What you are feeling is normal, given the circumstances.

What you are feeling is normal, given the circumstances. I was fired from my first job right out of college. Two years of working with a major broadcasting company, where I had planned my whole career, really, working for this company.

I was fired over basically nothing but gossip my boss heard from another boss, however, being let go that way taught me some valuable life lessons. I learned that I had no real rights as an employee to fight the termination, because my state is a "right to work" state. In other words, the company could have fired me for not liking the way I dress or how I wear my hair, etc. and there was nothing legally I could do about it.

There was one thing I could have sued for, but, as other posters have said here, I didn't have the money to fight the termination.

I felt horrible like you do right now, but to save you time and grief, be pro active for yourself. Get unemployment as fast as possible, yes, start sending resumes out, etc. and make sure if you have to give a reference for your now former job, that you talk to HR at your previous job and discuss what will be said about you if someone calls for a reference. Better yet, get a reference letter to show employers if needed.

Legally, they are just supposed to give out your dates of employment, and no other commentary. I found out, the hard way, that my former boss was trashing me to any new employer who called for a reference.

I had a friend call her, and pretend she was a manager wishing to hire me. I had my friend ask the legal questions that a potential employer can ask, and my former boss took that opportunity to give vague answers and then basically trash me.

Well, one phone call from an attorney who gave me a consultation for free stopped all of that. Again, I could have sued for a lot of money, but I was advised it would cost me way too much to pursue it and the "cease and desist" phone call and letter solved all of it. My former boss never did that again.

I was able to find another job, but the emotional scars from that first experience, right out of college, jaded me from then on in a good way.

Never again would I attempt to be "friends" with anyone I worked with, outside of the work environment, and I started looking out for myself, period. It also made me determined not to be a cog in a corporate jungle ever again.

It was a great feeling, though, about a year after I was fired, my boss and the rest of the whole floor of the division I worked in were laid off in a massive way. I felt bad for many I knew and liked there, but not my boss.

I was devastated by being fired, as you feel right now, but don't linger with the anxiety and depression if you can help it. If you need to vent, vent here, or find a job support group, or therapist. I'm serious.

Don't beat yourself up for too long. Look at your actions while on this job--I had to do that myself--then forgive yourself for whatever mistake you made and know that this happens sometimes throughout your career. I wasted a lot of time beating myself up, too. Waste of time. But I can say that now since it's been a long, long time since that firing.

It stings right now for you. Don't give your former employers any time in your heart or soul, and move forward to your next position, which will probably be much better. Protect yourself and straighten things out with HR about if you need a reference for your time there, what will be said.

Hope all this exposition helps in some way. I do feel you, though. Trust me.