Looking back ... I realise that I dont seem employable!?

Question

I used to be really really hard working .. and when I left my workplaces I had shining references. .. until about 1 year ago.

I had a temp job working for government for a year ... then I went skinny and came obsessed with my weight which let to drepression. Basically I was of work for four months as I was too emotionally and mentally distressed to work. I left there in Feb as my contract ended and went back to work for two months before leaving. After this I got another job working in a factory, I worked in the offices there for six weeks and then my reference from the government came through to them. They sat me down in a room and said my reference was good apart from the fact that I had a few months of work, and they wanted to know why. So I told them and a week later, I was invited to the bosses office and he asked me to leave! He said it was due to lack of business. He wanted me to go there and then! I told him to give me a weeks notice as I have comittments, morgage etc.

At yet three weeks later they advertised my job again in the local paper! But this time they wanted a junior but the job description was my old one. Now I just look bad on paper. :(

Answer 1

That's unfair dismissal right there, you should take that factory to an employment tribunal.

Answer 2

You need to sit down and get on with stuff (believe me, I'm all sympathy for you as I've been there, but you've got to get a grip on your life!).

The factory have been unfair to you, not giving you notice - check your contract - and they should've taken up the reference before they decided you were suitable for the position. Talk to your boss, or your boss' manger and ask for a brief meeting outlining the exact reasons for your dismissal; that shouldn't have happened. Having said that, if you were still on probation, think twice before getting too involved with grumbling about it!

However, moving on, I think the best way for you to get back up after a knock like that, in terms of career and CV presentation, is to head back to the government as a temp. If you're anything like me, it'll restore your confidence and give your CV a boost with decent references and a good amount of ofice experience. If you have, say, two 3 month positions that you work really hard at, you've already wiped out the need to contact any of your previous employers. For most purposes, recruiters don't tend to look back chronologically more than two placements; you can always jiggle them around a bit anyway. There are some very good agencies in London which specialise in Government work, if that's where you're based. But anywhere in the world should have similar agencies.

You also need to come up with a less negative way of presenting your time off. ' ..too emotionally and mentally distressed to work...' is not going to go down too well with anyone. You need to phrase it differently, approach it from a different angle, eg, 'I had family and home issues which I needed a short sabbatical to sort out, which I did successfully'. Anything which plays down the seriousness of your depression and plays up how well you coped.

If you didn't go to the doctor for tablets, you don't need to declare it on an application form, in fact, unless they ask directly, you shouldn't have to tell them.

Good hunting!

Answer 3

An extra point to Silver Son's answer - probationary periods in employment contracts are unenforceable.

Either - you could have a fixed-term contract, coming to an end on a specific date. The employer could then choose to take you on on a permanent basis. This achieves the same effect as the probationary period.

Or - you've got a normal employment contract, in whch case you can't be sacked just because you reached the end of the "probationary" period. There would have to be a specific, valid reason that would justify dismissal under normal circumstances.

If your contract is not specifically worded as fixed-term, the latter situation applies.

Answer 4

Take legal action, an employer cannot demand to know medical history and definitely can't sack you for it. I had an old boss try to sack me while I was off with depression. I let him do what he felt he could get away with and then I took him to the cleaners and got a few grand for the pleasure. Employment law in the UK is very good especially in these circumstances. Speak to the CAB or ACCAS.

Answer 5

That was total unfair dimissal. Legally employers are only allowed to ask dates of employment and reason for dismissal. If your contract ended at your first job, when asked reason of your dismissal they are suppose to say lack of work. They are not to state your personal medical business. Hang in there.

Answer 6

I agree that it's unfair dismissal. Maybe the citizen's advice bureau could help you find out what your next step should be.

Answer 7

You need to get a grip of yourself