I accepted an offer for a Talent Acquisition partner and reported directly to the VP of HR.

17 Comments

1. AnonymousNovember 19,2023 at 1:47AM UTC

   I am so sorry for what you are going through. I do not work in HR, but from what I understand of the HR department structure, your supervisor was an HR generalist, which is not a particularly high position. I wonder if she was intimidated by your certification and got rid you because she saw you as competition. You are probably more experienced than she is and she knows it.

   I fully understand how shocked you are about losing your job, and you have every right to feel that way. When I was first starting out, I would lose jobs mainly because I wasn't trained. It knocked my self-confidence for years. The good thing about your situation is that you have experience to draw on. With time, you will remember that you are an excellent employee. As insulting as this sounds, please don't let your job loss rattle you. You didn't do anything wrong. You just had an insecure boss who couldn't handle your education and experience.

2. Valerie RiegerNovember 20,2023 at 1:39PM UTC

   Generalist is more of a term about area of specialization. Generalists will have a depth and breadth of knowledge about the entire HR function as opposed to one area. As for placement in the hierarchy, that depends. I am an HR Generalist but am also the Director of Human Resources.

3. Cindy GloverNovember 19,2023 at 2:04AM UTC

   Wow - talk about life punching the life out of you. So sorry to hear this.

   Right off the bat, I don’t think it’s relational to your performance. To me, it’s more about who “they” want in the position. It doesn’t make it right, it makes me think you possibly got lucky. Be happy it happened now before they had the opportunity to completely destroy your self confidence. I think you’ll find it quite easy to find a better opportunity for a company that celebrates you and the skills you bring- best of luck to you

4. AnonymousNovember 19,2023 at 4:25PM UTC

   Was it part of a reduction in force? If others were let go the same day without warning, you may have been caught in a layoff. That's the only reason I can think of. I assume you are in a right-to-work state, which means this is legal. Check out your state labor laws to ensure they did everything "by the book" concerning your termination. File for unemployment, and rather than sign up for COBRA, check out the healthcare marketplace for insurance, as you can probably get better coverage cheaper than COBRA, especially since you are unemployed.

5. AnonymousNovember 20,2023 at 1:39PM UTC

   Yes, this happened to me in January. I had worked in TA for 17 years, like you. I was let go on a Friday afternoon without ever having received any sort of PIP. I have been unemployed since then. It is a form of trauma for sure. I wish you well.

6. AnonymousNovember 20,2023 at 1:49PM UTC

   I was laid off last December in a huge, 30% reduction in personnel. I know it was a business decision but it still smarts. My husband was also laid off due to COVID and currently we're both unemployed. Fortunately we're 60 years old so we can draw from our retirement accounts without penalty. I wish you well in your job search. Take a moment to compose yourself and know your true worth. It's just a job and you're more than your job title. Take care.

7. AnonymousNovember 20,2023 at 5:45PM UTC

   I hear you.

   If there isn't a What ,

   I have found our personal and professional Values and Principals aren't aligned.

   Online simple tests are availible and please note, values and principle tests need to be current.

   I've experienced

   Its our unspoken differences not our falts that cause harm.

   My experience with same day termination has been caused by same repeated occurance, known theft and or lied.

   At an at will state, no explanation is required, at present I'm unsure for same day termination.

   Sincerely,

   S

8. QNovember 20,2023 at 6:05PM UTC

   Were you the only person who was let go? Or was there group of people across your organization that experienced the same sudden down-size? If it was many people, then this would be a case where you are unlikely to ever get any kind of "do better" resolution for how to avoid this scenario in the future. If it was just you, there are so many reasons it could have happened. Everything from you and your goals not aligning to the business in the opinion of your superiors, to them feeling like you had no place to go and were perhaps redundant, all the way to sketchier scenarios where perhaps your desire to be promoted up in to the VP was a direct challenge to someone else who was going to be placed there and only one man(woman) was going to be left standing. No matter which reason it was, though... Take those strong positive reviews to heart and let them carry you forward. The job market right now is tough, but it isn't impossible. You did well at your job and received consistent positive feedback. You have experience and certifications. Don't let this crush your forward motion even though it's hard.

9. AnonymousNovember 21,2023 at 2:02PM UTC

   It happened to me with new leadership and they gave me assurances for 8 months that I would not be fired and gave me no feedback and then suddenly fired me based on a false case. I still wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking of possible reasons: 1) new leadership was viewed as incompetent and needed a scapegoat, 2) new leadership didn’t get along with old leadership (who I got along with) and wanted to bring in their own people, 3) new leadership didn’t want my area of work to advance and I was making a lot of progress. In either case decision was made right when they joined and, in retrospect, they spent the whole time building a case against me and preparing to fire me the whole time they pretended to get to know me and my network.

10. AnonymousNovember 21,2023 at 3:53PM UTC

    I'm sorry that happened to you. I've experienced it as well and it is disgusting how they pull the rug out from under you. In one case, the boss needed a scapegoat for her incompetence. In the other, the boss was threatened by me from day one. To end your insurance the day of is unconscionable. Allow yourself time to work through the trauma-because it is traumatic. Master "rejection" as redirection. You deserve better and you will find an org that values your experience (or they will find you :)). May all people who engage in these types of cruel practices, have it come back on them 100 fold.

11. AnonymousNovember 21,2023 at 5:12PM UTC

    In at-will situations they can just let you go and most companies will say nothing because they don't want lawsuits. I would suggest you request copies of everything in your personnel folder, you are entitled to this. If the company is large enough and you were the only person to be let go then, perhaps reach out to the CEO, perhaps asking for some cost coverage for COBRA for say 3 months on the company dime because of the person things you have been dealing with an no notification at end of month for losing benefits coverage for your family. If not there isn't unfortunately much that you can do but for collecting unemployment and moving on. Wishing you the best.

12. AyianNovember 24,2023 at 3:39PM UTC

    Even if they agree to giving funds for COBRA, do not sign up for it. It's the end of the year and a change in employment results in a special enrollment period. If applied for before the end of the month, it would go into effect on the 1st of December. Continue with regular enrollment for 2024.

13. AnonymousNovember 24,2023 at 2:11PM UTC

    I want to say first that I am praying for you and praying hard if that is ok. As I understand your situation I experienced similar situation.

    When things like this happens it lets you know that you have no friends and that they may have been in the situation for you leaving.

    I was left wondering what, when why where and how. I almost thought I was going crazy and had a slight breakdown. I want to say seek help from the only one that you can trust and that is God.

    Ask him to give you the information that you need and just be patient as he will show you everything all in due time. You will not let go immediately but after time and you give it ALL to God it will allow you to move forward. I don’t think people will understand how you feel until they have experienced the same situation.

    My condolences to you in regards to your mother in law passing. Your husband being laid off and anything else that is troubling your heart ❤️ now.

    Just know that God is real and that sometimes your experience will be an interchangeable experience for God to see how you handle it. Never underestimate the power of God. You may be in a bad situation but just know that you’re destined for greatness and success in the future and I know this as I was once in your position.

    Hang in there and seek God as your source and he will soon reveal everything and I do mean everything that you are seeking. But you have to truly believe that he can. It’s called having that Faith that is not visible. You will be ok trust me I know. But don’t deny it. Cry , Scream , laugh or even just remain silent . But let it out let it out in a way of integrity that will make you feel better. Good Luck and Know that you will get through it as the day passes by.

    My friend sent this song to me and I was at my breaking point. I had not heard from her in months and that was my message from God that he heard my cry and from that moment on everything started to be revealed. You are going to be amazed at what you see. But know that everything is going to come to pass.

14. Marquisha BridgemanNovember 24,2023 at 2:35PM UTC

    I'm so sorry this happened to you. I hope you have a strong prayer life because that's what got me through the fear and self doubting. If it were because of performance you would have known. This seems to be based on something unrelated to you...as it was in my case. If you can reach out to your former boss (LinkedIn or otherwise) ask if she will be a reference. Start reading devotionals and prayers to open your mind and heart to a new opportunity. During interviews, I stated that leadership can build their own teams and once my leader was released from her role, the new leadership can build their team as they'd like. That way you don't have to say "I don't know" when asked why you were let go. Reach out to your personal and professional networks and let them know you're looking. Keep those conversations upbeat, professional and positive. Vent ONLY to your friends, not during any of your professional conversations. I was released with no warning, but I absolutely found THE BEST job and place to work as a result. You got this!

15. AnonymousNovember 24,2023 at 4:22PM UTC

    I was talking to my husband abt this. I am sooo bery sorry this happened to you?. That is so unfair to you. This also reminds me to never take a job that seriously…… and to never put a job in front of family bc they definitely wouldn’t do it for you. In my later years in life, I have learned to not work as hard, for ME, I do just enough not to get fired these days and I feel so much better and less stress. Im sorry but my health comes first now, I used to be the one that would stay over to help, do extra work, go over and beyond only for me to get a small merit increase and get told “ keep going, you are great and a an asset to the company” never was considered for a promotion, in fact promoted someone that got hired years after me. Like WTF???? That let me know what it is with these jobs. I went searching for another job that pays more and Im MUCH happier at and don’t nearly work as hard…. So things happen for a reason my dear, dont look as a loss but instead it happened for you for a reason , you will find something better, I promise you will. Good luck to you!!!!

16. maria roseNovember 25,2023 at 4:57PM UTC

    What happened to you, despite your feeling upset by the suddenness of the layoff, was a result of what is commonly known in business as, eliminating the excess costs, to reduce overhead costs to raise the bottom line profits. Perhaps there were signs of this cost tightening already occurring at your former employer but you had other personal concerns that lessened your awareness of the company’s financial situation.

    At this point in time, you should be looking forward to how you intend to go forward with both your personal life and career depending on your financial circumstances. You need to take the emotion out of the situation and look at it in a logical manner and figure out what you want to do going forward. No job in today’s world is a permanent job no matter how much you want it to be. More and more employers are utilizing the right to work laws to their advantage which is not always good for the workers’s right to work ideology.

17. Kristie WhiteNovember 27,2023 at 1:02PM UTC

    Having experienced something similar, I want you to hear this loud and clear so you won’t waste precious time feeling like a personal failure like I did. This was not about you, it had nothing to do with you. This was a business decision. Also, you have worked under 3 VPs at this point. Sounds like there is something wrong with this department I.e. badly organized, should not be a separate dept with a VP, etc. There is probably a reorg happening and your former friends are being very careful.