Might be about to be let go. What now?

I went through exactly that at my last job as a journalist. I'd been hired because I could write nice stories about sporting events. Then, because one of my co-workers broke a big story, my boss, basking in the reflected glory, decided we were all going to become intrepid news-breakers. Sorry, not my thing; I don't have that pitch.

If you feel as if they've set their caps to get rid of you, you're probably right. They'll wait until the time is right, for them, and then off you'll go.

And, yes, it is very, very scary. But when you're being asked to do something you simply can't do (well enough), it's a relief moving on. Try to get out on your own terms (or get moved back into a role in which you can succeed). One day you'll look back and ask yourself, "Why did I wait so long?"

 

This was never in my plan, even if the warning hadn't come along. I was enjoying building another skill and that work environment; plus I was just socking the checks I earned from it into a savings account.

 

I really hope you are building that skill set and bank account, because if you keep on doing it, you're gonna need it.

Don't want to get fired? Drop the second gig and do your first one better.

 

I don't know anyone in the newspaper business who gets a month off for a marriage and a honeymoon other than Charles Foster Kane. Go to HR, I guess. Either your shop is a clown show, or your takes on this are unclear and incomplete, or you need to get married next year on Nov. 26, taking off until Dec. 26.

 

Except in this business, there is no guarantee that they won't be fired anyways, for any number of reasons. The second gig ,at least, provides a backup plan.

 

What is your second, part-time job?

You mentioned that it's sounding like there may be a possibility of something more being done with that, and, if so, I'd definitely drop the full-time journalism job and just do that. It sounds like you're liking it and doing better in it, are happier there, and are working with people who are liking you better and are easier to please.

There's a lot to be said for just getting out of a bad situation and ridding yourself of a great deal of stress. I know from whence you speak about constantly having to and trying to prove yourself -- while your neck has an axe hanging over it all the time. It's usually not a good way to get somebody to improve, and it doesn't sound like it's working, or is going to work, with you.

The constant performance reviews sound really unusual to me. I've never heard of weekly or monthly ones, particularly in a regular, indefinite work environment. An actual performance-improvement plan that resulted from a specific problem or problems ought to be set up with a limited time frame.

And if they keep adding to that time frame, it's probably just because they haven't found anything, or you haven't done anything bad enough, yet, over which to fire you.

In my experience, once you get put on a performance-improvement plan, the employee feels nothing but anxious and scared that every move may be his last, that even if he improves, it won't be improved enough. You begin to feel like the employer is looking to get rid of you, not actually see you improve and be kept, and, trust me, that does nothing good for mindset of the employee. If anything, the work environment just becomes untenable and the situation usually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

People you once may have considered mentors will seem to become adversaries. Colleagues will start to know, or realize, or think, that something is going on and begin distancing themselves from you. Or, even if they don't actually do that, you will feel like it. You will feel alone in the job and in the newsroom, and like you are being cut loose.

Which, you probably are.

I'd advise that you get yourself out of a bad situation if you can and focus on the job that you're liking and that seems better for you. Move on and forget about the editing job, especially if you're single and can consider just yourself.

Part of the reason you're probably struggling with all this so much right now is that you haven't made any decisions about it, and you know you need to. So, do it. I think you'll be glad you did even if you're not making as much money as you'd like, or even as much as you need.

You'll feel better, and be better off, just having done something about the situation.

 

I think I would definitely pursue something full time in the job that you currently work part-time. I hate to say it, but your bosses are basically telling you that you are in line to be fired soon. It doesn't sound like any of that has changed, so it's only a matter of when not if.

All I can tell you is do your best for them but start looking elsewhere, too. Work hard, try hard. If you lose your job, you'll find another but maybe you can quit this job before they give you the axe.

 

My second job involves social media work. I don't want to say what industry it's in, but I definitely feel like I enjoy that work and would be suited to it. My boss has been happy with me, as has her boss (I will say it's a small company, so my boss reports to the CEO). I get a lot of compliments and my work isn't scrutinized every few weeks.

The plan I got and have to sign had no end date in the report, so I really don't know how long this is going to go on. My boss could decide next week to fire me (though I think I'm safe for at least a month), or he could do it next month. Not really sure.

There have been times where I feel alone even though my coworkers aren't treating me different and are still nice to me. My problems at work have gotten me down, as I expect a lot of myself and know things could be a lot better. I've gotten depressed just from trying to keep up with the hours and deal with my performance issues. I'm already seeking therapy but I just never thought things would go this way, I guess. I know I'm letting myself down, but I feel like I'm disappointing everyone else too.

And again to whoever said I might be a writer in an editor's body. I talked to a friend of mine tonight who used to work for a newspaper, albeit she was on the news/features side. She said she knew a very good editor who made a terrible writer. I suppose there might be some truth now that she put it to me that way. Her newspaper career ended thanks to a buyout, and now she's in something else altogether and is self-employed to boot.

 

Your heart isn't in your full-time job right now.

You need to quit before you get fired.

Maybe your performance reviews improve. Maybe you improve.

But if your bosses are sticking you on holidays, it means ...

a. That they know you will take it
b. They value the folks they are giving holidays off to more.

If you have negative performance reviews, when layoffs come up, they aren't going to have any problem letting you go. Look around the industry.

So you need to quit. If your heart isn't in journalism and you are thinking about the negatives, it's time to go.

I switched from journalism to public relations. It was a no brainer. I don't miss anything about journalism.

 

I would think Grey would need a FT gig to open up first before quitting. Why quit without something lined up? There's bills to pay.

 

Also he won't be eligible for unemployment, though the part-time gig may disqualify him already.

 

Quick update. I took time off from work this week, as my company does "use it or lose it" vacation policy and I had time to burn.

I talked to my boss at Other Job, and she said that while they're very happy I want to come on full-time, there's not enough money to give me and that the bosses do not want to see me resign my main job to come work for them. (They're growing quickly, but they just don't have the funds for normal salaries yet.) I do appreciate the honesty, given that a lot of employers lack that these days, but it's still hard to swallow. I'm still stuck in a tough situation, not knowing how much longer my stable pay and insurance will last. I really had my hopes up that I could escape, but my boss at my primary position seems to want to treat me like I'm in third grade. So I have to deal with that until they let me go I guess.

I did think about quitting Second Job to focus on my full-time position, but like was said above, then I'm stuck with no income and no job should I get fired. I was on unemployment once a few years ago (got laid off from a job unrelated to journalism/communications) and I am desperate to not repeat this. In my state at least, it wasn't a very pleasant experience and that employer tried to appeal my benefits. (They lost.)