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Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

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Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#121

Post by askance »

FDpod wrote: post #84
HarrietJones wrote: post #59

I was cool with it until here : "Well it turns out I could [be fired], unless it could be reasonably inferred that I was being fired for being part of a protected class. So had my boss said “The CEO thinks you dress like a faggot” or “The CEO thinks that’s what a nigger would wear”, things would have been different. But as it stands, the fact that my boss told me I was being fired related to appearance at all was def…

It wasn't worth getting into within the post, but there were strong suggestions that the CEO may have listened to a podcast of mine where I talk about having been an escort, and many people think I come off as gay. "What your look may convey to clients" really wasn't my favorite thing to hear. http://www.fdpod.com/podcasts/episode-19-coming-out-vince-ma...

You didn't once mention the fact that you're wildly open about your personal life on the internet: http://brokeassstuart.com/blog/2013/01/30/cheap-dates-super-...

I don't know about your employer, but I would certainly think twice about keeping an employee who clearly doesn't realize the effect that this brand of open honesty has on people outside of SF kink circles.

They didn't can you because you were an escort; they canned you because you talk so openly about fucking on the internet, attached to your real name and without any kind of prompting. What else will you overshare?

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#122

Post by ams6110 »

Renaud wrote: post #99
cjensen wrote: post #26

His boss fired him and told him why? Never do that. When firing someone in an at-will state, just do it and explain nothing. Explanations can easily lead to lawsuits. It's just not worth the risk.

I find it frightening that people's livelihood is subjected to the whims of their boss to such extent. If anything, a justifiable reason as to why you are fired should be mandatory. You don't have to be a 'protected' minority to deserve a fair justification for being fired. I'm all for the right of employers to fire who they want, but we can't expect employees to be responsible for how their actions impact the compan…

Should it work both ways then? Should you have to give a justifiable reason to your employer before being permitted to quit your job?

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#123

Post by csh1234 »

FDpod wrote: post #84
HarrietJones wrote: post #59

I was cool with it until here : "Well it turns out I could [be fired], unless it could be reasonably inferred that I was being fired for being part of a protected class. So had my boss said “The CEO thinks you dress like a faggot” or “The CEO thinks that’s what a nigger would wear”, things would have been different. But as it stands, the fact that my boss told me I was being fired related to appearance at all was def…

It wasn't worth getting into within the post, but there were strong suggestions that the CEO may have listened to a podcast of mine where I talk about having been an escort, and many people think I come off as gay. "What your look may convey to clients" really wasn't my favorite thing to hear. http://www.fdpod.com/podcasts/episode-19-coming-out-vince-ma...

Really? You don't think that might have been relevant to the story? And since you have just said that you weren't doing your Full Disclosure stuff at the time I assume that you went on someone else's podcast and talked about this stuff. That associates the company with what many consider unacceptable behavior because you are their representative. Now I wonder if the conversation wasn't more on the order of, "The CEO thinks we have an appearance problem, so we are going to have to let you go"

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#124

Post by jackmaney »

nknighthb wrote: post #81
jackmaney wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"...anyone wearing a suit is, to a very high degree of probability, evil, stupid, or both." Or at a job interview.

I've never worn a suit to a job interview, and would not tolerate working for a company where I was expected to. As an interviewer, I've encountered only a couple people who did wear suits. Definitely lived down to the stereotype.

For job interviews--and only job interviews--I tend to dress up to something between a button-up silk dress shirt with pressed slacks and no tie to a full suit. I've mostly done the latter in a previous career (academia) where it was expected for interviews.

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#125

Post by DallaRosa »

More than the article itself, it's amazing how much prejudice people have, especially related to skin color. The guy can say "faggot" but if he says "nigger" you have a bunch of people saying how bad it is to use the "n" word. Oh come on. What he meant is as clear as water.

People should grow up and realize that by doing that they're just stigmatizing the object of prejudice even more.

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#126

Post by tomrod »

7Figures2Commas wrote: post #107
Retric wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doing the right thing is worth taking a little risk. As a side note, some people send out a crap resume while on unemployment so they don't get interviews. In theory you need to look for work, but if you have a fair amount of savings and want to spend the summer surfing then it's a 'safe' way around the rules.

> Doing the right thing is worth taking a little risk. I won't disagree outright with that, but what is "the right thing" here? The threat of litigation is incredibly real when it comes to employment issues. Even the most proactive employers (those that attempt to follow the law and keep meticulous records) face lawsuits from employees, former employees and job applicants. The potential damages can be significant (pa…

Yes. Ethics are often at odds with legality.

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#127

Post by wyclif »

elmuchoprez wrote: post #105
brianmcconnell wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can imagine 99% of customers never putting two and two together in the first place. I talk to salespeople all the time, and not once have I thought to inquire about their personal interests, side projects, etc.

I talk to a lot of tech sales people and I often find myself doing some casual Google research on them. I've had problems with sales people over-promising because they didn't understand the product they were selling, so I'm often interested in how long they've been with the company they are repping. And the answer is usually one Linkedin request away. I can also get their eduction and previous work history from there…

> most personal blogs make you look like an idiot

That depends on what kind of blog we're talking about. If it's someone's Tumblr where they're posting selfies, concert photos, and "deep thoughts", that's one thing. But it's certainly possible to have your front-facing, top-level-domain, professional blog showing off your work and getting you jobs.

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#128

Post by nilkn »

bobbles wrote: post #110
shubb wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got a CV through the other day from a stranger. The guy had some great experience but the CV was weird. It was 10 pages long for 4 jobs. He listed every course he'd ever been sent on, including health and safety and diversity training ones, and just mixed his degree in somewhere with them. He listed each version of word he'd used (seemly every version released) with equal prominence as Java and SQL. Each time he'd…

IMO CVs should be 3 pages. 1) Cover letter. Explain why you want the job and why you're a good person for that job. 2) Contact Details & Education. Most relevant and recent should be top of the list. 3) Previous Work experience. List only relevant skills from each position. Less is more. If they want more detail they will ask for it in the interview.

How does (2) fill an entire page outside of someone applying for an academic post who has to list all the conferences they've been to, etc.?

Re: Why I Was Fired From a Tech Startup and What My Boss Had to Say About It

#130

Post by robomartin »

moocowduckquack wrote: post #114
robomartin wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Facts matter not when the Labor Department gets involved. I walked in with a legally-binding contract done by my attorney and singed by the guy I fired. He was required to sell a certain dollar amount in 90 days. He sold exactly zero. Zero. The Labor Department mediator made me pay him several thousand dollars in ADVANCE COMMISSION I withheld at the time of firing. In reality, per the agreement, he owed ME several th…

In reality, per the agreement, he owed ME several thousand dollars How does an unsuccessful salesman owe you several thousand dollars? And you are saying you withheld money at the time of firing. Sales is precarious, but sales without a base is nasty. I also notice in your language terms like "he, effectively, never earned". Basically, it sounds like this guy worked for you, didn't do so successfully and then you wer…

> How does an unsuccessful salesman owe you several thousand dollars? And you are saying you withheld money at the time of firing.

There are many approaches to paying a sales person. I've probably tried them all. This particular variant was one where you pay a base salary, say, $30K/year and, on top of that, a advance on unearned commissions. So, every week the sales guy is getting a check with two components, one he earned and one he is presumed to earn in the future.

In most agreements the sales person is liable for any commission that was not earned at the time of separation. If I paid you $5,000 in advanced commissions and you only earned $2,500 at the time of separation you owe me $2,500. That's money I was loaning you every week on the assumption that you would sell and actually earn it in the future.

This is standard stuff, nothing revolutionary here. I have to say that as an engineer dealing with sales people was one of the most difficult and gut wrenching things I've ever had to do. It took me years to understand the, sorry, sub-species. I've seen it all.

Anyhow, the fellow in question had been advanced commissions for nearly 90 days before I let him go. Yes, I was a sap back then. I actually kept thinking that this guy would wake up after my frequent pep talks and start selling. I let him float by all the way to the 90 day mark. When I laid him off I gave him a check equivalent to four weeks of his base pay and withheld (did not pay him) the commission advance I had been paying him all along. Why? He was gone. Like I said, he actually owed me money. And, again, I was nice. I was only supposed to pay him two weeks at the point I let him go. It was near the holidays and I decided to give him another couple of weeks to be helpful. Big mistake. This was during my early days of dealing with such folks and, true to what I said above, I was a total sap. BTW, I've never had problems with engineers, web developers, marketing people, production folks, not even the shipping dudes (other than the occasional swiping of wrenches and minor tools from the shop). No, it was always the sales guys that kept me up at night until I learned.

Here in California the labor department is decidedly anti-business. It was almost a foregone conclusion that his complaint would be decided on his favor. I was too naive and inexperienced to understand the game being played.

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