Don't Get Fired... But If You Do, Don't Do These Things

1. Make a scene. This shouldn’t have to be said, but it does. Being fired is obviously very emotional and some people handle it badly including yelling, swearing, crying. Of course, this may make you feel better at the time, but it could definitely come back to bite you.

2. Blame others. At the point you are being fired throwing other people under the bus is pointless. Do you really think your boss is going to say “you know what, you’re right, never mind”? All this does is reinforce their decision (they think “see this guy/girl can never take responsibility for their own actions”). Remember, you want to potentially utilize ex-managers and coworkers in your new job search. Blaming them for you getting fired will not help with that.

3. Retaliate by damaging or stealing company property or even worse if your company was not smart enough to deactivate your corporate card, ringing up excessive charges. The last thing you need after being fired is criminal charges as well.

4. Sign a severance agreement right away. Many companies will ask you to sign a severance agreement right away. Take your time with this. Understand every stipulation in the agreement and consult an attorney if you don’t understand what you are signing.

5. Verbally bash the company. This includes posting negative things on-line. This isn’t helpful. It just makes you look defensive and it burns bridges that you may need in the future.

6. Say or do anything that could be perceived as a threat. Things that you may not view as threatening (such as returning to the work place to have lunch with a former co-worker) can come across wrong. With recent happenings, there is a heightened sensitivity to work place violence and it is best to be overly cautious of your words and actions.

7. Say too much. This is important both while being fired, and probably more so afterward, particularly during the interview process for a new role. Nothing is more likely to sink you in an interview than going on and on about why you were fired. It is best to say as little as possible.