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About Shirley McAllister, CPP, PHR
Expertise
I can answer questions pertaining to Compensation, Health Benefits, Retirement Plans, Payroll,Payroll taxes, Employee selection, Employee Termination, Training, and Employee Incentives. I have offices in U.S., Canada, UK, South Africa,Australia and NZ. I am most confident in the U.S. and Canadian but have knowledge of the internationals. I do not have extensive knowledge of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. I do have some Human Resource Knowledge in those areas. Please do not ask me homework questions, I do not have time to answer them.

Experience
I currently hold both the U.S. and Canadian Payroll Certifications. I currently hold the SHRM PHR certification. I have worked in the Human Resources area with high emphasis on compensation and benefits for 25 years at the same company. My company is an international company and I work with our International offices whenever there is a Human Resource area needing addressed. I volunteer on the American Payroll Association hotline and have for the last 10 years or so. I answer many questions each week for other payroll and HR professionals, mostly on taxes, benefits and compensation issues. I have been the trustee for our 401K plan for Retirement benefits and our 125 Cafeteria Plan for Health Insurance benefits.

Organizations
SHRM, National APA, National DOLEA, State National Mentoring Network I.O.M.A. Advisory Board

Publications
I.O.M.A. BNA

Education/Credentials
Boise State University Human Resource Certificate Program PHR through SHRM CPP through American Payroll Association Payroll Administrator and Payroll Supervisor certification through Canadian Payroll Association Published writer of Payroll and Benefit articles in a payroll Publication 25 years experience in an International Company

Awards and Honors
Citation of Merit 8 years in a row for hotline service for A.P.A. Honor Award for child mentoring service through RSVP and National Mentoring A "Pat on the Back" award for outstanding leadership as a Youth Group Leader by "The Salvation Army." Runner up for Employee of the Year at my Company twice and Employee of the month 4 times.

Past/Present Clients
I used to answer questions on Ask.com when they had a similar quesition and answer section. I volunteer for APA hotline I also belong to several HR forums when I often answer questions

You are here: Experts > Jobs/Careers > Human Resources > Human Resources > Recently fired

Human Resources - Recently fired

Expert: Shirley McAllister, CPP, PHR - 10/21/2009

Question
Hi,

I live in the United States. I was recently fired from a job and very worried about my employment future...hoping that I would not have to resort to bagging groceries.

My history...I have been a professional graphic designer for the past 3 years. For 2 years, I worked for a small company where I was the sole graphic artist and did 90% of the day-to-day operations for the creative department which included:

1. graphic design- catalogs, logos, packaging, brochures, ads
2. communication-with company owner and co-workers, creative director, commercial artists, licensing agencies, sales reps, photographers, printers, vendors over seas-
3. formatting artwork on products
4. brain storming product development or improvement ideas
5. sample approvals, etc.

I enjoyed working there and had a good relationship with my boss and all my co-workers. My reviews were always positive. I traveled with my boss on business trips to China, Atlanta and New York. The company merged and acquired an art department of 5 people from out of state and unfortunately I was laid off. However, I have excellent references from my boss and co-workers from that company.

Approximately, a month later, I was hired by a small print shop for a "Graphic Design Specialist" position. The title is misleading since this job is mainly pre-press (setting up and preparing jobs for printing, printing jobs, light bindery work) and answering phones. Like my previous job, I was the sole "graphic designer". Actual graphic design and creative work was probably 10% of my job. It was more technical than creative. They knew I did not have print shop experience and I could only vouch that my skills worked for former employers and freelance projects. They decided to hire me and told me they would train me. I was never formally trained by them. I learned something new when I made a mistake when my boss would scold me. I did learn so much about pre-press and the functions of a print shop (which I am thankful for) but I never worked up to her expectations as a pre-press person. Working around this boss was stressful. She terminated me last week and said "You are more suited for a job with more graphic design and less pre-press and my business is primarily pre-press." I was there for 11 months.

From the design and professional experience I gained from my first job and even the pre-press knowledge I gained from the print shop can benefit another company. I am also working on learning web design.

I am trying to move on-doing freelance work, applying for jobs, networking, keeping my portfolio and resume up to date. What concerns me is how being fired from the print shop will look on my employment record-especially since this is so recent and the title is "Graphic Design Specialist" which may sound synonymous with Graphic Designer to many HR people. I have a good portfolio and a list of references throughout my professional career who can verify my competency as a graphic designer. However, if it is on my record that I was fired due to job performance, many employers may not give me the time of day. My field is competitive as it is and I don't need a smear on my record to make it even more difficult or next to impossible. Being fired for "job performance" can mean so many things...prospective employer's imaginations can run wild, assuming many things that are untrue about me.

I may not have been the best fit for the print shop, but that does not mean that I would not be a good fit for another business doing graphic design. I worked too hard over my academic and professional career to have it all thrown away due to this. I am not asking for your sympathy but your professional advice. What can I do?

Honestly, have you ever hired someone who has been fired from a job? Or would you toss the resume and move on to the next applicant? Should I just give up on what I really want to do which is graphic design and bag groceries or something else like that? Thank you for your time.

Answer
Yes, I have hired someone that has been fired from a job. Things do happen in life, there are conflicts of interest, office politics, bad job fits, mergers and reconstruction happens. I look at the skills, the education and the total work picture.

This means if you were fired from one job it would not disqualify you. If you were fired from several jobs it might .

Shirley

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