Getting Fired - End of the world?

[indieanna86]

Hi guys,

I've worked as a purchasing assistant for the last 8 months and quite frankly, I hate it. Loathe it, everyday is torture. I've never worked in purchasing before now and I've found I'm really no good at it. You need to be quite forceful and good at figures, and I'm neither. Its got to the point where I keep getting things wrong and getting the department in trouble because of my lack of experience.

I've told my manager that purchasing isn't right for me and that I'm looking elsewhere, and he said he's fine with it. Last night I found my job advertised on the internet and I'm worried out of my mind that they're going to sack me before I've found another job. I've been spending hours every night trying to find something.

I have no idea what to do, I've actually taken today off sick to go to some job agencies. I'm also worried that if I get sacked, nobody will want to employ me afterwards...

I'd love some advice, thank you everyone

[Lakitu]

I'm not sure thay can advertise your job while they have you in employment, but I'm sure someone else will be able to clarify that particular point for you.

As for being sacked, I was sacked from my first job at 17 years old and was scared nobody would employ me either. Reality was that I was in temping work a couple of days later and in permanent employment within a matter of weeks.

I didn't tell the next (or subsequent) employers I was sacked. I told them that I had made the wrong choice of job and it didn't suit me so I left. The employer that sacked me provided a reference to the new, and it confirmed the dates I worked there and no mention of anything else.

[Lil O'lady]

The company will use a get-out along the lines of 'oh this is a standard ad we put in from time to time, it's not your actual job...' Don't worry about it. If a firm sacks you for having the temerity to look for a job, they would be liable to pay damages after an industrial tribunal and no firm wants that.
However what you must learn from this, is not to mention leaving a post until you are ready to go - the employer is mentally writing you out of plans once you say you are planning to go. And join a union.
If you have handed in written notice they can work on a definite end date and employ a replacement afterwards.
If you want to find work you will, and from the sound of things it will probabaly be better for you to leave and take stock if the job has been winding you up.
All of the above becomes very different if you are employed at a high level in a firm - some firms will pack up an exec's desk if there is even a rumour that they have been looking at the job ad's.

[Twenty20]

If a firm sacks you for having the temerity to look for a job, they would be liable to pay damages...

Not if they find out the person has been taking sick leave to go for job interviews! Besides, they can sack you anytime in the first 12 months of employment without even giving a reason. So, I'd say the 'Dont worry' advice was perhaps a bit misguided.

[indieanna86]

Does it make a difference if I don't actually get paid sick leave...?

[Twenty20]

Whether youre paid for sickness or not makes no difference to the law that you can be dismissed within the first 12 months of employment without being given a reason, so long as its not pregnancy, race etc based.