Office Life: 5 Signs You're About to Get Fired
Sometimes a firing can come out of left field, but in most cases, there are signs in place that help you know that it may be time to start updating your resume. You can deny it all you want, but most people can tell when the end is near. There will be little signs around the office, and your ability to identify, and possible rectify, any issues may be the difference between saving your job and waiting in the unemployment line.
1. A Major Screw Up
Most employers probably won’t fire you for a single mistake. You’re only human after all. Small errors here and there are expected, and in most cases can be easily rectified with little to no after effects. If your mistake was big enough however, management may have no choice but to let you go. Losing the company large amounts or business or money can certainly be enough fodder to warrant your dismissal.
2. New Management
No matter what your past accomplishments may be, when new management takes over, you’re starting fresh. New management generally likes to “shake things up” a bit, and just because you were a shining star in the previous office regime, doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to be one now.
3. You’re Out of the Loop
You used to know everything that was going on in every corner of the company. Now, you’re left out in the rain. New ideas and projects don’t seem to make their way across your desk the way they used to. Even your coworkers that used to keep you abreast of current events in the office don’t seem to be as talkative as they once were. These are all bad signs. People are keeping you out of the loop, because they don’t want to waste time explaining new plans and strategies with you if you’re not going to be around next week to implement them.
4. You’re Told to Take a Vacation
Most people have been told they should take a vacation at least once. Being asked to take time off isn’t always a good thing, however. There’s a big difference between being told to take a vacation, because you’ve been working overtime for weeks and deserve a break and being asked to take time off, because no one wants you around. Depending on the tone in which the news is delivered, it may be a sign that your time with the company may be coming to an end.
5. A Poor Performance Review
A poor performance review is usually a good indication that you are on your way out. Performance reviews are often used to bring an employer’s concerns to your attention. These reviews can be used as a friendly reminder of what is expected of you, or they may be more of a “shape up or ship out” scenario. If you don’t improve, the company has every right to let you go due to you lackluster performance.
Regardless of the warning signs, it is important that you both address them and make a conscience effort to improve or start looking for a new job.
