Employee gets fired after only two days on the job, HR refuses to give them a reason why: ‘I left my previous job for them’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 12, 2026 1:45 PM EDT

Is it a risk to leave your current job for something new and better?

Well, it is always a risk to make a big change in your life, and changing your job might be one of the biggest changes of all, yet almost everyone does it. Unless you're my mom, who has been working for the same company for the last 35 years, it is okay to want to switch things up from time to time. That being said, it's also important to know the risks.

The longer you are at a job, the more security you have, usually. Proving your worth in a workplace takes time, and most employers would want to keep those who have done so successfully, rather than those who are still too new to be sure about. Also, if you ask me, those first few months at a new job when you constantly have to take action and show initiative are quite exhausting, so you should only do it if you are absolutely sure that is what you want.

Thousands of employees every day reach their breaking point at their current job and move on to the next, but they can never know what is waiting for them on the other side. The employee who shared the story below, for example, was approached by a non-profit for a job opportunity they weren't even looking for, but was simply too good to refuse. Before they knew it, they were handing in their resignation letter in their current workplace and getting ready for a new adventure.

The new adventure, as it turns out, was very short-lived, since the employee was already fired on their second day of the job. Without any explanation as to why, the (ex) employee was told it wasn't going to work out and was removed from the building.

As I said, you have to know the risks…

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    Models displaying a tense situation at work with three employees standing in an office.
    via Getty Images

    Models displaying a tense situation at work with three employees standing in an office.

  • 02

    Fired on Day 2 After Leaving My Previous Job for Them. No Reason Given.

    I'm honestly still trying to process this. A nonprofit reached out to me about a Business Development position. I didn't apply out of desperation or because I was unemployed. I was already
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 03
    working. They pursued me, interviewed me multiple times, and eventually extended an offer.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 04
    They were actually accommodating during the hiring. process. I asked for an additional week before starting so I could properly transition out of my
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 05
    existing job, and they agreed. That made me feel like they genuinely wanted me there and were willing to work with me.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 06
    I accepted the offer, left my previous employer, and started the new role.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 07
    Day 1 was mostly onboarding and training. During that first day, my manager made a comment that I needed to dress more professionally. What confused me was that I was dressed business
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 08
    casual, similar to what many other employees were wearing and what was the dress code. I took the feedback seriously anyway. I figured, hey this is a new department, I need to look better than acceptable.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 09
    So on Day 2, I dressed up more and made an effort to look even more polished.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 10
    I completed all of my assigned training, asked what I should be working on next, and was trying to get added to calendars and meetings so I could start learning the role.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 11
    A few hours later, my manager asked me to meet with her and HR. I was told only that "it wasn't going to work out.”
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 12
    That was it. I asked why. No real answer. I asked HR on the way out if there was a specific reason.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 13
    No real answer. Just that it wasn't going to work out. I was escorted out of the building, and shortly afterward my Teams access was removed.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 14
    People working in an office.
    via Arlington Research

    People working in an office.

  • 15
    What makes this so confusing is that I was only there for two days. I hadn't even started doing the actual job yet. I was still onboarding, learning systems, and trying to understand the
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 16
    organization. There was no performance feedback, no warning, no discussion about concerns, and no explanation.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 17
    What I'm struggling with is this: How does a company pursue a candidate, interview them multiple times, agree to delay the start date so they can transition
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 18
    out of another job, hire them, onboard them, and then decide after two days that they're "not a fit" without giving any explanation?
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 19
    Has anyone experienced something similar? Did you ever find out what actually happened, or were you left guessing?
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 20
    At this point, I'm almost more frustrated by the lack of explanation than by the termination itself.
    via OptimusCrime83
  • 21
    whatever32657 i was once fired after two years and a couple of performance bonuses because "it wasn't a good fit". after two years???
    via whatever32657
  • 22
    it's just code for "we've decided we don't like you".
    via whatever32657
  • 23
    momo667788 This is terrible. Every new job is a risk. That's why I ask for at least 20 percent pay bump to make a job change worthwhile.
    via momo667788
  • 24
    Can you ask for your old job back? Did you leave on good terms?
    via momo667788

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss employee fired hr manager job hiring manager tales-from-the-workplace new job ceo workplace company
Scroll Down For The Next Article