Those of you who have been fired.

[smidgy]

Question (just curious) -what Faith prevents working Fri & Sat?

I would guess Jewish. doesn't the Sabbath start at sundown on Friday and end at sundown on Saturday? No work allowed on the Sabbath.

OP, if this is your faith, then I think you are in the wrong line of work. (although it obviously didn't hinder you for years. but obviously it wasn't a problem for your previous employer).

unfortunately, in today's market, restuatants esp. want people who are available whenever. flexibility. even if they hire someone for mondays-thursdays, they still want that person to be available to fill-in if one of the weekend persons is sick, etc. they are really cutting staff numbers down, so there aren't as many available for fill ins. and, unfortunately, no longer need many on weeknights.

I agree about not mentioning the firing. you want to FIRST get the interview. if asked at the interview, you can say it was a difference of opinion about policy. and make yourself sound good. NEVER say you lost your temper.
good luck.

 

[smidgy]

or maybe Seventh Day Adventist?

anyway, I waitress on fri and sat nights and sunday 12 - 8. the rest. is closed mon and tues. and wed and thur, just the owners work. I have tried to find a place to work a couple weeknights,myself, but no one wants to hire me if I'm not also available at least one weekend night, weekends are a must.

now, sometimes places are looking for a bartender for a few slow nights. would you consider that?

 

[castleview]

I agree about not mentioning the firing. you want to FIRST get the interview. if asked at the interview, you can say it was a difference of opinion about policy. and make yourself sound good. NEVER say you lost your temper.
good luck.

Agreed. Anyone worth working for knows that sometimes jobs don't work out - several people I know, myself included (Gen Xer ) simply should have quit long before they were asked to quit. That's tough to do in a recession though. Good luck and don't let the last job hinder you.

 

[kydisneyfans]

I also look at apps and do hiring for my company.

-Take the firing off, just put dates of employment and the company name on the resume. I do not check previous employment, even though I should.

-The Fri/Sat nights off will make you almost completely unemployable in this economy. The more flexible, the better. You may try to find a family owned restaurant that closes early, a coffee shop, hospital restaurant, etc.

-Call the business and follow up on the application. I can receive up to 75 calls/apps for 1 job. There is only 1 of me and I just don't have time to call people back. Those that follow up and stay in touch are the first I turn to when an opening occurs.

 

[HM]

I hope you find something! Pixies to you. I wish you could work lunches. That was the hardest hours to cover when I worked in the industry and would make you more marketable.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Awww...thanks everyone!

I practice Judaism and I cannot work from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown and it's never been a problem before. Even in retail (I work at Sears) that's two of the busiest days for them and they hired me knowing I'm not available those days.

SO...I went to Ryan's and filled out the application. SO...I went to Ryan's and filled out the application. I put on that I left Ruby's because the restaurant was going in a bad direction. In some ways, that was the truth.

Manager came out to talk to me and the FIRST thing I told him is that I cannot work Friday nights or all day Saturday. He said to me that's NOT a concern for him but Sundays are. I told him I'm available all day Sundays. He was VERY happy to hear that. Even though the ad was on snagajob.com, he mentioned that he didn't really need anyone, but he really liked me and wanted to give me a chance. I thought I was going to fall out of my chair! He found it admirable that I worked for one company for nearly 12 years and I was honest with him about how things were going with Ruby's and how corporate was taking them in a direction I didn't like. He mentioned that Ryan's was corporate too and things happen, but I told him...different company, different pace, new opportunity. He appreciated that. He wants me to call on Sunday to figure out what time I need to come in for training on Monday. I turned in my two weeks to Sears yesterday (Wed) and I feel SO much better now. $7.21 an hour and 12 hours a week IS NOT paying my bills! I know I won't make at Ryan's what I made at Ruby's, but it'll be more than I'm making now and that's what matters. Also, I can get insurance for me and Mo, as we don't have any right now. I applied for the FL KidCare Program for him, so we'll see how that goes too.

This has been some of the hardest 90 days of my life and I care not to repeat it again. I've learned some hard lessons and I also thank ALL of you who told me to NOT mention the loss of temper. Yes it happens, but if you can not have someone in your company who's already admitted to it, then don't hire them.
I'll have to take all this slowly and really work on keeping everything, including my temper, under control. I hurt my family financially pretty bad these last 90 days and I have a lot to make up for. I do have Mo in daycare now, she's right across the street from our home as a matter of fact. They're GREAT neighbors and we've known them for nearly 4 years. She only charges me $10 a day because Mo isn't there very long. So if I have to, I can work a few day shifts, they just have to give me enough notice so I can let my provider know.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE! BE BLESSED!

 

[debster812]

SO...I went to Ryan's and filled out the application. I put on that I left Ruby's because the restaurant was going in a bad direction. In some ways, that was the truth.

This is another big no-no. You should NEVER ever badmouth, or imply anything bad about your prior employer. A simple "I felt it was time a new environment for me" is much better than you thought the restaurant was going in a bad direction.

I've never worked restaurants, but I was in the A/V Retail industry for 17 years. It literally seemed like it was the same few hundred people working for all our vendors, they just switched companies. I imagine most industries are like that, and you never know who might know who, and the things you say and do could get back to people you'd never expect them to.

 

[golfgirl3613]

I'm glad you had a good interview. I used to work in the golf industry, and we would take on any competent waitress/bartender, no matter what their schedule. We had people who only wanted 2 days, and people who couldn't work weekends. As long as they are competent, reliable, that was the most important thing.

 

[C.Ann]

Awww...thanks everyone!

I practice Judaism and I cannot work from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown and it's never been a problem before. Even in retail (I work at Sears) that's two of the busiest days for them and they hired me knowing I'm not available those days.

SO...I went to Ryan's and filled out the application. I put on that I left Ruby's because I needed to explore better opportunities. In some ways, that was the truth.

Manager came out to talk to me and the FIRST thing I told him is that I cannot work Friday nights or all day Saturday. He said to me that's NOT a concern for him but Sundays are. I told him I'm available all day Sundays. He was VERY happy to hear that. Even though the ad was on snagajob.com, he mentioned that he didn't really need anyone, but he really liked me and wanted to give me a chance. I thought I was going to fall out of my chair! He found it admirable that I worked for one company for nearly 12 years and I was honest with him about how things were going with Ruby's and how corporate was taking them in a direction I didn't like. He mentioned that Ryan's was corporate too and things happen, but I told him...different company, different pace, new opportunity. He appreciated that. He wants me to call on Sunday to figure out what time I need to come in for training on Monday. I turned in my two weeks to Sears yesterday (Wed) and I feel SO much better now. $7.21 an hour and 12 hours a week IS NOT paying my bills! I know I won't make at Ryan's what I made at Ruby's, but it'll be more than I'm making now and that's what matters. Also, I can get insurance for me and Mo, as we don't have any right now. I applied for the FL KidCare Program for him, so we'll see how that goes too.

This has been some of the hardest 90 days of my life and I care not to repeat it again. I've learned some hard lessons and I also thank ALL of you who told me to NOT mention the loss of temper. Yes it happens, but if you can not have someone in your company who's already admitted to it, then don't hire them.
I'll have to take all this slowly and really work on keeping everything, including my temper, under control. I hurt my family financially pretty bad these last 90 days and I have a lot to make up for. I do have Mo in daycare now, she's right across the street from our home as a matter of fact. They're GREAT neighbors and we've known them for nearly 4 years. She only charges me $10 a day because Mo isn't there very long. So if I have to, I can work a few day shifts, they just have to give me enough notice so I can let my provider know.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE! BE BLESSED!

---------------------

Wonderful news!!! I hope it works out well for you..

 

[LaurenLC]

For everyone that made comments about the lack of Friday/Saturday availability..... All employers legally have to make a reasonable accommodation for an employee based on their religious needs. You are not able to deny employment because of someone's faith...... And yes, that means someone could work in retail or the restaurant industry and not work any Fridays/Saturdays or Sundays.

 

[smidgy]

For everyone that made comments about the lack of Friday/Saturday availability..... All employers legally have to make a reasonable accommodation for an employee based on their religious needs. You are not able to deny employment because of someone's faith...... And yes, that means someone could work in retail or the restaurant industry and not work any Fridays/Saturdays or Sundays.

while this is legally true, in practice, if a resaurant has 20 applications for one job, they don't have to hire any of them. they can hire the one they want, the person who they feel best fits their needs.lets say they have an opening for someone to work sun. nights, mon nights, thur nights, and fri. nights. (because those are the hours the person who just quit worked.) they would rather hire someone who can work those hours, than one person for 3 nights and try to find a second person who only wants fri nights. it is possible.. there are people who just want one night to supplement their income. but you can't make the restaurant hire someone who can't work the hours most needed.... and, even if your set hours are only weeknights, you still want someone who can occasionally fill in, in case the weekend people get sick, have a graduation, etc, or want to take a vacation (like.. to Disney!!!!)

that being said, tigger (OP) congrats on your job interview!!!! I hope it works out, and good luck! perhaps the sunday availability is a big plus!!! many Christians don't want sundays. good luck!

 

[frisco]

My family is Jewish, and not one of them takes Friday off.

I know I'll get flamed for this, but this is a perfect example of why I've never been serious about religion. The "rules" that come with it, to me, seem kind of ridiculous. Don't eat meat on Friday, no bread during certain days, no working on other days. Why can't you believe what you believe without having to follow rules? (within the law of course.)

A couple months back, I was at the dentist. Believe it or not, my dentist is about an hour away from where we live. Anyways, coincidentally, my grandparents are buried in a cemetary not 5 minutes from there. I decided I'd stop by and visit. Because it was a Saturday and it's a Jewish cemetary, it was closed.

I'm not trying to insult anyone. Sorry if I have. I just believe that if you feel strongly enough about something and believe in the principles in your heart, that's all that should matter.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Thanks everyone for your help and comments.

 

[hentob]

This has been some of the hardest 90 days of my life and I care not to repeat it again. I've learned some hard lessons.......

You seem like a good person

Good luck to you!

 

[sorul82?]

He said to me that's NOT a concern for him but Sundays are. I told him I'm available all day Sundays. He was VERY happy to hear that.

Sundays are huge at places like Ryan's, Golden Corral, Western Sizzler, etc. Those places stay packed with the breakfast buffet and the after church crowd.

I know I won't make at Ryan's what I made at Ruby's, but it'll be more than I'm making now and that's what matters.

You might be pleasantly surprised. Again, Sundays are pretty hopping.

This has been some of the hardest 90 days of my life and I care not to repeat it again. I've learned some hard lessons

You are not alone.

 

[TaraPA]

Is Ryan's a chain? I've never heard of it, there isn't one around here.

 

[sorul82?]

Is Ryan's a chain? I've never heard of it, there isn't one around here.

It's similar to Golden Corral.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

This is another big no-no. You should NEVER ever badmouth, or imply anything bad about your prior employer. A simple "I felt it was time a new environment for me" is much better than you thought the restaurant was going in a bad direction.

I've never worked restaurants, but I was in the A/V Retail industry for 17 years. It literally seemed like it was the same few hundred people working for all our vendors, they just switched companies. I imagine most industries are like that, and you never know who might know who, and the things you say and do could get back to people you'd never expect them to.

I know common wisdom says to never say anything negative about your old employer, BUT I don't think you can leave an employer you worked for for 12 years and just say "it was time for a new environment." That is SO neutral that a potential employer would wonder what the heck happened. It sounds like the OP talked sincerely but carefully about her experience with her last employer without trashing them. I think that's OK. I definitely agree that the OP doesn't need to tell employers she was fired or that she lost her temper.

OP, congrats on your interview!

 

[CajunDixie]

I didn't read all the replies but since the manager from the old employer is gone I might have gone back and simply stated that you had 12 years experience there and had a problem with the previous manager and you may have been hired back if your co-workers agreed that you weren't the problem.

Another thing you may have been able to do is file unemployment. In my state even if you were fired and if the employer can't/doesn't prove you did something really bad you can still collect unemployment. And you can still collect if you find a new part-time job where you don't earn as much as your previous full-time job.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I didn't read all the replies but since the manager from the old employer is gone I might have gone back and simply stated that you had 12 years experience there and had a problem with the previous manager and you may have been hired back if your co-workers agreed that you weren't the problem.

Another thing you may have been able to do is file unemployment. In my state even if you were fired and if the employer can't/doesn't prove you did something really bad you can still collect unemployment. And you can still collect if you find a new part-time job where you don't earn as much as your previous full-time job.

I didn't even think about going back. After 12 years, enough was enough and it was more than time for a change.
I did file unemployment and then turned me down because of why I was fired.

WOW...all the kind and encouraging responses.

hentob~~thanks!!

sorul82?~~hubby and I drove by Ryan's last night around 7:30 and they were STILL packed! I haven't worked a buffet type restaurant in awhile, I'd forgotten that's the place to be on Sundays. I hope I am pleasantly surprised about the tips, but ANYTHING is better than what I'm making now. And thanks for the support about my 90 day comment. If you are struggling too, may you pull out of it soon.

PrincessKitty1~~I was VERY cautious about how I explained things, but the fact of the matter is, the company has just gone in a direction that wasn't comfortable for me anymore. One of the District Managers I worked for, about 2 years ago, came in one morning, or in to one of his stores, turned in his keys and said, I've had enough of this company, it's not what it used to be...goodbye. THAT should tell you something when a District leaves that way. I missed him terribly when he left, he was very kind to me. I thought being honest was the best, but in the restaurant industry, temper is necessary thing and being fired for it, even though it was at myself, isn't what others want to hear. I now know, THAT was my reason for other restaurants not hiring me. Sears did, but that's a whole different environment. And thanks on the congrats!

AGAIN...thanks everyone and be blessed.