Funny Firings – Yes it does Happen!

As a hiring manager you get to read a lot of resumes over the years. Good, bad and funny. I came across a few… notes while clearing all of my records out of my drive and one of them started me thinking. Just what have been some of the better reasons people have given me for leaving there jobs? Which made me remember people I had to let go for outlandish reasons over the years. The picture below, its from an applicant I personally had last year. When you say I know a guy who knows a guy who had this happen… Well you know me, and it happened. When asked about it (yes I interviewed him anyway) He answered “My Manager said they felt they we’re holding me back and thought I should find something else”.

I had to fire a guy on Christmas Eve once… No I am not a jerk. It’s around 8pm and the guy I was working with an I were cleaning just to keep busy until 10 when we closed. A customer comes in and starts talking to my employee as he is wiping down the window ledges inside. I finish up my end of the ledges and walk over glad to have another person to talk to since it had been so quiet. I’m a few feet away when the associate picks a dead fly off the window ledge and flicks it in the customers face and said “Stop bugging me”.

One more? Sure, why not… From time to time part of my job was to go to other stores and conduct audits then report the results up. I did an audit in a store and discovered some discrepancies in the counts for items not yet on the shelves. It’s a whole 3 pieces but obviously internal theft. I tell the Store Manger and verify they did counts when it was received. Now I ask some of the associates about it. Nothing accusatory just making sure word gets around that it was noticed. One kid completely melts down, almost in tears, apologizes and says he will go get it. Now I’m surprised and a little taken aback by the hysterics but ok. I tell him to sit in the office a minute with his Manager while I make a call to try and work this out. Loss Prevention asks a few questions about shrink (theft) in the store and I tell him the Store Manager says they have no problems at all with shoplifters seems the store has no real issues according to the SM. Looks like it was caught early so it’s agreed the kid can go home bring back what he took and no formal charges would be made.  This is what he brings back… I termed the kid and LP was in the store the following week doing a much more detailed visit. 🙂

Well.. this is you should never clean out the filing cabinets at home… you find old notes and pictures and suddenly you are typing.