Employment advice needed

[lindasarahlou]

My DS20 took on a new job on 1 May. His manager called him in for a catch up meeting 2 weeks ago, "just to check how things were going".≈ Her only feedback was that his line manager felt that he could be taking more notes and when asked if he had any problems or things he felt could be improved on he said he probably needed to focus more on his attention to detail.≈ Other than that all was fine.≈ He was on leave last week, as previously agreed on commencement of employment.≈ Today his manager and one of the partners asked him for a meeting where he was told that unfortunately his skills in 2 software packages weren't at the level required and that his poor attention to detail meant that they would be terminating his employment.≈ He is devastated and confused. The 2 software packages they mentioned he hasn't actually been asked to use yet, apart from one occasion where he thinks he did just fine!≈ They did tell him when they did 2nd interview for the job that the role he had been put forward for by an agency was higher than his experience but took him on anyway.≈ They kept apologising through his meeting today and said the only way he could stay was to demote him to a more junior role,≈ but that he probably wouldn't want that after "this" meeting and didn't really give him the option!≈ The really annoying thing is that due to expanding and restructuring they are taking on 5 new members of staff next month including juniors!≈

Sorry, just needed to get this off my chest really, I'm so cross on his behalf.≈ Are they allowed to do this?≈ Is it likely to be just a case of his face doesn't fit!?≈ He is quite a quiet person and not very sociable.≈ He was enjoying the job and felt proud of it and the office.≈ He is being paid til the end of the month instead of a week as in their terms.

He really didn't need this knock to his confidence.

[tspill]

This is an unfortunate welcome to the real world.

I suspect he will have to just suck it up, learn some life experience from it and move on.

Part of the problem is education etc is now so soft, it doesn't prepare our young people for real life which is far from fair.

Maybe this sounds harsh, but he has two choices - dust himself down, learn and move on strengthened from the experience or mope around and let it eat him away.
Life is very hard at times. Few kids learn this these days.

[Guest]

Yes they are able to do this. Within the first two years of employment the employer only has to give the contractual notice to terminate somebody, which it sounds like they have.

Without knowing any of the individuals, I can see no reason why this would be down to his “face not fitting”. There are millions of quiet people that do not socialise holding jobs. I think that the best thing for your son to do would be to take feedback on board and in his next job, take notes and pay more attention to detail.

[joanna23]

Could he ask to prove himself in one of the more junior roles? It might be worth him asking. Wishing him every luck.

[tocpe321]

I think I'd be a bit peeved if they had asked me for honest feedback about myself and then they quoted that as part of the reason for terminating my contract.

However, it sounds like he was going to be let go anyway.

Wishing your son well and hopefully in 6 months time he will be well-established in a better fitting job, thriving and completely over this disappointing experience.

[itsrachelhere]

My husband had something very similar a few months back. It seemed they basically used the probation period as a trial without announcing it to be so. During his time there he learnt that there were regularly taking people on and letting them go within the first few weeks, so at least he knew he wasn't the only one it had happened to. Other people in the office were getting very frustrated as they were investing time into new colleagues, only to watch them leave a few weeks later. Sounds like a similar industry as well... in fact if it turned out to be the same firm I wouldn't be at all shocked.

[lindasarahlou]

Thanks all, yeah, it is harsh, but it is a life lesson! Doesn't make it any easier as a mum!

It was in an accountants office, he has been training as a bookkeeper/trainee accountant, and having completed AAT3 had hoped this company would help take him through some accounting qualifications.

I wasn't really after any answers, just really needed to get it off my chest as I wasn't sleeping! Onwards and upwards hopefully

[Andybear]

Originally Posted by itsrachelhere

My husband had something very similar a few months back. It seemed they basically used the probation period as a trial without announcing it to be so. During his time there he learnt that there were regularly taking people on and letting them go within the first few weeks, so at least he knew he wasn't the only one it had happened to. Other people in the office were getting very frustrated as they were investing time into new colleagues, only to watch them leave a few weeks later. Sounds like a similar industry as well... in fact if it turned out to be the same firm I wouldn't be at all shocked.

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I've always assumed probationary periods were trial periods. Certainly that's been the case at every company I've worked for including my current one.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by lindasarahlou

Thanks all, yeah, it is harsh, but it is a life lesson! Doesn't make it any easier as a mum!

It was in an accountants office, he has been training as a bookkeeper/trainee accountant, and having completed AAT3 had hoped this company would help take him through some accounting qualifications.

I wasn't really after any answers, just really needed to get it off my chest as I wasn't sleeping! Onwards and upwards hopefully

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I am an accountant of 27 years and have trained / coached many starting out in the profession and managed large teams of accountants. I would definitely expect a trainee to be taking notes of absolutely everything they do and afterwards, I would expect them to be writing any scribbled notes up properly.

Also attention to detail, especially in more junior roles where the individual is working on the details is critically important in this occupation and a lack of it would create a great deal of rework up the review chain.

It is a bit hard that he was not given the opportunity to work on these things and improve. But things being as they are, I would reiterate my earlier thoughts, that he needs to take this specific feedback on board, as it sounds valid, put this behind him but do things differently next time having learned specific lessons. Most of all, remember it is not the end of the world.

[bonnies mum]

I am retired but keep up to date with ex-colleagues.
A new staff member was taken on, by regional manager not branch management. Branch staff says she is lazy, unhelpful & apparently off a lot after her regular nights out.
At the end of probationary period branch did not want to keep her on but were told that there was insufficient grounds to not ratify her employment
She is still there & apparently not meeting standards other staff have to and do.
Seems like whst constitutes the meaning of a trial period is arbritary, and down to the employer.