Unfairly Dismissed. Help Please

LegacyUser

Hi,

Hopefully someone can give me some advice on this, as I really don't know what to do.

I was working in my previous company for 6 months. This was the probation period. During the time I was basically being hassled/bullied by my superviser. Nothing too serious, just putting me down and dismissing my contributions and so forth.
I brought this up with my manager (a different person) eventually, to try to resolve the situation, but at this meeting the supervisor showed no inclination to want to do that ie deny deny deny accuse accuse accuse etc. I did get a new supervisor then and didn't see the old one too much though.

So anyway, a few months later, at the end of the 6 month probation period, the manager and HR person called me in and said they would let me go. They said my work wasn't good. This was a lie as it was good.
So basically, I was being bullied, I brought it up with my boss, and they let me go unfairly probably because of it.

I could not manage to get a written reference. I do have the option of a telephone reference though.

I have now been out of work a good few months. I have been to 10 or more interviews, and I really think this situation is affecting my chance to get a job.
Mostly I tell them where I last worked but try to make up some sort of half-truth in relation to why I left, Im grasping at straws as Im not sure what to say when they ask me so:

What do I do????

-Recruitment agencies are telling me to tell them the truth, as in what I think happened
(ie the above story)
-The FAS lady says I should say something different
-Someone else I know says I should say they were downsizing

...

AARRRGH

Well, your old employer were within their rights to get rid of you during the probation period, so really the only problem is not being able to use them as a reference.

Personally I would say they were getting rid of people and you were one of the unfortunate ones who were let go. And then don't use them as a reference.

Also, just be absolutely sure you are being totally honest with yourself about why they got rid of you.

3 Dollar Bill

I wouldn't even put that employer down on my CV. Bad experiences are better left behind.

AARRRGH

3 Dollar Bill wrote: »

I wouldn't even put that employer down on my CV. Bad experiences are better left behind.

Yeah, that is an option alright.

"I travelled across Asia for 6 months".

3 Dollar Bill

AARRRGH wrote: »

"I travelled across Asia for 6 months".

Just make sure you are well able to bull**** them about all the different countries you visited and how different their cultures are to ours.

No use going into the interview, they turn around and ask you where in Asia you went. You answer eh eh......Argentina. Not knocking the intelligence of the OP but you get my drift.

leeroybrown

Definitely avoid what the recruitment agencies suggest. If you tell someone that you were let go at the end of the probation period you put them in a position where they will have to assume that there's a risk that you just aren't up to the job. If you tell them that you were let go because you stood up to bullying they will have to assume that there is a risk that you are a trouble maker or a 'victim'. If I were the interviewer these risks certainly wouldn't help your cause.

Whatever way you chose to spin the situation make sure you're definitive and assertive about it. If you're being evasive and spinning poorly thought out half-truths then interviewers will spot this.

jhegarty

3 Dollar Bill wrote: »

Just make sure you are well able to bull**** them about all the different countries you visited and how different their cultures are to ours.

No use going into the interview, they turn around and ask you where in Asia you went. You answer eh eh......Argentina. Not knocking the intelligence of the OP but you get my drift.

And that they never see your passport.

Firetrap

Doesn't your previous employer's name appear on your P45? Might be worth keeping in mind if you decide to resort to fiction in order to fill that 6 month gap.

i71jskz5xu42pb

Firetrap wrote: »

Doesn't your previous employer's name appear on your P45? Might be worth keeping in mind if you decide to resort to fiction in order to fill that 6 month gap.

Good point, though I'm pretty sure there is some way around that (done that so that you don't have to disclose your previous salary to your new employer)

dade

Firetrap wrote: »

Doesn't your previous employer's name appear on your P45? Might be worth keeping in mind if you decide to resort to fiction in order to fill that 6 month gap.

Itzel Poor Crossbones wrote: »

Good point, though I'm pretty sure there is some way around that (done that so that you don't have to disclose your previous salary to your new employer)

there's a way around this, if the OP lodges their P45 with the tax office then they do not have to submit it to the new employer.

the normal procedure is that you give the P45 to your new employer, they lodge it with the tax office and request a tax cert, the revenue send it out to the employer.

Instead what you do is you lodge your P45 with the tax office, then when you get a new job you get your employers tax number and provide that to the revenue. they then issue a new tax cert directly to the employer.

it may mean that you may pay extra tax the first month or so coz you may be on emergency tax but It'll sort itself out.

it's what's known as starting on a Week One basis. I've discussed the matter with the tax office before, I was earning X and told the new employer i was earning Y (a 15% difference in my favour) and they gave me X + 20% so i needed a way for them to not know what i was previously being paid.


in relation to the OPs question, if you can get away with the travelling bit fire away. Or you could do as was suggested and say that the company downsized. the problem with this is if they call for a reference and your former employers give a different story.

LegacyUser

Hi,

When you contact the tax office (best to call in personally), just tell them that you don't want your new employer to see your last employment. They see this all of the time and if you don't contact them, the tax cert may have the employers details (that you don't want) on the tax cert. A couple of my friends have done this because of idiots in their last job that made their lives a misery. A clean slate as far s the tax office is concerned and my friends have never had any problems since. Good luck with the search!