I can see a firing in your future!

The state of the U.S. economy is beyond dismal at the moment and with the downturn, job cuts are following suit. With Starbucks closing 600 stores across the country, 12,000 employees are bracing to lose their jobs.

And, with a job loss comes the inevitable goodbye to the company you once poured your blood, sweat and tears into.

The NYTimes.com article, Dear Valued Worker, You’re Fired reminds us of how to handle getting fired:

1. It’s okay to cry (but you may not be permitted to stop by the bathroom and wipe away your smeared makeup on the way out)

2. There’s no need to ask every question on the spot (but do make sure you get someone’s contact information)

3. Don’t get defensive or argumentative (oh, really?!)

The pros agree that if you’re in charge of the firing, it’s best to avoid using the word ‘fire’ altogether. The winning phrases are, “It’s time for us to part company,” “I need to let you go,” or the uplifting “It’s time to help you succeed elsewhere.”

The bottom line: No matter how you sugarcoat it, you’ve still been fired.

Tags: downsizing, fire, layoff, let go, you're fired

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 3:21 pm and is filed under Editorial. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.