When It All Goes Tits Up

Everything suddenly gone wrong at work? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered…

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Bad stuff happens. This is a universal truth. But when the proverbial crap hits the fan, remember two things: first, failure is fundamental to success (see all those Silicon Valley TED talks if you don't believe us), and second, there's always something you can do. We spoke to those who had been there, seen that and fixed the problem. Here's what they learned...

YOU FAILED YOUR PROBATION

Three months into the job, and they're still not quite sure if you're a 'good fit,’ so guess what? They're extending your probation. "This is a decision that can really knock your confidence,” says Aliya Vigor-Robertson, co-founder of HR consultancy JourneyHR. "Without becoming defensive, you need to get clear feedback on your performance and where you've fallen short." So instead of hiding in the loos, dust yourself off and ask your line manager for a meeting. "Get them to set you some clear objectives that can be measured — that's the important bit. You don't want any ambiguity in what's expected of you. Then catch up regularly to check you're on track.” If you fail your probation outright, you can try to argue it — but unless they've discriminated against you in some way, there's not much you can do. If you sense things aren't going well a few weeks into a new job, don't wait until that three-month review. Ask for feedback while you've still got a chance to change things. DID YOU KNOW? You're not alone. Nearly one in five people either fail their probation period or end up having it extended.

YOU LIED ON YOUR CV AND GOT FOUND OUT