I Know I'm Going to Be Fired

Have you ever had that "I am going to be fired" feeling? You just know that the pink slip is already printed and is headed for your desk? There are many signs that you will notice if you are about to be fired, and they are easy to pick up on but you need to make sure that you are paying attention.

Are you starting to notice that other employees get notice of company news, or even meetings that will be held? You may see that this is the first step in your eventual phase out. Many supervisors will slowly lead you out of the loop, before giving you the boot. Make sure that you have a friend who is in the loop in order to make sure that you are aware of what is going on. Don't miss a meeting just because you were "accidentally" left off of the email list.

Noticed that quickly growing paper trail? Often before you get fired your supervisor will start a paper trail. You will notice that you start to receive e-mail with bad reviews. Not just once in a while, but they seem to be coming almost every day. There is always something that you did wrong. This paper trail will allow your employer to tell the unemployment agency that you were given proper feedback regarding what needed improvement. Many of us live in "no fault" states where this is not required, but for those of you who do not live in a "no fault" state this is important for the business to have.

You may also see that you are being asked to do less and less. Basically you are being stripped of your duties. Remember when you used to run the audit average report. But you have not been asked to do it in quite some time only to find out that "Bill" has been in charge of running the report lately? This is the slow phase out. The point where your duties are slowly being given to someone else.

These are just a few of the many clues that you will receive from an employer who is about to dump you. I say dump, because being on the job is really a lot like having a relationship, and when you are dropped from a job that you love it can hurt just as much as losing a relationship.

If you start to notice these signs on a regular basis, make sure that you start discreetly looking for employment outside of the company. Try online sites that will allow you to submit your resume in confidence. When sending a traditional resume in the mail, you can also make sure to note that you would like this to remain confidential. Another good thing to do is make sure that you keep your options open. Maybe you are being set up for something good like a promotion. Make sure that you are not jumping off of the ship before you know that it is sinking. Just know who is out there, and who is looking to expand their workforce. That way if you find yourself jobless, you will know exactly where to go.