Is It Better To Quit Your Job, Get Fired Or Be Laid Off? (Why You Left Your Last Job)

The age-old question - is it better to quit your job if you know you're going to be fired? And where does being laid off play into all of this? In this video, I break down the question of quitting vs getting fired, especially when you're asked to answer the interview question of why you left your last job.
0:00 - Intro
0:53 -Quitting your job - 0:53
3:37 - Getting fired from your job
5:36 - laid off
7:21 - specific scenarios
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Are you struggling with your job search? Applying for job after job and not getting any interviews? Perhaps you’ve got a few interviews but always seem to get passed over for the job? Or maybe you’re not satisfied with your current career and want a change. Well, you’ve come to the right place.
As a corporate recruiter with over 20 years of experience hiring thousands of employees at all levels into major corporations, I’m going to spill the beans on how to get noticed by recruiters, start getting more interviews, navigate through each step of the hiring process, and ultimately land the dream job you deserve.
But that’s not all - I firmly believe that to truly experience career success, you need to think bigger. Multiple streams of income and budgeting are crucial to forming a layoff-free lifestyle and helping you achieve your goals.
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[@fkagamingcrafts6756]

These days if I detect a toxic work place, I generally just walk. My mental health is far more important then any company for me to risk damaging that. In my opinion, if you have to fear going to work, even if you get paranoid at work, Its likely a hostile environment. People are just so blind to what that actually looks like.

[@davidrobinson9528]

Have a supervisor and lead out to get me because I have a “I do what I want” disposition (according to them). Employer did a shift change now I have to work with them both. I really like the job but aside from barely making it home at night because I’m really sleepy driving 45min to get home and having to deal with them 2 im getting uncomfortable with the situation. 2 job offers now with 1 at a career type company but work many hours and another doing similar work paying $1 less but pretty much around the corner from where I live. Don’t know which one. Was going for a job I could leave easily because I really want to go for my cdl. I’m trying to figure out what to do

[@norml.hugh-mann]

I have stayed at a temp service for a decade doing traffic flagging simply becajee I can leave any site that is toxic after 1 day and get another the next. I get along with the temp service staff....but benefits would be nice and paid holidays...but I also pick the days I work...and recently have only been doing 4 days a week max but often 2 or 3. My spending habits have shrank considerably but I know my wages are below industry norms...but then again I only go in on days I want to or when I have previously committed myself to do so (but am not actually obligated by anything but my desire to not go back on my word)

[@usmanmahmoodbukhari3238]

I learned this the hard way, I should've listened to this much earlier

[@trutrek913]

It depends upon timing and the situation. I once tried to quit by handing in my two week's notice and the toxic boss (who was relatively new) was so ticked that he refused the paper and brought me down to the HR office and fired me on the spot and walked out. At this point, I really didn't care as I wanted to give my two weeks notice and leave so I can start my new job in a few weeks and was looking forward to some sweet vacation time. Well, it turns out that I would get paid 6 months as a severance package and I knew my boss didn't know about that, because he was new. The HR girl handed me a pamphlet that literally said "Fired? Its not the end of the world!" and started going over the suicide packet they give to every employee they fire. It was hilarious, it was hard not to laugh, but I played along until I left with my packet. I got double paid for the next six months as I was working my new job at higher pay, it was awesome!

[@trutrek913]

@@steverinaldi890 Makes sense to me. I think you did the right thing. People get fired for kinds of reasons that is not the employees fault, company re-org, new CEO or Director, downturn of the economy, Covid, bought out by another company and they want to "streamline", etc. In my state, you can quit and claim unemployment if you find that your new job is different than what they said you would do.

[@ksang0013]

Same thing just happened to me this past week. I get a nice vacation, severance, and I already have a new job with a 40% raise lined up for me.

[@angrydragonslayer]

​@@trutrek913 a friend of mine sued for them lying about salary and got 3x the amount in the contract (which was 3x what they tried paying him) It and the unemployment+compensatories after they fired him was glorious while it lasted. He was arranging parties every weekend.

[@adaptercrash]

Being terminated well depends on the company that means there's something wrong with it. Come on down to industrial labour work.

[@eile4219]

Getting layoff normally have some kind of package(like 3 months of salary) or you can get unemployment. Quitting, you can’t not even file for unemployment.

[@SProz69]

NEVER go back, NEVER. If you quit, there is no going back.

[@Critical_Path]

I dunno. Worked for me pretty well. That being said, they contacted me and offered me a better deal in every way. So far so good. I had a decent relationship with them throughout. Often times, you're right - going back isn't necessarily a good idea. But there are plenty of times it's appropriate and actually advantageous.

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

They laid me off..but kept me on for 3 more months of hell. I said, "Well,....then since performance reviews are due..there's no POINT in doing one...correct?" They said, "Oh no....we still need you to turn one in so in case you decide to apply for another position in the company". I burst out laughing....I told them I wouldn't continue to work here if you paid me DOUBLE.

[@marioguy886]

You should only go back if you left on good terms and you were offered a better position.

[@middleagebrotips3454]

There's no harm in going back other than your bruised ego where people now know that your new company gave you up. The American workplace is just a transaction of labor, think like a business and none of this is a problem.

[@tim5749]

@@Critical_Path I had a similar experience!

[@jd1tomcat]

So basically: You quit …you’re screwed You’re fired …you’re screwed You’re laid-off..you’re screwed Got it!!!

[@agamerjourney9146]

If quit your job make sure to have another job.

[@shadowmystery5613]

My Country (Germany): Change your jobs if necessary to increase your wage/salary! Also my Country: This dude changed jobs too often, something must be wrong with him - not gonna employ him.

[@middleagebrotips3454]

​@@shadowmystery5613 if anyone said that to me I would say "look my skills are in such high demand that they keep throwing better and better offers at me, what would you do?"

[@shadowmystery5613]

@@middleagebrotips3454 "Well if you don't need the job I bet the other 100 job applicants do."

[@pinkmuffin9842]

@@shadowmystery5613 So true. My fiancé left most of his jobs after 2 years, now he plans on staying for at least 5-10, so it won't look too bad on his resume. In other countries it would be considered valuable experience in Germany it's a risk factor.

[@jonsimmons4150]

Even when im in a good job, the slightest whiff of a slowdown in work, or even a sudden coldness towards me in the company, or even butting heads with the manager, gets me actively looking for another job. Work colleagues lie badly, so when ylu walk into lunchbreak and the atmosphere has changed, ppl, look away suddenly change subject, its time to look for another job.

[@engineered-mind]

Facts

[@rejectwokeness1314]

I'll argue being fired may have nth to do with competence as you said. There are people who are utterly useless who knows how to please the boss, whereas there are those who work really hard but was being marginalized politically. It's almost never about work performance if you're fired, it's just because the boss dislikes you for whatever reason

[@philmarsh7723]

It's more complex. Performance is usually a team effort. If your boss doesn't value you, they will likely deny you the resources you need to perform on the job.

[@asadb1990]

Yeah, I'm, not a bootlicker who looks to make the boss happy at every turn. I'm more of the "I'm here to work my 40h and head home because I'm not putting in more time for a promotion that I will probably never get.

[@Ginger_McElfresh_Art]

Amen!!@

[@joenewmeyer8358]

The ass kissing people are a big problem

[@nooraabdulaziz2423]

True

[@ricardo9013]

Timeout.. Don't ever mention being fired in an interview unless legally obligated to do so. Good advice tho

[@stormeagle5050]

Do they do a background check to see is your reason for leaving is truthful? Because if not, admitting the I resigned/quit my last job most likely costed me on the last couple of jobs I interviewed at.

[@babblesp1367]

@@stormeagle5050 I believe it’s law that employers can only say the dates you worked there. There’s not much else they can say. They have to follow those rules as well.

[@rogerbartlet5720]

I felt nothing but relief after leaving most of my jobs.

[@althunder4269]

You don't have to tell any potential employer you were fired. Just say you quit.

[@charliedallachie3539]

Or your position was cut due to budget, especially in these times. They may be skeptical if you quit without a job lined up.

[@lobostriker85]

Or you can say you had to quit to take care of a sick relative!

[@BEACHDUDE71]

I always say I quit, even if I get fired

[@Fumi007]

All potential employers have to do is call your old job and ask if you're "eligible for rehire" which basically is asking if you were fired. Lying can be a gamble.

[@banana9106]

@@charliedallachie3539 Hi, there. Long time no see. Hope You're keeping OK these days. BSM hasn't been posting on his channel. I have been on the 'Hell by the dashboard light' streams. See you around some time.

[@tigerroz123]

leaving on your own terms is best if you have another opportunity lined up or have passive income/side hustle, or if you need to escape a toxic work environment

[@ruthvazquez1378]

That is exactly what I did. I left a job I had been in for 3 years since I could see the new upper management who only cared for the bottom dollar, started to give me signs they wanted to axe me since I got paid real well. I then found and started a new job only to realize from day one that it was unbelievably toxic and stayed three months there. I already had a couple of side hustles going that paid well enough for me to quit and had time to buffer in for job hunting and interviews. One month after leaving the toxic three month job I found another FT gig. Try to always have multiple streams of income...

[@davidrobinson9528]

@@ruthvazquez1378very well said. Everyone at the place I’m leaving keep asking “when do you ever sleep, because I have multiple side jobs. I tell them I don’t have to rush for employment if I ever quit or get fired. It is the most freeing experience I’ve ever had in my over 20yrs of working.

[@stephenbayer3909]

I've resigned from multiple jobs. First job I had been at the company for 15 years, it was a small company and it was dead-end and I decided I wanted to live in an entirely different city anyway. The other two jobs I left after only a short time because they were extremely toxic and I felt resigning was necessary for my physical and mental health but also it gave me a sense of control and I wanted to send the employer the message that they couldn't get away with treating me the way they did. No regrets at all.

[@emanisunday3776]

Did you give a 2weeks or immediate notice?

[@asadb1990]

How did you manage to stay at a company for 15 years. I have to leave every couple years or my pay is easily 25-50% behind

[@LaurenceHoneytoast]

How the heck did it take you 15 years to realize it was a dead end gotta figure that one out quicker than that.

[@ruthvazquez1378]

I did the same. I had two short stints at two local companies in my area. The reason I took them was they were the shortest commute I ever had in my career. They were, unfortunately, extremely toxic from day one and just like the companies give you a 90-day probationary period to see whether or not you are a good fit - well I was doing that with them. It was a big Nope and I gave my two weeks notice for both. I had a side line gig freelancing with two clients while I was working in those two places. One of these freelances gig turned into a FT position. Go where you are treated well.

[@christophergreen3809]

I wanted to leave a bad job before they got the chance to fire me. I was already on a PIP. But a big layoff (15% staff reduction) came one week later and blindsided everyone. Guess who got let go.

[@kirk2767]

It wasn't until I got fired from my old job, that I was able to get hired at my new one. I think that sometimes, an employer wants you "hungry" before they'll even consider you.

[@kittysaywut]

*cough desperate *cough

[@philmarsh7723]

I've been involved in hiring decisions and enthusiasm, i.e. hunger and interest for the WORK always won out over experience.

[@brian186]

In that case, I would have worked somewhere else. The only way I see this behavior remotely benefitting anyone is if the job is in sales.

[@annaeverette8960]

That's interesting, all I ever hear is "it's easier to get a job when you already have a job". (Except in cases where there is a requirement to be available right away.)

[@davidrobinson9528]

@@annaeverette8960facts. Got 2 well paying jobs gunning for me and I was all nonchalant in the interviews. Telling them what I will and won’t do. Got a raise before I started. Not to mention I already have multiple side hustles. It absolutely does help

[@Towerbrian23]

If you quit your job, there’s a reason. That reason will determine whether you burn that bridge or not. In my time, I’ve burned many bridges mainly because of management and I made myself clear that if management begins wronging their employees they will walk. After I left a couple of jobs people followed

[@eduardovaldez4013]

If its voluntary, preferrably quit after you have another offer. If its involuntary, layoff is the way to go, you might get severance that way.

[@keithmarlowe5569]

Possibly training as well. Not sure if it's much value, but some states mandate it.

[@charliedallachie3539]

Fewer jobs are offering severance at least in my experience. I’ve only gotten just my last paycheck and if lucky paid out PTO.

[@eduardovaldez4013]

@@charliedallachie3539 Well, if you let them fire you at least you get unemployment benefits, but again, layoff is preferable. But hopping out before the SHTF is the best alternative, a daunting task even in the best of circumstances.

[@newagain9964]

Why is laid off even part of the convo? It’s a no brainer vs other two options.

[@mbank3832]

I am actually happy I got laid off in my first job. I got paid two weeks extra without working from severance. I then went traveling while collecting unemployment and then found a job after the unemployment pay ends. Best period ever

[@Str953]

How long did it take for you to find a new job?

[@shudson489]

I heard it’s frowned upon to travel or take vacations while receiving Unemployment checks. I might be wrong?

[@mbank3832]

@@shudson489 not that I heard of, didn't know we can't even stay at another state for a week during this period

[@shudson489]

@@mbank3832 I guess morally the approach is how do you have money to travel if you’re on unemployment which is meant to go towards paying bills. Even if the trip was just a state over. Make sense?

[@mbank3832]

@@shudson489 if you travel smart, which is possible. since layoff has psychology effect on you (that is why you got those mental health support brochure along with the severance packet), a getaway will definitely help. And just because you don't have a job, doesn't mean you don't have savings to support your travel. Make sense ?

[@Anamnesis]

I've been through all of them, but it's most amusing to quit a terrible employer that treated you like garbage, then have them beg you to stay with counter offers, all the while knowing you have no intention of taking them but enjoying the fact that you can deliberately waste their time making them think you're dumb enough to accept a counter. Not only are they losing something they undervalued, but they're also wasting a good portion of their productive time in being unproductive trying to retain you. It's sort of like getting a telemarketing call and then deliberately wasting the caller's time by answering their questions with absolute nonsense purely for entertainment value. It goes without saying that this is only a course of action to be taken with terrible employers that deserve to be treated in the worst way possible, and that you won't be working with again.

[@UserUser-ku6gm]

I cannot take much more at my current role. Its completely soul crushing and they are running off all the decent talent

[@GungaLaGunga]

My thoughts... "soul crushing" that's why i quit. but make sure you have one year minimum savings for expenses, in cash. Tom Leykis calls that an 'ef you fund'. IMO, i'd wait a few more months in this very precarious Feb 2023 economy. It might blast off or collapse. I am 'temporarily retired' and DREAD fidning a new job. Job search is so horrible. Hiring process utterly broken. So i'm distracting myself, watching videos like this lol. I want to work, and love working. But IMO, right now, being an employee mostly just sucks. I don't want a family or culture. I just want to enjoy working and get paid fairly. Have to find something I can stand to bear and enjoy doing. good luck!

[@octavia1amazing]

Hi! Just checking in - how are you doing?

[@WeWuzKangzNsheeet]

A GREAT point at 1:50 about boomeranging back to an old job. 10 months ago I left my job for a new opportunity and it has been a terrible experience. I left the old job in great terms and kept in touch with my old boss and he reached out to me so in the hopes I can boomerang back!

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Always preferable to have the option, even if you don't need it.

[@WeWuzKangzNsheeet]

@@ALifeAfterLayoff EXACTLY! When he called me, it was like a miracle, took me all my might to hold my happiness in and stay professional, lol.

[@gerberjoanne266]

I think that being laid off is best, as it's understood that it was likely nothing personal, but due to structural changes. If you're fired, it makes for an awkward moment during future job interviews.

[@newagain9964]

Obviously laid off is best. But that’s not as near as common as ppl get fired or quit.

[@arjayonan2953]

I had health problems while I'm working at my previous job. The company sent me a warning letter because of my late time -ins due to my health issues. They said I am now in a brink of termination and told me to provide an explanation letter. Guess what I sent? Resignation letter. Better to quit than being fired.

[@siobahnhurley85]

Actually, you could have sued them for that. It’s illegal in every state to fire someone for health reasons. Especially if you can prove it.

[@SL-lz9jr]

Adding to Siobahn's advice, most jobs have to provide reasonable accommodations for anyone requiring it due to health or disability. They're exempt from compliance if it'll cause undue hardship on the company to accommodate you. I highly doubt you being late for work would cause undue hardship, depending on the job you had.

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

In that case - yes....then you can tell your new employer that you quit rather than you were fired.

[@brian186]

In this particular instance, I would have documented with HR my health issues, contacted an attorney, and let them fire me.

[@I..cast..fireball]

You could have had a lawsuit against them if fired due to med issues.

[@okjosh]

I took the freedom fire route. Get to collect $700/week. No problem getting offers. I just put that Im still working at the company that fired me. Since new jobs don’t expect you to use your current job as a reference, it has never been an issue.

[@majormarketing6552]

Genius

[@brian186]

As long as they don't do employment verification turning up the discrepancy, then why not?

[@paulsmith4875]

This is the way!!

[@Teixas666]

6:30 this ticks me off so badly. you are generally expected ot give notice when you intend to quit, but most employers can competely blindside you and have it be perfectly "legal". and this is for the ones that actually abide by your notice fairly and dont take it as a signal to make your last couple of weeks utterly miserable hoping you abandon the job entirely and relinquish your benefits. it's for sht like this that any talks of " we are family here" or "we value loyalty" are worthless today.

[@the_only_living_ghost]

Well said

[@schuylergeery-zink1923]

My sister’s boyfriend didn’t give notice when he got a new job. Because we live in an at will state even if you get a job offer you can be let go at ANY time for any reason. His daughter had just been born during his job transition so it was too risky to give any notice. He simply worked until the last day before he started his new job and quit. He had continuous employment and wasn’t gonna get screwed over by his previous company. Since employers don’t usually give employees notice of termination it’s ludicrous to expect the same for most jobs. When I’m contracting and am fostering a good relationship with my client, that’s a different story. We have timelines and open communication. But an employee if you’ll never have to interact with that company again? Nah.

[@douglaswilliams5794]

I got too old and expensive at a past job. The EEOC, ADA, and ADEA laws proved to be a very interesting area for all employees to study up on. It it amazing how future employers respond to this. When asked about being fired, I say yes with glee. Then I follow up with the reason why; I walked in on a firm’s partner having Whoopi with their secretary. This makes the interview process interesting too.

[@kaycartier2245]

😄 I might have to borrow something like that.

[@jaydenp4975]

Did you get hired?

[@callmeishmaelk767]

Same here, except I'm still at the job. Been here 30 years. All the sudden in the past two years I'm considered a sucky employee, after decades of good reviews and a couple of promotions. Also, I have a pension at this place and they recently stopped offering the pension to new employees and after that went on a DEI/young people hiring spree. If this ever went to court it would be pretty damn obvious to a judge what is going on. So I'm just waiting it out.

[@meavinka]

Never got fired. But got laid off and honestly it gave my life such a push. Not only I've got quite good leave compensation, I also had time to think of the fact that I actually wanna do completely different job. So it was such a great head start... :)

[@asadb1990]

Instead of the company's references, I just have family and friends be my reference. And being honest only hurts you during the interview process.

[@waterbottle4782]

Without even watching the video, don't just quit. If you want to collect employment insurance then get yourself fired or laid off.

[@AnthonyRusso93]

Frigging preach bonus points if you are fired for bologna if you quit to supercede that quitting means you validate that reason

[@monterreymxisfun3627]

If you find a regulatory violation and report it to a government agency, that will get you managed out and offered a severance package in exchange for a release of legal claims.

[@jackcarraway4707]

Don't think you can collect unemployment if you were fired.

[@monterreymxisfun3627]

@@jackcarraway4707 However you can if you're being managed out. It's all about leverage. Your reason for being fired has to rise the level to gross misconduct to be denied benefits.

[@kevinsjournal]

I've been in all 3 cases, 1 of my last videos was interestingly on this, sometimes getting fired could be silver lining, since it helped me make decision whether or not to leave to begin with.

[@thedownwardmachine]

Leave on your own terms if you can, hopping to a new job while you still have one. If you can’t, characterize it as a *financial* problem with the company or team. In any case, don’t be negative about the company or really in general. There I saved you 11 minutes lol

[@LassieFarm]

OMG never go back to a previous job. Bad bad idea. You will be depressed and treated badly.

[@twhite3850]

In the past couple of years, no one ever asked why I had left my previous job. However, that question seemed to be more prevalent, more than 4 years ago.

[@samxaiver9852]

AND THE HITS KEEP COMING! GREAT INTEL!

[@suehuang1742]

You are amazing!!! Very sincere, experienced, and practical!

[@CoryFPS]

I was able to leave a bad job by resigning and returning to an old employer. I was able to, without knowing which employer it would be, because I left all of my jobs in a reasonable manner. Bad job ended up calling me back when a better project returned, but I declined as I found a factory was a better fit for me.

[@botcat]

Great video !!! Very helpful

[@desimo147]

I know the company I work for has (at least on a few occasions) told an under-performing employee they need to find another job in the next month or two because they will be let go after that. The idea being that it's much easier to find a job if you already have one. I guess you could call it a win-win, because the employee approaches their job search from a position of power, while their current employer avoids having to pay any severance or unemployment.

[@saramartinez3142]

I was getting ready to do a lateral move but going full time to part time in order to go to school and work. Working in manufacturing there is a huge shortage of talent that stays for the long term and I've stayed longer than I anticipated. Leaving my position is also for my own sanity since I think it's very boring and a dead end job anyways. Me and my HR had an understanding that I would stop at a certain date and begin working under a new manager. My old manager as nice as he was denied me the move and I was told I'd he stuck in the position until "we can backfill the position " which could be months past my original date. Now I'm going to put in my 2 weeks and they'll lose me in my current position as well as my new one in which they desperately needed the help. I don't capitulate to ultimatums and neither should you.

[@MyVanir]

Further proof that you can't be friends with your bosses.

[@SwimminWitDaFishies]

Brian ... When you're at the retirement eligible age (and tenure), and you're fed up with your job, you should always RETIRE rather than QUIT. Of course, if you're going to need to continue to work, you should have something lined up before you do it. And those PIPs, can actually be BS and used as a weapon by horrible mgmt. I know, I had one.

[@slconley]

All great points!

[@Miz-Newsy]

In Texas, if you are “fired for cause” you may not be eligible for unemployment, but you will at least have a 6 week waiting period. If you are fired for cause, and are denied unemployment, please challenge the decision, especially if the environment was hostile, you were bullied or harassed, and the conditions made it difficult to do a good job. Illness like Covid, or a family member who needed your care are good reasons why your job performance may have dipped. A lot of people win the challenge.

[@user-tg9st5wx2h]

I was just being laid off recently and indeed I was totally caught off guard when out of sudden I was called to a meeting and was told that my position is being made redundant. I was stunned yet calm when I was told of it. I don't know if it is a blessing in disguise since I am entitled to severance payment although it is lesser than what I expected and I already have plans to leave my current job due to toxic superior and work environment and have been quiet quitting since a year ago when I decided that I have to leave sooner or later. Although I knew that globally the company was not doing well but there was no sign of layoff and I was the only person to get laid off.

[@shirtlesslager]

I hope your job doesn't involve communicating effectively.

[@jholmansky]

Do you have a video on how to answer the, "Why were you laid off?" question when you weren't given a reason, and were a top performer? My husband was caught up in the tech industry layoffs, and has been asked this question a couple times now. It always throws him. He suspects his previous company hired too many middle managers, but he doesn't really know, since his boss's boss spent a whopping 2 minutes giving him the news, and said, "We're not discussing reasons," when he asked why. His boss didn't even know it was happening and found out after he did, and was literally in tears when he called her. She also wasn't given a reason and told him, "For all I know, they put my name, your name, and Bob's name in a hat for all the sense it makes." He finds the question so demoralizing because in the back of his mind he has that tiny voice of doubt asking, "Why WAS it me and not someone else?"

[@trutrek913]

You're focusing too much on why HE was laid off along with the others, it is nothing personal. The truth is its a numbers game and your husband was one of the numbers, regardless if he was a top performer or not. The reason you should give is "I was laid off along with 150+ others (or whatever number it is) plus many management positions due to corporate downsizing from the recent market downturn, as you've seen in the news" and then follow up with something along the lines of "Its a disappointment, cuz I really liked working there, but that's the way the business world is" and be upbeat about it. This will show that you have no hard feelings towards the company and that erases any suspicion of his performance and also makes him a safe candidate because he didn't bad mouth the company and future employers like that.

[@majormarketing6552]

Say they laid you off because you walked in on the boss having sex with his secretary

[@natashac5861]

@@trutrek913 great answer 👍 👏 👌 very professional!

[@nick8243]

I got fired back in 2015 just two months into my job after relocated cross country and was able to collect maximum unemployment benefits from my previous state. I think the reason I qualified for UI was because the employer ignored the state's request for a hearing. So they could only make a decision based on my hearing alone.

[@cardo1111]

Good topic, appreciate you sharing your knowledge. As a side note certain states require 2 consecutive quarters of full-time work before being eligible for unemployment benefits regardless of whether or not you were let go for poor performance/company lay-off.

[@churchofpos2279]

I quit/retired last year after being threaten with termination , because I refused the Jab. I did not give 2 weeks notice, since they did not give me 2 weeks notice regarding the threaten termination. I had no plans to go back to them , as I moved across the country.

[@cjanquart]

I landed another position and left a job at Hoag hospital, giving them a one week notice. Manager told me that since I didn't give them a two week notice that I won't be eligible for rehire. I had the Luke Skywalker moment where he sold his landspeeder on Tatooine because "that's OK, I'm not coming back to this company anyway."

[@charliedallachie3539]

As long as you’re not fired for misconduct, absenteeism, or something illegal usually you can still get unemployment even if it’s “performance” related. It’s on the employer to contest and prove you’re not eligible. In general it’s best to stick it out until getting an offer for another job.

[@c0t0d0s7]

I was fired for performance reasons. I let them fire me because if I had quit, I would have had to pay back the money they spent to relocate me to another office. They also paid me severance for my 11 years with the company. I had an interview for another position to which I had applied already scheduled for the week after I was fired, so I know I was eligible for rehire. Not that I plan to return to that hellhole.

[@runninrebel1520]

I lined up a job before I quit both times. Best decision I made was leaving those two ignorant work places.

[@dancalmpeaceful3903]

Actually, from what I"ve heard, per the laws, when your NEW prospective employer calls your OLD company....ALL your old company will do and CAN do is just verify that you worked there for X amount of years. They are not allowed to say WHY you are no longer working there or what happened as to why.

[@spencershaw4419]

I’ve never been fired from a job, but the trick is to know when to quit. I’ve quit the following jobs: a summer camp job, two jobs at the same credit union at different times, a two-week stint at Bank o’ America, a job at the IRS, and finally a job at a mid-size regional commercial bank where we were bought out and my job changed. Now I work at a mid-sized regional credit union with the best pay I’ve ever had. I only left two of those jobs without a backup job in place, but I also feel like I grew as a person during those breaks in employment.

[@marclabelle4253]

There's one more reason to get fired instead of quitting: If you're in a pending legal action that is wage related (child support, alimony being the main two) and are currently on the higher end of the range for compensation for your role or are higher compensated than your adversary in the legal action. The courts can view this as "Willful unemployment/under employment" if you don't move into a roughly equally or better compensated role quickly. If instead you're terminated involuntarily for any reason (fired, laid off) then you're not going to be nearly as vulnerable to the court's actions on that front.

[@mukbangjeezus126]

Just got laid off, however I qualify for unemployment, and they gave me a severance package. I'm going to take a month off to reassess things. I need the break.

[@fentagin1917]

My personal opinion is to get fired to get the compensation package. I do not want to make it easy for them and give away even a cent...

[@richvandervecken3954]

I believe that from the point of view of maintaining our self esteem and motivation to succeed it is best to quit a job rather than be fired or laid off. If you quit your job you always know that your current situation is by choice and not because of other people or the universe being against you. This empowers us to be confident going forward and confidence in your own abilities is a great attribute to have during the job interview process. You can honestly tell your future employer that you left your old employer to pursue new goals in life. I would only quit an existing job without having another job offer under conditions that are of a legal or ethical concern where I could not of good conscience continue to participate in my current job role. Usually if a company is working to fire you, there are indicators at least a year in advance which gives you time for a job search. Being laid off can happen in as little as 3 months if your employer wants to temporarily set aside profits to cut labor costs. All they have to do is meet the reduced work requirement of the law which they can accomplish by not accepting new contracts for about 2 months. If you notice a drastic reduction in work at your current employers I would immediately start a job search by updating your resume and sending it out to prospective new employers.

[@hag12100]

I personally say it's better to have another job offer accepted before quitting, then again various medical, toxic environments, and other factors can make one want to quit sooner. Only get fired if you need the money bad and don't have significant savings. A layoff is a bit better as you could maybe use your employer as a reference but other than that it's still like being fired...

[@rgbsax]

Have done or gone through all 3 and it always works out.

[@kkhalifah1019]

I got laid off from my last job. Sure it was traumatic to find out that you're losing your rice bowl, but it turned out to be awesome. I got several months' pay as part of the severance package. I had way too much freelancing opportunities immediately after that & was offered another job with a higher position & 20% better salary just a month later. Basically I was never out of employment after being laid off, therefore that severance package became a really fat bonus.

[@sneakyquick]

I have been fired three times for non performance reasons. Mostly because I had a successful side business that my employer didnt like me having. Today employers dont care they just need new employees.

[@motohotsauce9435]

I was being harassed by my boss at Honeywell and recorded him threatening to ruin my career and inventing lies about things I did not say with no proof on my review. He refused to report a serious work harassment claim I had with y another employee to HR which is a direct violation of company procedures. HR sided with my manager to protect the company even though they said what he did was in direct conflict with the rules of conduct. I had all my conversations with HR recorded too. Recording without consent is legal and admissible in court where I live and was advised to me by my lawyer. He was using his US scumbag tactics, but I live in Europe our labor laws are different. He was playing nasty games without knowing the local rules. Honeywell did not want to go to court since they did not want to take the chance of losing and the potential legal costs and time. I settled on a 6 figure payout to leave and had a job waiting for me that paid much more. This was the only time I ever came out ahead with a big company. I still laugh about it. I wish I was there when HR told my manager I recorded him and they heard the recordings which conflicted with his side of the story. luv it.

[@uacbpa]

In a place where I worked I was "fired" but treated like I was laid off. They offered a severance package and didn't contest unemployment. Later that place was boycotted for racially discriminatory practices (which I was not fully aware of). Then it made sense what they did. This is great information. I have walked away from jobs and burned bridges behind me. In those instances it was the right thing for me to do, as they were bad, toxic, exploitative and downright unethical places. I did know that I wanted nothing to do with them, and in some instances I already had something else lined up. If there's a good working relationship and I am just looking for better opportunities to further my career, then I wouldn't burn the bridge behind me. However, some former employers did resent me moving on to a better place, so I'm not sure if they would have taken me back. The rule should be that I care about good professional relationships, but not to the point where I feel dependent on them.

[@juliekostas7322]

My severance years ago from a Wall Street firm was taxed at 48% immediately (IRS viewed it as a 'bonus') and I couldn't claim unemployment for the 2 months I had severance. It was awful.

[@mystery79]

4 years ago I was part of a mass RIF (to outsource our jobs). I felt shocked but also anger at how the company did that to all of us at once. I found a job 2 months later but I still miss a lot of the people I used to work with. Most of the hiring managers I spoke with during my job search were aware of the RIF, news travels fast if it’s a known company.

[@tedbendixson]

You should do one on the consequences of quitting to start your own business or finish a really important project. I recently quit a mobile app contracting gig to finish a video game I've been working on for years. I know I'll be fine, but there's always this nagging part of my mind that worries about interviewing for jobs if the business fails. I'm sure I can spin it as a learning experience, or something to that effect, but the problem is at that point I would probably only be entering the labor market because I need the money and not because I'm actually passionate about mobile app developer jobs. I suppose that's much better than being "damaged goods" from a layoff, but it also means I'm not likely to stick around at most jobs for more than a year or so because I don't really want to do the jobs longterm. I just want to make my games.

[@BoringTroublemaker]

I think you just answered your own question.

[@monterreymxisfun3627]

When asked about your previous employer, look the interviewer straight in the eye and say "I was sh!t canned!".

[@dcabral00]

I would say it you had to pick, quitting is better because if you are quitting is because you can afford to do it. The other two are usually involuntary, although unemployment benefits and severance could come with that.

[@kevinbrooks1104]

I quit and I have been fired. I'm 57 so thier has not been much that I have not seen. The best thing to do is go out on top , after you have made your mark. Because if you do it right you can leave with cake and friends. If you leave don't look back. Because you left for a reason. No communication, title change , metrics too high and weak leadership. These thing never change. Don't go back. Save and plan don't let them destroy your life plan, remember that you are the pilot of your destiny.

[@andrewquint7962]

Why would I admit to a prospective employer that I was fired when my previous employer would probably never divulge that information? Why not just say that I was laid off?

[@althunder4269]

Just say you quit or were laid off. A company that fired an employee will not say they were fired because it exposes them to a potential lawsuit.

[@kaycartier2245]

@@althunder4269 That changes from state to state. I wish it was that way everywhere. Best to check your states laws. I had to learn the hard way.

[@keemiel4005]

It’s also possible to get severance when terminated for performance depending upon company, tenure at the company and whether a good faith effort to improve performance has been demonstrated.

[@bethiciaprasek1008]

Laid off, especially if you read the tea leaves regarding timing. I always ask if I am eligible for rehire. I always am. Work in a very cyclical industry where lay-offs are normal.

[@untouchable360x]

Just hand in company property and say, "My watch has ended." Then walk out of the door.

[@finned958]

Layoff is better. You get unemployment checks from local government. Chance of recall from company when fortunes are better. Fired means no return. Quitting means they don’t think of you when you want to come back. Another option is a early retirement. Then finally is a severance package for leaving on your own. The last two should be considered depending on your age.

[@user-dd7oi6vg5j]

And don't forget that in some states (Montana is one) employers can let you go at will up to the end of your first year.

[@hexorcist4537]

I jump ship before layoffs happen. Less competition than waiting and fighting former coworkers for the same job,

[@Arrow-vu7xc]

I was informed that I would not be invited back to my job during the fall semester at my college for the RA role. After giving it some thought I decided it would be in my best interest to step down immediately instead of riding out the final few weeks of the semester. I did need to focus on grades so I used that as an excuse. Looking back I do think this was the correct decision. My terms not theirs, even though the reason I believe I got terminated was because I broke conduct and lied about it. You live and you learn. Either way glad to have my freedom back and I can focus on what really matters, getting my degree.

[@mip33]

Yep that's what just happened to me had all great reviews and was just talking to my boss about a raise and had a review on Tuesday and they just sent me the email Friday

[@tubalcain6874]

Quit or get fired? That’s a no brainer for anyone who’s been out in the trenches and died on the “at will employment” hill (been there, done that more than once). Never… Never ever…quit (unless you have another bonafide job offer in hand). You’re automatically denied UI (unless you can prove extenuating circumstances like sexual harassment, racial harassment, violence against your person, etc., but this is all a stretch, especially if you’re not a protected class). Always let the employer terminate you. Then immediately file for UI. Unless the employer can prove gross misconduct, UI is almost always a shoe in. There’s a little thing in the determination called “giving a good faith effort”. I’ve had one douchey employer push back on a UI claim, but he couldn’t prove gross misconduct, and I was awarded UI. It’s easier to beg for forgiveness, or just say you were cut (like a layoff suggestive approach) and quickly move it along. If some chump prospective employer wants to dwell on it and question it, just walk.

[@kashemvai5025]

LITERALLY my situation nowadays

[@maurecara6908]

Good video I got wrongly dismissed and discovered that the only option open to me was to the self-employed I haven't looked back since except to try and make them accountable but they refused to be

[@Smokey187um1]

Good video, and I'm sure others have already said this,but only quit if you have something else lined up, don't need the job or the money or there is an agreed severance package and offer from company to do so. If none of the above you ride it out and make them work, so you can raise your grievance,have your day at tribunal, or get your unemployment benefits from government or any insurance that you may have.

[@MatthewMoscotto]

It’s always best to quit once you confirm employment with another company. This keeps cash flow. Getting laid off or fired are easily the worst since you have to apply for unemployment and the uncertainty rises in when will you find your next role to get a full paycheck.

[@pamelamayton3135]

I left a previous job due to a toxic boss. We were arguing and he said “if you walk out, you’re fired.” I left. I was unable to get unemployment and he also took back a holiday bonus. I tried to fight to get unemployment but it never happened. Do you think I should’ve fought harder for it?

[@Prod1jbtc]

Probably. No harm in fighting for it considering you probably should have gotten it.

[@blairwaldorf5970]

I think God will give you much better things instead. Don't worry.

[@SegaDisneyUniverse]

I would've fought the boss for taking my holiday bonus, and claimed their teeth in my taxes.

[@pamelamayton3135]

I tried to fight but the asshole managed to win out. This was several years ago. I just had to give up the fight. ☹️

[@niggaflies]

It’s better to quit

[@snaptreks5840]

How do you go about explaining you were medically retired, particularly if you’ve had a number of years off for rehabilitation? What would you say to explain this and show that it’s fine to hire you now you’ve had treatment. Things like PTSD etc?

[@na3rrrtddyboy695]

PIMP Stands for performance improvement plan?! Hhhmm nice one.

[@gamerscubeixxi2152]

Just curious, but my management team has decided to lean on me so heavy , I’m doing the work of two technicians. Plus teaching a manufacturing engineer how to troubleshoot industrial computers. Then my supervisor wonders why I don’t have time to perform the 110 preventive work orders I’ve been assigned, which is the highest in the department, plus I’m the lowest paid, when doing industry research I’ve decided it isn’t going to benefit me to stay here as the work load keeps increasing because they can’t push it off on anyone else. I asked management why they are only doing this to me, and they said flat out it’s because I can handle it. Correct me if I’m wrong, I expect significant pay increase if this is the case. But if not , I think I’m just being used , because these guys aren’t doing the work.

[@majormarketing6552]

Quit

[@MyVanir]

Write up a resume where you describe how good a job you did with that workload and use it to find a job that either doesn't overwork you or offers a fatter paycheck for the increased workload.

[@uzi710]

this is me as well, doing the job of 2 if not 3 people at once. I'm thinking of resigning because if something goes wrong, let's say health hazard, I will be the one that is going to deal with it for the rest of my life. but I presume that it won't look good on my resume. life is so difficult.

[@BMan100]

Looking at being laid off maybe this week, or fired ...but it's management as there has been a major revolving door in the company I work for, a lot of the good people are gone.

[@davidbrewer7937]

Good subject. I took a job last spring & had my first review late at about 5 months which was glowing. Then 5 weeks later I was let go for no cause. It caught me on the hop but thinking back, I am fail sure it is because I attended an online meeting which I was invited to with one of our suppliers... I was told tgat my boss went nuts when he heard & tore a strip iff the supplier who apologized profusely to him but also emailed me an apology for "getting me into trouble"... I don't think my boss ever got over it but in reality, I did nothing wrong, I simply attended a 20 minute meeting to which I was invited & it was even during my lunch break!

[@wintersun398]

they sound like a real control freak. I’ve worked with people who want to control access to ‘their’ contacts. There’s no need for it other than their insecurity

[@davidbrewer7937]

@Winter Sun looking back, they are. The meeting was simply to provide technical input to solve a design problem in a cheap, practical way. The impact of my suggested solution created paid retrofit work for my employer which was worth probably 30 grand... I had already politelt raised a concern that my employer did not like technicians to have ownership for a job which was frustrating. For example, one technician fault finds, another orders parts, then a third installs the part. For all 3 technicians, there was no conclusion, no victory lap, no closed end learning process...

[@Merr_Khan]

I made my boss fire me a while back, small company, capped on pay, and many violations of state and fed labor laws. Also he bragged about never firing an employee so they can't collect, he makes them quit. After 2 yrs, last 6 months of which he tried making me quit every day. I finally had enough of his BS, I sat down with him, and started going over the list of 7 things that he was in violation of. After each one on the list I asked, "I'm i fired and can i collect"?. after #3 he said yes. I stud up, shook his hand and said, "have a nice day". walked away an never looked back. This was 2 month before covid shut downs. Best 2 yrs i ever spent not working.

[@chrisf5418]

In some circumstances, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits if you choose to leave because of your employers' actions or inactions. Research "constructive dismissal" aka "constructive discharge".

[@Bolpat]

The talk about unemployment benefits is 100% specific to the US.

[@jonsimmons4150]

Lol! I remember one supervisor was complaining how i fixed a problem on gear that was supposed to be at customers in 4 days, but there was no quality control or verification of dimensions upon receiving machined parts,so not my fault *but* i was accused of bad procedure, he wanted to fire me, and told me he would get me fired today, i quickly wrote out a letter on a4 paper with my quitting immediatly, and i hurried to hand it to senior management BEFORE the supervisor could fire me, and have that satisfaction. His attitude had changed when i said i was emigrating soon.

[@mikapeltokorpi7671]

Employers (yes, plural) are contacting me, so I can skip this conversation altogether. Both in this round and in previous one couple of years ago. So I just have to sell myself to them before quiting. LinkedIn is key on this.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Agreed. LinkedIn is arguably as important as your resume in getting hired quickly.

[@rachelmorgan6291]

I quit my job due to an incompetent boss. The original boss that hired me quit, and once this new boss took over, the company culture changed. Can I say in the interview that I left my last job due to the change in "company culture" ?

[@nicholasroberts1374]

I am currently in an insane situation. I was laid off last November. The new boss is based on Asia and decided to build his team there. They asked me to stay to the end of December. In December they asked me to stay to the end of March. Now they have asked me to stay until the end of July. I have used this somewhat to my advantage (able to be more selective in jobs I apply to) and spin it a positive in the interview ("my current company must really value me if they want me to stay longer"). I am fortunate that I have a) a legitimate reason why my job disappeared and b) a positive spin that I actually did good at the current role

[@stevematson4808]

Please do a video on when an employer accidentally fired a good essential worker. Will the manager ever admit it. Will they get in trouble with higher management?

[@thelazycrafter4u]

I got laid off from a company because I had jury duty. I think the boss thought I was faking. I said I would provide documents. Another job I had to leave because a family emergency, and the company said I was ineligible for rehire. But they keep looking for people. When I mention the family emergency in the interview potential employers flip out. Why?

[@JUMALATION1]

I sort of got a combination of being fired and laid off, aka the company couldn't renew my current contract due to complications throughout the company that shouldn't have affected my department at all but it still did. It feels so hopeless looking for work right now. I don't want to apply for any grocery store shelf stocking job as a "fast solution" (I do however respect fast and efficient shelf stockers in stores, you're awesome), but I would like some type of work that really is "up my alley". I hope I don't come off as too snobby but I would like to use my brain power to the best of my ability thanks to my education and work experience.

[@MyVanir]

Don't tell that to youtube comments, tell that to potential employers.

[@someutubchannel69]

What to say to someone who was just fired...? Please advise. Thanks

[@maxheidlage8040]

I basically walked out of my last job. When I got there, there were 20 people on our shift, by the time I left, there were only six people including me. I had worked there for six months waiting to get hired full time and it was just full of toxic people that were jerks and I had enough and walked out. I found a more stable job closer to home that paid more with better people and better benefits. I later found out from a former coworker that less than two months after I left they closed they’re doors for good. Walking out was the best decision I ever made.

[@JasonTaylor-po5xc]

I was fired from my first job out of college after 8 months on the job. It was mostly my fault as I deployed some code that wasn't extensively tested (early web technology), which resulted in a form that didn't work correctly. However, it really was a perfect storm against me - as the company was dying (3 changes in business direction in 6 months) and there were no safeguards to prevent a kid fresh out of college from deploying code directly to production. I also made some relationship mistakes by criticizing other's code in the comments I left in the source code. The business had actually acquired my website that I built as a starting point but they immediately ruined it by placing a login wall (like a "free" pay wall) in order to use the site - which, of course, which resulted in plummeting site traffic. My original site didn't have that requirement. Anyway, I was required to come in on the weekend and fix the problem - but at that point, I didn't realize I would be fired on that Monday. They trusted me enough to be the only person in the office on a Saturday for several hours. Of course, I was devasted. But, I had a great network of friends and supportive family. They simply encouraged me to take a day or so to emotionally recover but that I had a "new job" of getting the next job. I would get up at 8am - just like work before, and spend a full 8 hours working on getting my next job. After that, call it a day and go hang out with friends and relax. I worked 40 hours a week, but I took the nights and weekends off. During my downtime, I would reflect on how I could have done things differently and any lessons I could learn from the experience. Thankfully, my skills were in super high demand and it only took a couple weeks to land a better job, with better pay with a stable company. I would stay a that position for 4.5 years (which is considered a long time in the IT field). In that time, I probably did the most personal and professional growth - I had a trade with the person that would become my mentor - I would teach him Java (a new programming language they wanted to use) and he would teach me how to write and develop solid software (he was a 20-year career software engineer) regardless of the language. In later years, I realized this wasn't a fair trade at all. A new language is just syntax and perhaps a few new tools. What he taught me in 6 months was more valuable than anything I got from college. Today, I try to model what my first mentor gave me. I think they did ask why I left my last job, but it's been over 20 years since then so I don't remember if I was fully transparent with them. I think based on the advice from my friends and family, I simply leaned into the fact my former company was a dot-com startup that shifted direction every other month. So, I'm sure I answered that indirectly and allowed them to draw their own conclusion. Some things I learned when I got fired. First, be honest about what you did wrong and look to address the weak areas or blind spots. Own your mistakes, we all make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes cost our jobs. Second, having a strong support network is important. It is so tempting to spiral inward when something like this happens. Third, it is critical to pick a high demand skill or profession. I know of many folks that experienced a job loss that took them months or even more than a year to land a new job.