Teenager fired before even finishing training gets sage advice on confidence and entering the workforce: 'Don’t take it too hard'

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Mar 9, 2024 7:00 PM EST

Do you remember your first job? How nervous you were at the interview? And how nerve-racking the end of that job was? Whether you quit or got fired, it's so stressful. 

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  • There is not perfect one-mold that describes entering the workforce. It's great to feel like a contributing member of society! And the independence the paycheck provides is amazing. But it's not that easy. Anyone with the funds can start a business, which means you could apply somewhere and the manager/owner turns out to be manipulative. Or maybe you start a job where you click with all of your coworkers and you love your duties, but you don't get paid enough and the manager refuses to give you a raise. At what point do you walk away? Or do you stay and eventually get fired? What happens if you get fired right away and they don't even tell you why? That kind of question can eat you alive! But, it is all a part of growing and maturing. Once you get the hang of the workforce's untidy behavior and you don't lose your confidence through it all, you're golden! 

    See the sage advice everyone is providing to this teen's first firing experience. 

  • 01
    Fired for being 'not a good fit' I (F19) got fired after working 3 days at Dairy Queen for not 'fitting in'. I haven't had any hrs two weeks prior. I just figured it was because days were slow, or they over employed. Today I went in to get my pay card. I didn't think anything of it. As soon as I arrive they lay the news on me. I asked for a reason and the not fitting in was the only answer. I don't understand. I didn't even finish training. I feel like an idiot now.
    via Corndogoverlord
  • 02
    "I got fired from my first ever job and it affected my confidence at work for years afterwards. Now, I look back and realise the problem wasn't me at all, and that I dodged a massive [bad situation]."
    via Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels

    dolphineclipse


     

  • 03
    Inert-Blob 6 hr. ago · edited 6 hr. ago . I got finagled out of a job by the psycho control freak boss. I left there totally destroyed but guess what it was the best thing ever. Next job was good, led to better, and i'm still there years later. If i had got that old job i wanted, i would have shrank to nothing and had a nervous breakdown. I had no idea how much that boss was damaging me. Such a piece of she is. She threw pc's across the room, got busted for road rage, and had a stroke from her A
    via Inert-Blob
  • 04
    Curious-Bake-9473 12 hr. ago This is the healthy way to look at it. Most of these chains have dysfunctional management anyway.
    via Curious-Bake-9473
  • 05
    Trekkie63 18 hr. ago Don't take it too hard. You probably dodged the bullet of toxic mangle- ment, keep your head high and try other opportunities. Good luck.
    via Trekkie63
  • 06
    kevin_r13 3 hr. ago I definitely agree that if the managers didn't find a way to resolve this by explaining what she's not doing right during training, and then hoping she'll get better after learning what is lacking, or even deciding she's not a good fit but explicitly calling her and telling her first instead of having her come in after 2 weeks, then this group of managers running the place is not very good.
    via kevin_r13
  • 07
    Propelem 18 hr. ago Employers avoid telling people the real reason they were fired, out of fear they will be sued. I know that being terminated from a job that you just started, and not understanding the reason why... stings. Just laugh it off. You are 19, and you were just given the opportunity to move on to do better things. Out loud say "Thank you DQ". Imagine someone who is in their 50s-60s-70s feels when they are fired from a job they may have done quite well for a very long time. And their
    via Propelem
  • 08
    • Optimal_Law_4254 · 18 hr. ago Exactly. Employers will also make stuff up that's completely false. I have been fired for something I didn't do. You just deal with it and move on.
    via Optimal_Law_4254
  • 09
    DirectGiraffe8720 14 hr. ago Exactly this, sadly I've had to do this many times. You're in the probationary period they don't have to give you a reason. "Not a good fit" is a standard line
    via DirectGiraffe8720
  • 10
    Trekkie63 17 hr. ago • Probably too independent minded. You resisted the assimilation. 23 Reply Share SaltWater Tribe 12 hr. ago Resistance is futile
    via Trekkie63
  • 11
    • MadmanIgar 4 hr. ago. edited 1 hr. ago That's honestly the most standard reason to give someone when you don't want to give them the actual reason. And since you've been there for so little time I would guess (unless you did something to really iss someone off) it doesn't really have to do with you.
    via MadmanIgar
  • 12
    They could have had something come up that required them to fire someone and you had been there the shortest amount of time so you drew the short straw. I guess you'll know if it really was a problem with you specifically if they post your job and start trying to hire someone else.
    via MadmanIgar
  • 13
    frazmaticalist 18 hr. ago In my experience this is usually code for "manager wants to hire their friend so let's get rid of the new person". Reply Share |||| 12 boomdiddyahdah 1 hr. ago . This. It's most likely this.
    via frazmaticalist
  • 14
    Top-Cut-369 18 hr. ago I once was not hired for a position I was very qualified for. The person interviewing me knew of me, from growing up in the same community, and he was very kind and impressed, but also hesitant. Later, I was told the position was filled. It took a few year when I got the answer. The hotel I was appying to work at sold drugs out of the kitchen. The person interviewing me, knew that it was something I would not put up with. It was as simple as that.
    via Top-Cut-369
  • 15
    unlovelyladybartleby 18 hr. ago Not a good fit could mean anything from a personality conflict to a lack of skills to a hygiene issue to them legitimately feeling this isn't the right job for you. It can also mean that their preferred candidate for the job just became available or that they need to cut back on staff. Reflect, see if there's anything you can do differently at your next job, then move on without taking it personally.
    via unlovelyladybartleby
  • 16
    First-Sir1276 · 18 hr. ago I want to take this opportunity to point out the fact that this type of weird judgmental hyper sensitivity in the workplace has really escalated to extreme levels in the last few years. Its more about being accepted by the work clique over performance, and you definitely cant to too good a job because people feel threatened. Its really everything in general though, society is extremely judgmental they think they know everything about a person and what they stand for af
    via First-Sir1276
  • 17
    30 second conversation or something. I used to feel bad for the next generation coming into this show but they're all fried anyway. Raised on the internet straight up molded by instagram highlight reels, reddit bickering, and discord gossip. These kids now a days have dead eyes by the time they're 14 because the only way to blend in is pretend to be stoic and nonchalant about everything, like whoever can act more dead on the inside is cooler
    via First-Sir1276
  • 18
    • IndependenceMean8774 17 hr. ago It sucks, but don't feel bad about it. It's Dairy Queen, not CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Good fit is just the safe bull they tell you when they want to fire you and not get in legal trouble. Retail and fast food jobs suck in general, and you'll find something better eventually.
    via IndependenceMean8774
  • 19
    AwarenessLost7620 17 hr. ago Had something that happen to me and was told the samething. After they fired me I got a call from them asking if I would like the job back and I said no. 43 Reply Share • • • Curious-Bake-9473 12 hr. ago Hope you also told them to take a long walk off off a short bridge
    via AwarenessLost7620
  • 20
    Winter-Owl1 14 hr. ago Are you shy/awkward by any chance? I got fired during my second week at a crappy low-wage job for that reason, but they knew better than to say it literally. The manager started off with "it's okay to be shy but...." and ended with "we just don't feel you're a good fit for us." I have severe social anxiety but it was an easy job and I was learning and doing everything just fine. They made it very clear they just didn't like my shyness but kind of danced around it so as not
    via Winter-Owl1
  • 21
    011_11018 hr. ago This job not being a fit for you might lead you to better opportunities. I was once let go from a company, and the next job I had paid double. The company closed later due to fraud.
    via 011__11o
  • 22
    FrogInYerPocket - 15 hr. ago Think of this as your practice job. Reflect on what went well, what went poorly, and what you want to approach differently next time you enter a new work setting. And then don't ever even admit that you worked there.
    via FrogInYerPocket
  • 23
    celestria_star. 14 hr. ago Managers avoid telling you why you were fired. They just say you're not a good fit for the company. It prevents the person being terminated from trying to have a conversation or arguing. It's the simplest response. I really like working as a delivery driver when I was young. You make lots of tip money especially if it's a college town.
    via celestria_star

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r/work getting fired firing story I got fired firing employee fired employed fired manager job fired story work how I got fired I fired them fired on spot helpful advice advice sage advice job advice workplace culture workplace I got fired today Reddit first job got fired
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