This isn’t another post about how getting fired was the best thing to ever happen to me. However, getting fired 1) initially sucked ass (duh) 2) forced me to start a new career 3) I ended up back in my original career field and 4) learned valuable skills that I can monetize and ultimately led me to several new career paths that actually pay more than what I do now.
1) Yes it totally sucks being fired. I am an academic, though my writing skills desperately need improvement. I worked for a small private university, that’s a big mistake don’t leave a public institution like I did. Anyway, I was hired under a previous president who was a nice and decent man. A new president was hired who I can only describe as a religious fanatic. I’m Catholic on paper but that’s about it. During the 16/17 academic year I had gone to 7 conferences (which is an enormous amount), won an award, and published a paper in a national journal (those are as good as it gets in academia). But, because I’m not a religious nutbag, and because I expressed concern about what they president was doing at our institution (completely unethical and likely to result in a title 9 lawsuit, eventually the school was sued on multiple fronts) he saw fit to shitcan me for “budgeting reasons.” I was fired in May, which is the kiss of death for professors because our job cycle is so cyclical, all the job offers are filled by spring for the fall unless someone drops dead. I knew that I was locked out for a year and I don’t yet possess the funds to go unemployed for the year. So, after basically being fired for doing a far superior job than the rest of the faculty (this is not me bragging, I hate people who brag, this is a statement of fact that the rest of the scholars were coasting), I was out on my ass and without a paycheck.
2) Forced to start a new career. Fortunately, I’m not a one trick pony and I had various skills to fall back on besides teaching at the collegiate level. I grew up restoring a car with my father and I learned a great deal. Cars have always held my interest so without a minute to lose, I literally applied to jobs the next day, after consuming more than my fair share of adult beverages the night before, I landed a job at the local Chevrolet dealership. I started at the f***ing bottom as a lube tech. (When I started my first job in high school my boss said, “Around here you start at the bottom and work your way down.” so true. However, in the private sector, apparently the cream rises to the top. People soon found out that I wasn’t an idiot and didn’t tear things up so I was soon made an apprentice under the best technician in the shop. I learned a ton about transmission/engine overhauls, diagnosis, and general repair. The shitty part being I was still paid like a lube tech while taking on considerably more responsibility, I had the skill but not the education. Currently, I am taking as many GM trainings as I can and I have already passed 4 ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) tests. So, while working as an apprentice technician I began applying for academic jobs and eventually landed one mid-year (yes, I had done the near impossible and had only been out of the academic job cycle for 1/2 an academic year. Hint (that was part 3)
4) Before I started working at the local dealership I was already a decent mechanic. Now, I’m getting better by the minute. I also found two new career paths that I can pursue besides being a technician (National student debt is now over a trillion dollars and if that bubble bursts I’m sure I will be looking for a new job again). Dealerships employ service writers, these are the people who greet you at the dealership, find out what’s wrong with your vehicle, and schedule your services. They make good money, service writers can make between 40-100k+ depending on how skilled they are and how much business goes through the dealership. Since my PhD is in communication and because I have an extensive automotive background, I would make a good candidate for this job (my current teaching position pays little more than the starting salary for a service writer). The other position I learned about involves working for GM corporate in a position called district manager of after sales. This position starts at 70k with a college education “preferred.” FML what am I doing with a PhD making peanuts teaching? Something about enjoying what you do…. or at least that’s what I tell myself. The hours are pretty nice though.
Currently, things have worked out well, mostly because I f***ing willed it to happen. I now teach full time with benefits and retirement and I work at the dealership on Saturdays and during the summer. I make decent money but I am working a lot. Ultimately, I think that this will lead to the ultimate side hustle, repairing cars or as we say, “getting that side work.” Repairing cars and building engines and transmissions pays well. I have dreams of opening a restoration shop in my retirement.
During this whole experience I did not have to dip into my savings account but I was barely getting by. However, the only reason I was barely getting by is because of low-overhead, the subject of my next post.
In conclusion, if you are determined and hardworking, being fired can force you to learn new skill sets, which is good for you, can alert you to new career paths you hadn’t considered (maybe ones that pay better than your current position), and can possibly lead to a part time job. “Opportunities are only as good as those who take advantage of them.” Perhaps I haven’t fully taken advantage of this opportunity, time will tell dear readers. Does anyone else have tips, advice, or lessons learned from being fired?
