I just got fired.

[shelliebear]

From a volunteering position. MEANING I WAS WORKING FOR FREE.
I'd hardly call it working, however. They had me show up for 2.5 hours and we had ONE client. They didn't have me do anything. They had me sit on the floor and do nothing but read pamphlets. Didn't tell me to bring a book. So I talked to one of the vet techs for a while. She didn't seem to mind.
Went to schedule for a week later, had to call in sick with strep. Scheduled again for today when they told me they had 0 clients today. Had to cancel today because Max's car broke. We're going to probably need a tow truck to get it to the repair shop.
I showed up yesterday because I put the wrong date in my phone. They let me go all the way to the back and change into scrubs before telling me it was the wrong date. So I got changed, and while waiting for Max in the lobby I was talking to the receptionist and said "Gosh, I feel bad, I ffed up Max's whole day." None of the doctors were around. You'll see how this ties in.
So let's go back to the first day I volunteered: The one client we had kept talking to me. She was talking about her dog, what happened to her dog, how she loves her dog, how she made her dog's little sweater herself, how the neighbors love her dog, etc. And so I talked back and told her it was a cute dog, I love dogs and my dog had to be put down, and seeing her dog made me smile and I thanked her for it.
Let's skip to today.
I get a call an hour after I had to cancel because the car broke. The doc interrupts me after she asks me what was wrong with the car and if it is fixed, and tells me she thinks I'd be better suited for a humane society. Says that they're a business. I said "so you don't want me to work anymore?" And she says, and I quote,
"Well, you used some inappropriate language the other day, and you kinda kept talking to clients."
I asked for clarification. "I don't understand. The client kept talking to me, when I was trying to listen to the doctor."
"Well, volunteers, you know, are supposed to be QUIET. We're a business." Emphasized on quiet.
So, I got fired. From a volunteer position. I gave my time for free.
In case you missed my inappropriate language I'm assuming it was "ffed up", which I told the receptionist and she must have told the doctors I said. And talking too much to clients, well, I humored a talkative, annoying client who wouldn't SHUT THE HECK UP for 30 seconds so I could hear what the doctor was saying about the dog's condition. yet I KNOW if i had said nothing, I would be being fired for being RUDE to clients and not acknowledging their rants about their stupid, nasty dog with clumped hair in its eyes that got out and bitten by a neighbor's dog because you didn't build a bigger fence.
All the people there were snobby, rude, talk-behind-your-back, preppy...I can't use the word I want to call them here. :cens0r::cens0r:
They weren't nice to me. Instead of the receptionist telling me when I walked in that I had the wrong day she buzzed me to the back and had me change before telling me. They laughed at me when I left that day and quite frankly I don't think I want to work someplace like that. The vet tech has been trying to get her license for 5 years unsuccessfully.
No thanks.
But it still hurt my feelings.
Live and learn I suppose. But how, how I ask you, do you learn to tell what businesses consider "ffed up" a curseword and what ones don't? I went to an orchestra rehearsal Monday and that's professional. It's a business--they make money from their music. The cellist next to me messed up and shouted out the "s" word. That was acceptable, no one even turned their head.
But at a vet clinic you say "ffed" in a lesser "inappropriate" context and get fired from your free work. Really? Really??
How do you learn? I need advice. I want to learn but the doctor wouldn't talk to me, she kept interrupting me. What do I do better next time? Avoid cursing and its abbreviations like the plague? Completely ignore the clients because I did the business a favor by working for free with a lesser title of "volunteer"? Isn't that also considered RUDE to ignore them and what they say? Or is that just part of the job world?
I don't understand. This was my first volunteer job. I don't know what I did wrong but I know I need to learn fast.
Please help. I'm really kind of crushed inside, despite the anger. I was there for the animals, not the clients, and I got fired for something that had to do with the clients and what happened in the lobby.
I wanted to help and I got rejected.

[Evenstar]

No, you don't want to work at a place like that. Cheer up - this could've been your livelyhood. I can totally understand how it hurt your feelings though. No one likes to be told you're not good enough - even if you know it's completely untrue.

I'm sorry this happened to you - it totally sucks. But it's their loss. Hold your head up and be the better person!

Incidentally, I would be careful with the language in the future. While I do NOT think a single offense is cause for temination in any way, shape or form, it could be a problem in a professional setting if you're looking for a real job. Just something to keep in mind. I think these people have superiority complexes though so it wouldn't have mattered in this situation.....

Again, I'm sorry - but everything will work out for the better - you'll see!!!

[DemmBalls]

If you're unsure what language is appropriate in a given situation...Error on the safe side. Also...From the sounds of it, you missed quite a few days of work in a very short period of time (I may have read that wrong though) as well as showed up a day you were not scheduled. This will have any employer questioning your reliability and organization. Going forward, I would really watch your attendance and language. Sorry this happened and just get back in the saddle! You'll find something.

[wolfy-hound]

I agree. After missing several days, plus using inappropriate language, they felt you weren't for them. Stop feeling hurt over it and instead try thinking of the business aspect.

All the excuses for why you didn't make it in are irrelevant. The place had you scheduled and you didn't show up. That doesn't make a place feel confident for when they do need you there.

Using inappropriate language in a place is a big no-no. It doesn't matter if "some" places allow bad language. Starting out in any place, you should always attempt to seem professional. Sometimes when you think you are just listening to a client babble on, you're actually making enough comments in return to be prolonging the client chatter. I'm guilty of that at my own work, although since they are MY clients, I'm within reason to chat them up if I like. If I were a receptionist or volunteer or whatever, I would attempt to balance politeness with brevity.

A lot of what you mention seems like you want the place to consider your angle/feelings/issues. You talked to the client because you liked the dog or you lost your dog. You didn't make it to work because your ride broke down. You showed up on the wrong day because you made an error in your notes. You got annoyed that you weren't told it was the wrong day until you'd changed. You don't think the tech should have mentioned you cursing.

The place(or any workplace) is more concerned with what's going on for the business than what/why/when you have things going on. That's how it works. You don't ever even mention what your job entailed, other than it involved dogs or clients and a vet.

For the future, you've learned a LOT from this experience. Instead of thinking of it as some sort of failure and being all hurt that it didn't work out, you should instead be glad of it as a life experience and use it to learn from for next time. It wasn't even a paying job that you were counting on to pay your bills, so it was a 'free' lesson for you. Think through the interactions you had, how you would conduct yourself if you did them over again, etc.

[WingedWolfPsion]

I don't understand. This was my first volunteer job. I don't know what I did wrong but I know I need to learn fast.
Please help. I'm really kind of crushed inside, despite the anger. I was there for the animals, not the clients, and I got fired for something that had to do with the clients and what happened in the lobby.
I wanted to help and I got rejected.

Well, if it were an actual job, the absences so early on would have been an issue. As it is, I think the most important thing you have learned from this is something you would, unfortunately, have learned sooner or later anyhow--there are some seriously ffed up people who run businesses, and if your employer is a nutcase, there is really nothing you can do about it other than move on.
You probably should not tell a client at a vet office that your dog was put down...that's a bit of a scary downer for them, lol. They want to hear something reassuring.

I think the folks you were volunteering for were just bonkers, though, or they would have helped you out, rather than behaving the way they did. "Don't talk to clients"? Seriously? 0_o

[shelliebear]

Thanks! I'm not really hurt, I'm angered a little that I had to miss today, and I'm angry that she wouldn't give me a moment to talk through what happened. No, I don't think I'm entitled to things, though they -DID- annoy me. I know from how they treat my dad at his work that even their longest working employees are subject to being treating less than dirt. -_-
So I know that. I was upset that upon terminating me she wouldn't at least allow me to inquiry a little more. They knew it was my first volunteer position and I had hoped that even upon my being terminated they would at least allow me to learn from it. Instead I had to come to a forum and ask what I did wrong. I would've liked to hear it from them. I always appreciate learning from things. Without mistakes there's no going forward.
I did miss quite a bit but the first time was at their request that I not spread the illness. :p Regardless I feel bad that the car had to break today. I'd been having a bad feeling all day and maybe the car was what was it. I can understand however how they would go from "the car is broken" to "how will she make it in to volunteer". That's perfectly understandable to me.
And from now on I will definitely err on the side of caution--even if I think it is ok. No matter what kind of curse words I hear them use or if I hear none at all I won't use any or their abbreviations.
I will try harder to make it in to wherever I go and maybe I should look in to the bus here, though ours is crappy (rated one of the worst in the country for the stupid routes it takes). That way I'll have backup transportation.
I'll also, I guess, not talk to any clients. Actually, better yet: Next time I go to volunteer, I'll specifically ask whoever I will be working for if they mind me talking to clients or if they'd like me to not talk much. That way I really can't go wrong--I'll know specifically what the doctor wants, as my aunt just told me she too got fired from a job but for being too "cold" and "silent". I think next time I'll just ask since I learned this time it doesn't have to be in fine print for them to expect you to know it. (Though I thought they'd figure I was new to the working world and had no idea what they expect from volunteers. Maybe I expect too much from employers.)
On the other hand I still feel part of my anger was justified. However, I feel I acted responsibly in that I voiced none of it to the doctor or the employees, and instead I turned my emotions into something positive. I took my frustration at being let go and made it into determination that I will do better next time. But I think everyone gets mad and crushed when they get fired, regardless of the reason. :p
I'm just going to learn from it.
Thanks for the advice! That was what I needed 100 times over, and that was what I didn't know going into this. THANK YOU!

[Evenstar]

I agree. After missing several days, plus using inappropriate language, they felt you weren't for them. Stop feeling hurt over it and instead try thinking of the business aspect.

All the excuses for why you didn't make it in are irrelevant. The place had you scheduled and you didn't show up. That doesn't make a place feel confident for when they do need you there.

Using inappropriate language in a place is a big no-no. It doesn't matter if "some" places allow bad language. Starting out in any place, you should always attempt to seem professional. Sometimes when you think you are just listening to a client babble on, you're actually making enough comments in return to be prolonging the client chatter. I'm guilty of that at my own work, although since they are MY clients, I'm within reason to chat them up if I like. If I were a receptionist or volunteer or whatever, I would attempt to balance politeness with brevity.

A lot of what you mention seems like you want the place to consider your angle/feelings/issues. You talked to the client because you liked the dog or you lost your dog. You didn't make it to work because your ride broke down. You showed up on the wrong day because you made an error in your notes. You got annoyed that you weren't told it was the wrong day until you'd changed. You don't think the tech should have mentioned you cursing.

The place(or any workplace) is more concerned with what's going on for the business than what/why/when you have things going on. That's how it works. You don't ever even mention what your job entailed, other than it involved dogs or clients and a vet.

For the future, you've learned a LOT from this experience. Instead of thinking of it as some sort of failure and being all hurt that it didn't work out, you should instead be glad of it as a life experience and use it to learn from for next time. It wasn't even a paying job that you were counting on to pay your bills, so it was a 'free' lesson for you. Think through the interactions you had, how you would conduct yourself if you did them over again, etc.

This is very very well put. I would heed this advice and start fresh!

[shelliebear]

Aghh. Now I just feel so embarrassed and stupid. Who gets fired from a volunteer job, really? I should've known better.

[Evenstar]

Try not to worry about it. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them!

[wolfy-hound]

Like I said.. you learn from it. It's natural to feel embarassed and hurt over being fired, no matter if it were volunteer or paid. It's a rejection and no one likes to feel rejected.

You're absolutely right on course with the idea of getting a very detailed idea of what the next place expects from you. Some places want a chatty happy perky person, and other places want a cool calm professional person. All places are different.

If my boss wanted a perky happy person, she'd have fired me long ago. Lucky for me, I'm tops in my chosen career, so I have a bit of weight to use.

Another bit of advice, do more. If they don't have ANY clients for you, offer to clean the windows, or dust, or anything minor that will keep you out of the way. In fact, if they have big front windows, just ask where the cleaning supplies are and clean them. Doing things extra, staying busy doing useful things, making yourself useful however you can, even if it's minor stuff that's not really "your job" makes you look 150% better in a employer's eyes.

Not saying you weren't doing more.. but whatever they expect you to do, do MORE. I told a trainee at work, "Hey, when you are between dogs, and you see hair on the floor, sweep it up. Especially if it's another table. Do whatever small things you can, to lessen other people's workload. That will keep you hired more than anything else. Attitude and willingness to work."

Unfortunately, she was a total pogue and washed out. Annoying.