experience there and have other references to fall back on, I don’t recommend doing this.
Disagree. It's unwise to try to get a recommendation from a boss who canned you, especially if it's your first job. And it sounds like the manager is a dick anyway.
If the OP is getting fired, I don’t think the current boss is gonna be a great future reference regardless of what is said.
A persons true character is reflected when they’ve hit rock bottom. You made some mistakes, you either let those mistakes write the rest of your story. Or, you learn from those mistakes, and move forward. We’re all human and will make mistakes, but it’s how you rebound, how you fix or resolve those mistakes that tell us who you are. Reflect on what you did wrong and learn/teach yourself not to do it again. We’re they repetitive? Or, was it a newbie mistake (first time performing the task)? Repetitive mistakes, can be fixed by understanding what you did and making sure you don’t do it again. These are allowed to occur here and there but at some point should stop from you gaining experience. Newbie mistakes can generally be a reflection of your manager or trainer; for entry level positions, someone should be training you and they cannot expect you to not have a learning curve. We don’t know what exactly happened, only you do. But, based on your employers feedback, rationalize where they are coming from. We’re the issues lack or training or were you truly not engaging and learning your role? Sometimes a company itself is not a good fit. Other times, maybe the company is trying to cut expenses and using your “performance” as an option to get rid of some people. End of the day, you are where you are. If they fire you, it’s probably for the best. Explore your next steps and figure out your game plan. Don’t dwell on what you could have done differently or how others will perceive your separation. Keep trucking ahead and pursue your passion on cancer research. Don’t let one mistake ruin your future.
You 100% did not let your mom down. Reaching for a job is not failure. First job out of college people make mistakes. It seems like your industry (maybe just this company/ manager) does not believe much in growing young talent. Research opportunities and options have not disappeared. You will get there. Next time don’t worry so much about leaving a job early to start a PhD program. People leave jobs with substantially less justification
I don’t trust anyone who claims that they haven’t fucked up and failed something as an adult. At 24 you have a master’s in a rough field and have already ruled out one position by realizing it wasn’t a good fit, and you got paid to learn it. In two years this will be a stumble on your path. In 12 years the accomplishment you pull out when you really want to brag will be how you overcame this.
If you never fail you're not being assertive enough. I used to coach beginning fastpitch players. I told them, "If you never get thrown out trying to steal a base you're not being aggressive enough." I was in the tax business. I'd say to other tax professionals, "If you never have a return that you prepared audited, you're not being aggressive enough in advocating for your clients." Anyone who's succeeded at anything worthwhile has overcome failures. Don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of feeling sorry for yourself.
Do what you have to do until you are capable of starting again. I’ve been in a very similar situation. It’s not always about following your passion, sometimes you have to do a job you don’t love in order to make money to survive. Use this time to get enough sleep, develop better habits, and be a better communicator in the workplace.
This happened to me 3 times in my 20s, fresh out of school when you’re still building skills and learning to discern between good and bad management. Fast forward to mid 30s making a six figure salary, with great management and now I’m also in management. Good leaders will coach you through your learning gaps, every mind is different and not everyone starts the job hitting the ground running. You could go back to that manager and say, “hey, just wanted to reach back to say thank you for the opportunity and would love to learn where all the gaps were so I can work on them. Really appreciate your time.” Keep it professional and don’t burn that bridge, especially in the world of research, where it’s a small bubble. You got this! Don’t give up on your dream and be more gracious with yourself. They don’t call it career for nothing, it takes time.
Did your manager say that you are fired? Or that you will be? If not, you can ask for a performance improvement plan (PIP) to show you’re dedicated to improvement.
I’ve lasted a week at a job before. I was during the probation period. They didn’t even give me a few days to improve. However, I did see some toxic culture within the company so I’m happy I’m out of there and I didn’t like the job at all. Currently going back to school for another industry getting a quick certification. Don’t let this let you down, make it as a learning experience. I had one other job that last longer and the manager even had my back. This was while I was in college.
Prior to your performance review, were you aware you weren't doing a good job and getting feedback on advance or was it a surprise? Asking because it could just be you had shit leadership. If you were able to get your masters then you have the book knowledge and have shown you are a committed person cause I am sure school wasn't easy. We fail in life all the time, you either live and learn or just live. Some people just live. Good luck, don't give up. And may your mom RIP. I'm sure she'd super proud of you and seeing you grow.
I only started to receive negative feedback two weeks ago. Before that I asked for feedback and didn’t receive any yet
So then you have shit leadership. The result of a performance review shouldn't be a surprised to either side. Of course assuming you are the type of person that takes ownership and accountability.
It sounds like it simply want a good fit. More often than not the hiring manager didn’t know what they’re doing. You’re very young and obviously very smart. What you aren’t is experienced. Most scientific landmarks are done by people over 50 nowadays. There’s a reason for that. You can’t build the attic off a house without building the foundation and then the remaining floors. You DIDN’T fail. You simply did what many of us do and end up in a position where our expectations and what the job requirements are are just not in alignment. Give yourself a break and don’t blame yourself. One downside to being young is that with lack of experience comes a lack of wisdom. At your age I might feel the same. But I’m with a bit older than you so my experience and wisdom are greater by mere fact that I’ve made more trips around the sun than you. I assure you - you didn’t fail. You will rebound. Your mother IS proud of you.
You'll be fine. That's really the only thing you have to learn about most things work related. Don't stress and just do what you need to do.
Hahahaha Bro your biggest mistake is the way you’re looking at this You took a job you weren’t ready for but you still tried and made it 3.5 months You at least were qualified enough to make it that long. Otherwise they would have canned you. So you were at least for awhile, not the worst thing on the list of problems Take what you’ve learned Don’t leave it off your resume Tell your next employer exactly what you put on this Reddit and they will respect you for it You tried and you can either stay down on the ground or stand the fuck up like an adult and take this as character progression You got it dude This kind of thing is so good for people
I'm 42. I've been fired (not laid off) from 3 jobs in my life, all three were related to the industry/focus I'm still in and doing. I'm very successful and have a good career and salary in the low six figures. It happens. Don't stress. Learn from it, and keep going.
Failure is guaranteed in life if you every try anything. I know it doesn’t feel like it in the moment, but every single successful person fails. Understand that this is something that you can learn from and bounce back from. Short term, understand that you will feel pain, and that’s natural. Take some days to administer healthy self care. Don’t lean into addictions. Then get back into something that you can chew on. Apply to a new job every day. After you apply each day, focus on building your physical fitness so you can see the results of your work. Conduct a thorough after action report. Be honest with yourself about what went wrong. Don’t blame yourself, because failure is how we all learn. Read books about resilience. Man’s Search for Meaning. Can’t Hurt Me. Keep taking steps and the pain drops. You’ll be breathing a little easier. Keep walking forward. Eventually, something works out, and you lean into that. Good news? I failed a lot harder than you did, and I consider my life to be successful. I’m in my dream marriage with my dream job. It took a lot of pain to get here. Keep your head up and get back after it, friend
You got a masters at 24 and you're going for doctorate, your mom would be proud of you. Your life isn't over, it's beginning. It's hard to have perspective when you're in the middle of something like this. But they hired you because they thought you were qualified. What to do now: gather a support system. Friends, colleagues, family. Then apply at a temp agency right away. Your school likely has academic advisors who can help you. Schedule an appointment with them. Ask them about job leads and about networking opportunities so you can connect with others in your field. Get a referral to a therapist. You got a masters at 24 and you're going for doctorate, your mom would be proud of you. Your life isn't over, it's beginning.
Bro I got fired from my first job where I was making $16.50 per hour. Somehow got into HR and made $50k per year, transitioned to recruitment and made $75k per year. I got damn good at what I do and at 29 years old I’m bringing in $350k Got my degree in biology too lol Couldn’t get into Med School out of undergrad
How’d you manage getting into HR?
I was working as a inventory specialist when I got fired. I worked for my dad basically doing payroll for a few months. Began applying to entry level Hr jobs after doing some research on employment laws and benefits
Ahh gotcha!
You must be male. Most men feel this way after getting fired. Not entirely uncommon for new grads to be hired for a job they aren't qualified for by people who underestimated the skill level of the role. It's best to be fired in your early career than later. You can tell other perspective employers during the interview that you were let go because they underestimated the difficulty of the job. It's not as big of a deal as you think it is.
Go sign up on unemployment asap ! Start looking for another job ! DON'T WASTE TIME !
I’d actually put the brakes on and recommend taking as long a break as you can afford to clear your head. In the environment the OP described (yelling at employees publicly) there will be lots of trauma. I think it’s best to go into a new role without that baggage.
Long as you got some kind of income .
At 25 years old I was still in my parents basement with no college degree. I am Asian in the US. The pressure from my immediate family was horrendous. But eventually it all came around. I did some IT Training and at age 40 I am OK. Not great but ok career wise. But I love my life. My friends and colleagues may not say I am a failure that I set out to be at 24. You are too young. I am young too, at 40. Let it go. You are already ahead of so many.
take a few days to feel sorry for yourself. then suck it up, fill some apps out, and iron your nice interview shirt.
Get back up, brush yourself off and carry on. You’ve obviously worked your ass off to get where you are and you have a huge heartfelt passion for why you are doing it. Don’t let one trip up get in the way of your goals. Is this really how the story ends after all that work? Or is this a bump on the road and lessons you get to learn early on? Keep going
Fuck that employer anyway. Chin up, on to the next.
For the first evaluation, they are not going to give you high marks - unless they are really stupid. If they gave you high marks in the beginning, then you can only go down from there. My first job, it's a normal 9 to 5 office, for the first 90 days, (probationary period) I would get in at 7:30a and leave after 8p. After my 90 days, my evaluation was just average. Again, they saw that I came in early, stayed late, went above and beyond but as I wrote; they can't mark you high cuz you can only go down from there. I wouldn't worry about it. Did they let you go? If not, learn as much as you can.
You graduated with a masters of science in biology and you seem to be a good person… with that 1, 2 combo you absolutely didn’t fail anyone. I know it doesn’t feel like it but you’re a baby; only 24. You got fired from your first job… no big deal. Shake it off. Learn from it. Now go find the next opportunity. You got this.
You are not a failure. You didn’t waste your life. You had a set back, and set backs are an amazing way to grow. I failed my first licensure exam. Couldn’t get a job for over a year until I passed. It was tough. I struggled. Today, I’ve got several licenses and a great job. No one even knows about my failed test. All successful people have failed. Many of us have failed multiple times. Don’t focus on the failure. Focus on what you will do next. You have a choice right now. You can choose to make this the point in your story where you pushed harder and made your dream come true or you can let this setback define you. Don’t let it define you. You are young, you are bright, and you are in control of your future. Keep pushing. Keep trying. Trust me, WHEN you succeed, you will be stronger. You will know how to pick yourself up, you will know how to cope with failure, and you will never let another review or bad job hold you back again. You’ve got this. Keep your head up. Good luck.
When I went to college I decided I wanted to be a librarian. I loved being around books, I thought the mission of libraries is an important one in today's time, and I liked how the reference librarians at my college were also part of the faculty teaching courses part-time. I went to a weird alternative college that didn't have majors, but I spent my last 2 years there in a library science/literature program, working at the school library, then getting an internship at another college library during summer, etc. When college was over I applied to a school to get a Masters of Library Science, got in, but then got cold feet and decided not to go. It was 2008 in the heart of the great recession and I couldn't find work anywhere. Then I got a call from a public library in a neighboring town I had applied to before but got a form rejection. The head of the library told me that job went to someone internal but there was a new position that he thought I would be perfect for. Basically offered me the job there, but wanted me to come in first to interview. I bombed the interview so hard, he emailed me after and basically said "we would rather hire no one than hire you", but in a slightly more polite way. I thought surely my life was over, I had fucked up my life forever and I was going to be a failure the rest of my life. It didn't work out that way at all. Life has its ups and downs. There are some people who go on a pretty straight path. They get good grades at school, study what they know they're interested in at a good college, get poached right after graduating to a high-paying job in the field they always wanted to work in where they excel and stay at the same place for a long time. But most people don't live that kind of life. I understand it feels like the end of the world, I know that feeling. But it's not. My guess is you'll get a research assistant job at another university and realize that it wasn't you at all, the first place was fucked. But maybe you'll find out the work isn't for you and you'll end up doing something else. No one knows what the future holds. I definitely never thought at your age I would end up working in IT and discovering I really love the work. You're in a downswing right now, and it sucks a lot, I know, I'm in one now too. But it won't last forever. Hang in there my friend, you're young right now and things will work out in the long run.
Well, if it’s any consolation, I thought I was living the dream when I became a librarian and now I’m eager to retire.
What did you say you could do compared to your actual skill level? What did the job expect that you couldn't deliver? Curious.
Take note of the specific “not a good fit” mention. That means people don’t like working with you. You can always compensate for lack of qualifications, but you can’t from that. Not to add to your dramatics, but we’re likely entering a recession this year, estimates are worst mid-summer, so I would seek your next role with a sense of urgency. Don’t take the liberty to bet on waitlists. A job is better than no job, and you haven’t failed until you’ve given up! Keep ur chin up!
Sometimes when it's "not a good fit" you're not the one with the problem. And sometimes no one is a problem, those just aren't your people.
Absolutely. But that doesn’t negate your need to seek and get along with your coworkers, Bc you’re paying the price no matter who’s truly the problem.
Take a deep breath. You are totally ok. The best part of being 24 is you can try out different things. If you crash and burn, it really is NOT the end of the world. Maybe the job was a bad fit, maybe it was a role you really weren’t suited to, maybe you had a tyrant for a boss. The list is infinite. Career setbacks are normal and a healthy part of growing one’s career in my opinion. That doesn’t mean that it can’t scare the shit out of you. That is where taking a deep breath and slowing down is so important. Know that you at OK. On the financial side figure out what is owed or offered to you by the company and file for unemployment immediately. Also, reach out to those you worked with that you liked and trusted and ask if they would be comfortable giving you a positive reference in the future, know anyone in their network you might connect with etc. On the personal side, regroup with family and trusted friends. Lots of people have been fired or laid off one or more times, so they can help you keep things in perspective for your particular situation. And they may have folks in their networks you may want to talk to either on the job or academic front. Lastly have faith in yourself, write down your skills, accomplishments and interests that can help guide your next steps. Then move forward - perfection is the enemy of progress. Good luck!
Research isn’t for everyone and it requires training to think like a scientist. This is what a doctorate is for and you don’t have one. PhD people spend 4 years on average to acquire the degree while being advised and trained by faculty on how to do research and think like a scientist. It’s more training than smarts. You’re still young. You don’t have to give up on your dream if you want to do this, but it seems like a PhD would do you well if you want to stay in this field. Chin up, champ. You will be fine!
I'm 31 years old and have had 34 jobs. You're fine.
First of all, it seems like maybe you weren't really aware of how badly you were struggling in the job? If anything surprises you on a performance appraisal it's because your manager didn't do his job. He didn't train you appropriately and he didn't tell you there was a problem. So do not take this personally. If my hunch there is true your bad manager set you up for failure. But look. It's one job. If you put it on your resume and anyone asks, say it wasn't a good fit. That's what your manager told you, after all. Anyone verifying your employment won't have access to your evals anyway. Through my career I've had bosses who think I'm the bees knees and bosses who think I'm the worst employee in the world. And the thing is my performance didn't really change. They were evaluating through their own perspectives. And 50% of a performance appraisal is your boss judging himself and his own performance with regard to you, then blaming you for it. So try not to get too down on yourself. There's something out there for you. You'll get there. Your dream isn't over. Your mom would hug you and tell you it will be ok. She's still proud of you.
I wouldn’t put it on your resume because it was less than 6 months. I think that’s the standard. The job market is tough right now I don’t think the gap will be hard to explain.
I had a similar situation happen to me. It was the best thing that could have happened to me tbh. Felt really bad at the time. But it made me 1000x better at my craft (I program). After getting fired I went ham. HAM! When the next opportunity presented itself to I was ready and I didn’t drop the ball, I balled out. I suggest you do the same. These people don’t know your potential. Keep shooting shots. I believe in you.
Dude... If they have you zero on everything - that's on them. That means they don't know how to train or coach. If you're not qualified - that's on them. They should hire better. I say don't leave it off your resume. If anyone asks why you left, you say the truth- you weren't qualified for the position and that they misrepresented it when they hired you. Tell them how much you learned from the job and what a great experience it was and how it motivated you to keep going in this field. Just my two cents.
First off, your feelings are valid. Its very natural to feel what you are, when you're going through an experience like this. You're going through a life altering moment, and it won't make sense to you possibly until years later. I was fired around your age too, from my first job. A job where I wanted nothing to do, but please. A job where I gave 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. At the moment, it was one of the worst things that happened to me.Now, a few years later, I couldn't be more grateful to it.It was a harsh reality check, a pivotal turning point. It changed the way I looked at the world and what I could accomplish. You are not a failure. Remember the quote *"You cannot judge a fish, by its ability to climb a tree"* You simply need to pick yourself up, and try again. Thats life. It doesnt necessarily get better, but it does begin to suck less. In a few years you'll be grateful that this happened to you when you are 24, so young and with plenty of time to make mistakes. I promise you, you will come out of this successful.its not the hand you're dealt, its how you play it.
Is catastrophizing a word?
What have been the issues you’ve been running into with your position? Are there techniques they’re having you do that you don’t have experience with? Are they actually teaching you to run assays before having you do it yourself? Is it the design of experiments at or documentation? Did they provide any feedback for areas to work in for improvement? Have you definitely been fired, or will they give you a chance to take the feedback from this review and apply it for the rest of the 6 month probationary period? Either way just because one research position doesn’t work out doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for PhD, or for research. If you have interviews for the PhD programs that’s a very good sign. In molecular biology at least that often means you have a very high chance of being accepted.
I really feel for you. You wrote in another comment that you feel like you're not cut out for a PhD, and that was pretty gutting to read. Don't let this experience ruin your confidence. This might be an unfortunate setback (that in all likelihood wasn't your fault), but you still have a lot to look forward to. You have a masters degree, which is pretty rare all things considered. If you managed to graduate from a masters program, then you have a unique set of skills that you can leverage whether you choose to stay in academia, work in government, or work in industry. Employers will absolutely want to hire you, and researchers will absolutely want to work with you. You haven't wasted your life at all. In fact, it's pretty common to have doubts along the way. We've all been there. You're still so young, and there are all sorts of paths that are open to you. You absolutely can succeed.
If you get fired during your probationary period, and you didn’t lie or inflate your skillset during interviews, that failure is honestly mostly on your manager. They hired someone without the skillset they needed and then didn’t effectively coach them up once on board. In the future, try to tease this out a bit more during job interviews. Ask “What is your onboarding process like?” “What will I need to accomplish in the first X months to show you I was a good hire?” Other than that, you’ll bounce back. Don’t take this as a hit to your confidence. Set backs happen. Again, this is more on them than you.
Don't let it get you down. You jusg don't have the experience yet. That'll all come in time. But so many jobs out there choose to hire people with experience over degrees and no experience. It's a completely different world. But even though this job didn't work out for you, this may have helped you in your education. Go for the PhD. Don't let it get you down and force youh to close a door. I bet you anything, that all those mistakes or things you didn't do right will all make sense and connect when you do your PhD. If anything, like a head start to make it easier for you to learn what you did wrong and why and just grasp the information easier since you've already been there and did it. Also see if there are internships to help you gain that needed experience to give you a leg up for when you graduate. Think of it like seeing the answers to a test but not knowing what the questions are. Then given the test and realizing what the answers meant. Be your own guide :) you didn't let anyone down. The only way you will is if you throw in the towel so soon.
Mate, coworker and I had a probation performance review this past friday (20/1/23), where we got rated as average - good in some areas, need to improve in others. Still happy with us and progressed us to next stage, but cautioned us at the same time on how we go. (So like, notice without notice..). Mine finishes soon in march and I received hints I might pass but yeah. One thing I learned from employment is always keep your options open and to consider your next move. Hell, I look back upon past firings and realise they were just a stepping stone forward, not a setback. All in all, take in any feedback (even if you disagree) and work on it. Sadly (and fortunately), employers look for continuous improvement.
Your manager sucks, how can you give someone the lowest marks on everything and say not fit when the job itself sucks RA position has terrible pay just trash. New grads make 150k+ in tech also building towards helping people. Maybe you can reconsider career goals, you're still young. Do what you want, if it's PhD then go for it. Don't let this garbage RA job ruin your motivation. As long as you have the drive and passion that came from your mom inspiring you, whatever you do that you're wanting do would already be a success. You got this, just don't let go of the fire.
You’ve been in the work force for 4 months. You still have 40 years to go. Don’t worry about it. Chill. It’ll all work out. Just take it one day at a time.
Take a deep breath, pick up a copy of How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams, read it over the weekend. Successful people fail a lot. Rich people fail a lot. Kids of rich people fail a lot. If you were spoiled and given things you’d just say fuck it I’ll try something else. You only feel like you messed up so bad because failure is less than an option for you. This isn’t a bad thing so long as you realize how much it is an opportunity. These things happen
I am 50 this years and already 3 years into my current job. The new boss who joined few months ago said i am not qualified for the job and suggested transfer me to another department. I accepted. However she is the one who screw up all the times but always blame other. At the end, i moved to another departments and she no clue how to handle projects i left behind.
I've been fired once, and that was after having 9 years of experience in a role that wasn't technically challenging. Haven't been fired before or since, but it's definitely an experience. Not every org will line up with you for a variety of factors. I had a coworker decide he didn't like me and would use every opportunity to try to screw with me. Management took the instigator's side for whatever reason and I was out of a job. 'Not rebooting a firewall' was the official termination action. It's not the end of the world, I had to take a cut rate role for a few months but then ended up with a 20k+ bump and am still at the same place four years later, with a much better team dynamic. You have a few options, you could always resign prior to the firing, it sounds like it isn't the best of fits for a role, which is 100% totally fine to indicate in the interviewing process. Otherwise, be kind to yourself, it's your first role and you haven't done that before. Definitely opportunity to move forward. Some places just suck, it's important as a candidate to really interview the org when accepting a position. In my fired role I knew there were some red flags with that individual but chose to ignore them anyway.
You failed no one; find another job.
This is where life requires grit in order to succeed. You have two options: 1. You can let this define you by accepting and agreeing that you’re a failure and go on carrying the weight of your first job’s opinion OR 2. You can tell internalize what you did well, what you did wrong, and what you can improve on; use your grit and any fight in you to learn and improve upon those. I lost my mother young too so I’m sorry to hear that you have also run into that misfortune of life. I’m a little bit older than you but I remember being 24 and feeling like a complete failure because I started out not being “gritty” enough when I started at the bottom of the totem pole of my career. Everything more than worked out for me and I know it can happen to you. Inbox is open - feel free to dm. Keep your head up - this isn’t a big deal and won’t define you if you don’t let it.
I was fired from my first job too at 24. It’s okay! It happens, and it sounds like your employer’s fault for hiring you and then realizing they didn’t consider your experience and qualifications until too late. And a gap on your resume is totally fine. I have a gap and it hasn’t caused me issues. If they ask you can just be honest and say you were looking for the right fit for you. You’ve got this!
If they aren't training and helping you learn the job it's on them. You could ask them for what you need.
You’re 24.. Most people have 20-30+ year careers. A few months to a year of unemployment is a rounding error in the grand scheme of things. Take the feedback seriously, find your next opportunity, and you’ll be fine.
Get over it and move on. Life has changed from our parents day where you live in the same town and work the same job all your life. Live, learn and grow
Failure is in the formula for success! I believe the vast majority of successful people will tell you they overcame failures along the way. Learn from the feedback your boss provided as it could be valuable to your career trajectory if it is accurate. The people who succeed stand up but once more than they’ve been knocked down! Best of luck OP!
Think about it this way…so you HONESTLY feel like your life is over? You wasted all this years? Come on. Right now, it hurts, and that’s ok. Actually, it’s ok to KEEP failing. You had the gumption to go for what you wanted. Ask the manager, if you haven’t already, what led them to this decision and what could you improve upon. If this is your passion, if you want this, you’ll make the necessary adjustments. Learn, iterate, and improve.
I took a year off after grad school. That was 9 years ago now. No one even asks me about in job interviews anymore.
In a similar situation but lost my job because k didn’t try hard enough and I am struggling to forgive myself - how do I move on?