<p>I just finished my first year in college and worked in a dining hall during the year. Throughout the first semester I was a pretty good worker (never missed a shift, always on time, etc.) and apparently my boss took notice and promoted me to a student manager position with more pay. I had personal issues during the second semester (my aunt, who I was very close to, was diagnosed with breast cancer and passed away shortly soon after) and ended up slacking off at work. I did do my job, but I wasn't really invested in it and even though I always showed up, I took longer breaks than I should have and talked to other students too much.
So anyway, a few days after I come home for summer break I get a one line email from my boss saying she was not going to retain me as a student manager. I sent a response email explaining my personal issues and basically pleading for my job back. I haven't received a response but it's only been a day. My question is, do I have any shot of getting the job back? Does anyone think she'll even respond to my email? Normally I would think so but since she never gave me any signal she would fire me during the semester, never said anything and sent me such a short email with no explanation I'm figuring she views my firing as dealt with and over with and sees no need to respond.
By the way, I get a "sob story" doesn't automatically give me a second chance and everyone has problems but has to learn to overcome them (that's life). I'm just looking for any advice or a different perspective. Thanks.</p>
<p>Well now it’s just a waiting game. </p>
<p>None of us really know her, so we can’t really guess how she’ll respond. As long as you were courteous and professional, it couldn’t hurt. </p>
<p>I’d have talked to her during the semester and explained your problems, though. Just so she knew.</p>
<p>This isn’t meant as criticism, just some advice for next time: As a supervisor, it always helps me to know if an employee is having some personal issues that might affect attendance or performance. Most bosses are willing to adjust schedules, reassign duties, and generally cut a little slack to the employee who they know is struggling with something. Keeping us in the loop lets us know that you care about your job performance, even if your work is temporarily suffering a bit. And it opens the line of communication, so that you’ll probably get some early warning if your job is in jeopardy. </p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>If she doesn’t respond go see her in person. It will make you appear serious about your commitment to be a better worker.</p>
<p>I agree, seeing her in person will show that you are more commited to getting the job back. Let her know that you went through some hard times but that your willing to work hard and make up for the lacked duties you had earlier. If she resists, offer that your willing to work the job you had before you got promoted to show how serious you are.</p>
<p>" My question is, do I have any shot of getting the job back? Does anyone think she’ll even respond to my email? Normally I would think so but since she never gave me any signal she would fire me during the semester, never said anything and sent me such a short email with no explanation I’m figuring she views my firing as dealt with and over with and sees no need to respond. "</p>
<p>Yes, there’s a good chance that’s how she is viewing the situation, and you won’t be able to do anything about it. If you’d have kept her in the loop about your problems and had done your best to handle your responsibilities well, her reaction probably would have been different. However, for all she knows now, you’re making up a sob story – something that many students in similar situations do-- and she feels she’d rather give your position to someone who has demonstrated more responsibility.</p>
<p>It is too bad that she didn’t warn you about your job performance, but that’s not unusual. It’s hard for many people to criticize the people whom they’re supervising. Typically, bosses don’t tell employees why the employees are being let go. The bosses just cite things like budget cuts.</p>
<p>The fact that you knew that you were slacking also tells your boss that you were aware of your irresponsibility, but weren’t willing to do things differently unless you were forced to. That’s also not going to make her want to rehire you. </p>
<p>Best option: Learn from this experience so you handle your next job better.</p>
<p>Don’t see how your aunt’s death is an excuse for your slacking off at work. Shame on you for trying to justify your actions as grieving for her. You took advantage of your student manager position and thought you could get away with taking extra break time and chatting too much. Your boss promoted you but you let her down by being a poor example for the other employees. You didn’t do the work as expected and do not deserve your job back. Learn from the experience.</p>
<p>As harsh as it sounds, I tend to agree with Batllo… although it’s impossible to know his personal circumstances. Maybe he REALLY loved his aunt. At any rate, everyone makes mistakes, so try to find a new job if this one doesn’t come back and good luck to ya!</p>
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<p>dude… he just lost an aunt… he will never ever see her ever again… and you expect him to be his shiny happy productive self? show some respect…</p>
<p>death can devastate people. my friend lost his dad not too long ago and i never seen him for about a month. when he came back, my friend was 20 lbs. lighter from the depression.</p>
<p>I apologize if my comments are harsh. The point I was trying to convey was if he needed time to grieve then he should have called his boss explained the situation, taken time off and return to work when he was ready. Showing up to work and slacking by chatting too much and taking extra time on breaks is not respectful of his boss and his manager position. He hopes to beg his way back to his job. His boss cannot hire him back because he was not a good employee and a poor example to others. Gotta keep the boss in the loop, you never want to let the boss think that promoting you is a bad idea. Hope the OP finds other work soon.</p>
<p>Another approach would be to go for the basic job, and not for your manager position back.</p>
<p>As a manager I would prefer to have staff take some time
off than slack off at work, especially if he is in a managerial position. I sympathize with OP’s personal problem, but it can’t be at expense of work. I am sure the supervisor felt it was a slap in the face to promote someone then to slack off. </p>
<p>I think OP may have a better chance of getting the job back by trying to apologize, for misplacing the trust. A sincere letter of apology, not a sob story. Then maybe ask for a lesser job to start with until he could prove himself again.</p>