Personal assistant gets fired in the first week over the phone at 11:30 a.m on a Sunday, all because she couldn't handle the boss mistreating her and making her cry: 'I’ve never been fired before, and I’m kind of [scared].'

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Jul 24, 2026 1:00 PM EDT

Sometimes getting fired is the best thing that could happen to you.

We always think of unemployment as something inherently bad. And it is! Losing your job, having to leave your position because of somebody else's decision. It is getting fired, having no choice but to leave. But sometimes, it also means getting free. It means leaving that toxic workplace you were stressing about for years. It means stopping being mistreated by a horrible boss, is to stop working for a company that doesn't see your value.

Getting fired in the first week seems like the worst situation. You just started, and you are already fired. You didn't even have enough time to show the company who you are and what you bring to the table. In this Reddit story, the personal assistant got one conversation with her new boss before she got shut down and finally fired. One conversation, as it was with that little, her manager was able to notice if she was a fit or not.

Even though what happened to this user is sad and undeserved, it also prevented her from being stuck in an awful job with a horrible boss. If the first interaction you have with someone involves them screaming and mistreating you, then why would you continue to work there? There is no reason to stay or to allow that. There is going to be a better job out there where the boss isn't a maniac who can express himself without screaming at their assistant. What happened to her is unfair, of course, but it could also be a blessing. She got free before it was too late to leave. 

So be free, don't cry about it, and move on. There are millions of jobs out there, and you are just wasting your time in one that is only going to cause you trouble. You don't need to put up with this, because, in the end, it's better to take some time to find the correct job than to be stuck in an awful one forever. 

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  • I started working as an Administrative Assistant/Personal Assistant at the end of June and was told the PA portion would only be about 20% of my job. It's for a wealthy commercial real estate developer who is quickly approaching retirement. I only had two days to train with my predecessor, so I've been doing my best, and in my opinion faring pretty well. The PA tasks ended up being about 50% of my
    via lornlovescorn
  • A personal assistant working on her computer while she is on the phone.
    via Vitaly Gariev

    A personal assistant working on her computer while she is on the phone.

    Representation.

  • job already. The boss got frustrated at me on Wednesday and started cursing/scolding me. I have anxiety, and inadvertently began shaking. This frustrated him further and he ordered me to stop shaking. Next came the tears, and then he was completely irritated. Called me weak and said our relationship will only work out if I'm strong enough to handle "his personality".
    via lornlovescorn
  • My predecessor came to visit the next day and gave me some great advice on how to handle him, so I felt better to stay in the role. We had a team lunch with everyone on Friday and things seemed fine. Boss mentioned he would be out of town on Monday. He messaged me last night, Saturday around 7pm asking me to call him. I said I was busy and could call later, asked him to text me what was going on. He said
    via lornlovescorn
  • no, that he needed to talk to me. Would call me at 10:30am the next day (today). Well, 10:30 comes around and I'm waiting to hear from him. He finally calls at 11:26am and this is the one sided convo to the best of my memory: "Hey, (my name). Can you hear me? Okay, okay good. Yeah I'm just calling because I've thought about it and you are really just not a good fit for me. Yeah. It
    via lornlovescorn
  • won't work out, I'm sure. Really, really not a good fit. (Predecessor's name) will reach out with details on how to get your things back and return your supplies. But you do not need to come in anymore. Okay? Okay. Bye." The phone call was 51 seconds and he didn't give any time to interrupt or say a word. I really thought I was doing a
    via lornlovescorn
  • good job. I just hadn't been treated like that by an employer before, so I wasn't used to it. Plus I was already having a bad day before getting chewed, but he would never care about that. I've never been fired before and I'm kind of fr king out. Getting ready to apply for unemployment and restart the job hunt. Definitely scared. Needed to share with someone.
    via lornlovescorn
  • A person using a computer to work, model image.
    via Corinne Kutz

    A person using a computer to work, model image. 

     

  • psyk2u That's wild. Does this qualify you for unemployment income? I would definitely try for it.
    via lornlovescorn
  • RubyPorto You dodged a bullet. Being a AA/PA to an a hle isn't worth it.
    via lornlovescorn
  • light_is_a_weapon F that a h le. Is your shaking possibly caused by a Medical Condition like Anxiety? His behavior may have been discriminatory.
    via lornlovescorn
  • Shanknlt Doesn't sound like a good fit. He doesn't sound like a good person to work for and you may need to mature some. Example: you emphasized the PA percent by mentioning a couple times in your post. But, you work for the owner so why does it matter if it's 60% PA? So what if you're buying concert tickets for his wife instead of updating a report. I wish you well in the next role.
    via lornlovescorn
  • Honey BadgersaysRAWR Sending you good thoughts. Dude is trash. No one is a good fit for him. It's not you.
    via lornlovescorn
  • ChopAndDrop27 Very sorry you're having to go through this ordeal. Wealthy business owners can be among the most difficult people to work for. Take some time to decompress. File for UC. Update your resume. Network with family members and friends to see if they know of any opportunities you might apply for. The environment we work in has a lot to do with how successful we are.
    via lornlovescorn
  • A friend was terminated from her job and she took it as a personal failure. After a while, she realized that it just wasn't the right job for her. She now has a job that she enjoys and is successful. Best of luck to you.
    via lornlovescorn
  • RemotecontrolZR That boss is an a-h e and you dodged a huge bullet. It was not a good way on how you were removed but I wish you all the best. You'll find a job that would work best with you.
    via lornlovescorn

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