There’s a lot of pressure in any job, whether you work for a corporation or in the fast-food industry. In addition to the everyday challenges of working with people, you also have to do your best to make sure that every one of your duties are met. It’s normal to think about changing jobs. There are times when it's useful to do so, such as when you want to gain new skills and broaden your experience. However, life sometimes has a way of taking you to the wrong places.
This is why Jimmy Fallon asked people to send in their stories on Twitter using the hashtag #WhyIGotFired. Some of these stories are hilarious, while some are quite brutal. If you have ever gotten fired from a job, you're bound to find something here that will make you feel a bit better about yourself.
Jack and Rose at Work
One of the biggest advantages of working in a video store is having so many movies available. If you’re a movie buff, you may not want to work anywhere else. However, it seems that Doug and his pal got too comfortable at work, resulting in some intense stares from their customers.
Reenacting one of the movie's best-known moments didn't go over well with their audience. Unfortunately, instead of being applauded, Doug was fired. At the end of the day, it's probably best to reenact a movie scene at home and not at work.
Looking for New Opportunities
When you’re having conversations about work-related matters, especially those that might be construed as negative about your company or coworkers, it’s best to do so in private. It’s also wise to make sure you’re not doing so in a way that could potentially get you fired.
Leah was looking for a new job and called her coworker to share the news. However, all this time, her company was listening in on such conversations. We’re told to keep our personal life separate from our professional life, and this is the reason why!
Mission Failed
When there are cameras set up all around your building, you know your plan has gotten out of hand. Kimberlee might've gotten away with arriving late to work if not for the security cameras that captured her sneaking in a back door.
Unless your workplace is very lenient with you and doesn't care much about when you clock in and out, it's impossible to falsify your hours at work. When Kimberlee forgot that her workplace had cameras, it was a recipe for disaster and resulted in her firing.
Acrylic Nails As Topping
One should always be conscious of personal hygiene when preparing food. Some people may not be bothered by the shortness or the shape of your nails, but keeping your hands in good condition is essential for any profession that involves working with food. This is especially true if you are working face-to-face with customers.
This woman got into an awkward situation when one of her acrylics fell onto an ice cream cone. That's not classy at all. It's a little weird to get a mint chocolate chip with a side of fake nails. This is just gross!
Round It All Up
When you’re working as a cashier in a restaurant, it’s important to know how to work with money. Each bill has a value, and you must count out each one when giving change. If you don’t, you could make a mistake. Carrie ended up rounding up the bills every time, and as a result, she always fell short.
This is not a math class. This is real money we're talking about. We hope she continues working on her calculating skills. Working in a restaurant is both intimidating and rewarding. Just make sure your skills are polished enough to handle the demands of the job.
Do Not Disturb
A friend of Rikmik’s fired an employee for claiming he couldn’t get out of a sticky situation. We’ve all heard of excuses such as, “the dog ate my homework.” However, in this case, the reason given was that the worker didn’t want to disturb the cat perched on his lap.
When choosing between working or petting your feline friend, it's tempting to let the cat stay put. But sometimes, you have no choice but to move them. Rik's buddy probably made the right choice in firing this flaky employee!
Table Manners Not Found
Sure, it is possible to eat mayonnaise from a jar using your bare hands, but who would want to do that? This Wendy’s employee, apparently. Goodbye, table manners! Such behavior is odd, and the worker should probably keep such outrageous practices to herself.
Food handlers in restaurants are expected to wear gloves when handling food, and the manager should act swiftly to deal with employees who don't follow this rule. Restaurants risk closure if they don't maintain a certain level of cleanliness, and customers can report unhygienic practices to the local health inspector. We hope this mayonnaise-gobbling employee learned her lesson and improved her manners.
The Ikea Game
Ikea is a sweet place for playing hide-and-seek. Since it's full of furniture, you can find endless hiding places. There are tables, cupboards, beds, and sofas everywhere. Finding ways to entertain themselves, these employees decided to make up their own game in Ikea.
There is something wonderful about seeing adults break free of their day-to-day responsibilities and act like children again. It’s even more fun when you get to do this with your co-workers. However, the fun didn't last long. The Ikea boss wasn’t happy to see these employees goofing off while they were supposed to be working.
Learning The Hard Way
Oven cleaning is hard work that requires focus. Just as you must never leave the gas on, you must also be careful about the cleaning products you use. Unfortunately, Jasper was a little too careless, and a simple act of ignorance resulted in a major accident.
Jasper innocently left the oven cleaning in the oven without wiping it out. This resulted in an explosion which left the kitchen in chaos. The door blew off the oven, and they were lucky no one got hurt. Now, there’s nothing for it but to pick up the pieces and learn this oven cleaning lesson the hard way.
A Corny Mistake
Many employees who worked at corn farms get fired for eating on the job. Amanda, however, was an exception to the rule. Unlike her coworkers, who were terminated for eating, she actually destroyed the produce accidentally rather than finishing it off like a normal person.
How unexpected! Lacking the proper experience, she trampled all the corn in the field and couldn’t do a thing to fix her mistake. She ran over dozens of ears of corn, which definitely shocked everyone. Next time, when driving a tractor, make sure you're on the right track, or else you'll run over something important!
No Regrets
McNuggets are great, no matter how many you order. When you’ve had a bad day, nothing is better than a big box of McNuggets. This former McDonald’s employee was taking full advantage of his access to the nuggets by eating them whenever he could.
Employees at McDonald’s are advised to take breaks during which they can eat their lunches. This McDonald’s employee, however, couldn’t wait. He was hungry for some McNuggets, so he decided the only thing worse than being fired would be missing out on these snacks. No regrets!
Once In A Lifetime
Everyone is presented with the opportunity to get an autograph from a celebrity at some point. Anita was surprised when Zac Efron, star of High School Musical, appeared in her restaurant. She made sure not to miss this opportunity and took a chance for an autograph.
Through his appearances in Disney classics, Zac Efron has proven himself to be one of the most talented actors. There's no surprise that Anita was thrilled to receive an autograph from him. Rather than ignoring her duties, perhaps Anita should have asked her manager first. We still want to know if she was able to get Zac Efron‘s signature, though!
Glee Over Anything
Back in 2005, when Glee began, it wasn't available to stream. You had to switch on your TV and watch it at the same time every week. That was the case for this fan, who went so far as to risk her job to watch Glee!
Back in the day, we could only watch a new episode of our favorite TV show once it aired, limiting our viewing options. Now, we can watch almost anything whenever and wherever we want. We totally get why she left the job. Every once in a while, when you're having a bad teen moment, watching other teens work through their problems can help you grow as an individual. Wouldn't it be nice if William McKinley High School were real?
Fluffy Stress Reliever
When the company dog pranced by Lauren's desk, the usually focused employee was distracted. Having a dog at work is a great stress reliever and a source of joy. While researchers are unsure if having dogs at the office boosts productivity, people frequently say they work better in an environment with dogs.
Lauren found it tiring to stay in the same position for hours on end. So, she would often pet the company dog to ease her mind and take a break from work. After all, who wouldn't love a furry and cuddly companion? Unfortunately for Lauren, her boss didn’t share her sentiments and fired her for being too distracted by the dog.
The Five-Second Rule
Amusement parks are great places to visit when you want to ride on a roller coaster or just have a good time with friends. But working there isn't always fun since you have to follow strict rules and regulations.
Sydney’s friend was an employee at an amusement park. She wanted to pick up a bit of rock candy that had fallen on the ground, but the security guards wouldn’t let her. Instead, they escorted her from the premises. Next time, she should be mindful that the five-second rule doesn’t apply in the workplace!
The Starbucks Cup
Branding is what separates one product from another. If you have brand loyalty, you should avoid working for a brand that’s in competition with your favorite. It leads to major disappointments on both sides. Multiple brands exist because of the need to appeal to different segments of the customer base.
Roger went to work at Dunkin’ Donuts and brought a Starbucks cup with him. It wasn't his most brilliant decision since Dunkin' Donuts sells coffee too. He should have known better than to display a Starbucks cup at work.
An Ironic Way To Get Fired
While working hard is usually a good thing, sometimes it's necessary to take a break. When other people in the office aren't working as hard as you, it's important to stop and take a look around your workplace. Unfortunately, Candace's brother doesn't always do that.
Boeing is a high-pressure environment because it's an aerospace company. However, Candace’s brother’s co-workers felt a little too much pressure after seeing how hard he worked. They complained that they were having a hard time keeping up with him. As a result, they eventually got him fired just because he’s a workaholic.
Sugar Rush
Who in the world doesn’t love ice cream? It’s delicious, it makes us happy, and it brings us together. The sugar rush is one of the best things that could happen to anyone. If we were working at Dairy Queen, we probably would do the same thing Cassie did.
She began eating the ice cream with reckless abandon after being told that she was free to do so. The only problem was that she got carried away and ate too much ice cream, which led to her losing her job.
Late Night Shift
Closing shifts are more difficult than other times because they involve working late. Sarah is a prime example of someone who was exhausted because of her job. She forgot to do a small task, and the end result was disastrous.
Working with ice cream can be tricky because you need to be aware of the fact that it will melt if you turn the wrong switch off. Sarah accidentally left the freezer off at night and discovered a puddle of melted, useless ice cream on the floor the next morning. What a headache!
Be Careful What You Wish For
Arguing with your boss is never smart, especially when you know that they’re not going to change their mind. After all, they’re your boss – you have to accept that you have to let them win. However for Luke, it looked like his prayers were answered as he ended up on Jimmy Fallon’s show!
Sadly, it was not for the reason he’d intended. He was fired for arguing with his boss about which hashtag would be selected for Jimmy Fallon's show. Next time, he should listen to his gut when making decisions like this.
A Short Break Turned Long
Queen tried to get away with taking a break at Cinnabon by telling her boss that she was going to “use the bathroom.” Unfortunately, when her coworkers informed their boss about her excuse, Queen was not given a temporary suspension. Instead, she was fired.
This Queen loves taking a break from work, especially if it involves sugary treats. Like every other person, she probably spends hours at her desk contemplating life. One day she decided to stop worrying about work and grab a bite to eat. Sadly, she lost her job over this one small decision.
The Unexpected Glow Up
When you’re focusing on reaching a goal, it can be easy to lose sight of whether you enjoy the work you're doing. If your company doesn't have much room for growth, consider whether you would be better off at a company that will push you further.
Michael once worked as a waiter, but he knew that he could do more. Years later, when he contemplated his past work experience, he realized that his ex-manager was still in the same restaurant. Michael learned that it’s important to get out of your comfort zone and grow to your fullest potential.
The Greatest Prankster
Inhaling pepper is such a bothersome feeling, isn’t it? It’s great when it’s in food, but inhaling it on its own is much different. T. Miller pulled a prank at work and decided to annoy his coworkers with some pepper.
When he threw a large pepper sack into the restaurant’s fan, everyone began sneezing. This was very inconsiderate to others who might have had serious allergies, and so, he was fired. Hopefully, he has matured since that time and doesn’t throw pepper into people’s faces anymore.
Witty Remark
Dunkin' Donuts has to be one of the coolest jobs out there, right? You not only get to prepare the donuts, but you also get to eat them. Megan Mary Fox made the right call by saving each day's leftover bagels.
Whether her motive was medical or just a desire to be funny with her boss, Megan lost this job. She didn’t get fired for any wrongdoing, but maybe her boss wasn’t in the mood to joke around. At least she made sure she got some extra treats as a consolation prize.
Mistaken Identity
Alex was fired from his job after being wrongly accused of writing a negative article about his boss in The New York Times. Even worse, they had no proof at all. They should've checked who the author was, right?
This is clearly a case of mistaken identity, and we hope that Alex got a well-deserved second chance after being accused of a crime he did not commit. This is one of those instances where a person is just at the wrong place at the wrong moment. He wasn't to blame.
Glass In The Soup?
It can be challenging to work in a bar. You need to be independent and ready to take care of customers, who can sometimes be rough or intimidating. At the same time, you have to multitask constantly, anticipating and preparing for many different possible situations.
When Susan’s manager asked her to serve soup that contained pieces of broken glass, she refused. Susan showed good judgment by caring more about her customers than her boss, whose request was dangerous and should not have been followed. Sadly, this moral stance got her fired.
Working As A Bartender
When going to a bar, it’s normal to ask for a drink the bartender should know how to make. There are countless drinks to choose from, including mojitos, cocktails, and others. Knowing how to mix these concoctions is part of being a good bartender.
Meesha thought that being a bartender would be easy. She'd just pop open a few beers and serve them to her customers. She didn't realize, however, that being a bartender means mixing many different types of drinks, including ones she's never heard of or tried before. Considering the name of the drink, she should have tried her hand at making it.
Smeagol Impression
If you've seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy, you will recognize Smeagol as the hunchbacked creature with a raspy voice who’s obsessed with the ring. Some people are even talented enough to imitate his voice, and Katy is one such person. She confidently used her Smeagol impression to entertain her coworkers, but unfortunately, they weren’t amazed.
Katy didn't impress her coworkers in any way, shape, or form. They either weren't LOTR fanatics, or they were too busy working to pay attention. At work, you may need to loosen up a bit, or you'll get completely overwhelmed by the drudgery of your tasks.
The Other Side Of The Pen
When Micha’s father was fired, his boss delivered the news in a particularly harsh way. He felt like he was unable to do anything except ask the obvious question. Unfortunately, this was not the kind of response the boss was expecting.
Sometimes, people need to be pushed before they can reach their full potential. However, a lot of people are already struggling in their jobs and don’t need to hear that they’re lazy when they know they aren’t. The best bosses are the ones who motivate you rather than criticize you all the time.
Wrong Spelling Is Wrong
While you are writing, spend time checking your work. You don't want the hard work you have put in to be wasted because of a spelling error or grammar mistake. This sign was painted by someone who only realized he was doing it wrong when it was too late.
When you are painting words, it is important to make sure you have made no mistakes because once these mistakes are there, they cannot be fixed. Unfortunately, this guy got fired when he made a mistake, but at least he could fix it. There’s always a solution for every problem.
Short Field Trip Turned Wrong
Sometimes substitute teachers are better than your regular teacher. They give extra time, especially when you’re in trouble, and keep you on track. Unfortunately, this substitute got too comfortable in the job, which is why she was fired.
Field trips can be a lot of fun when you plan them wisely. It isn't fun, though, if your school doesn't allow them and you do them anyway. Kerri’s intentions were good, but the school didn't see that. Unfortunately, she was fired for misconduct and using retail therapy as part of the curriculum.
A Lame Excuse
Ryan worked on a cattle ranch with some workers who were caught and subsequently fired for taking $40,000 in cash from the sale of cattle. They were claiming that it was a wedding gift. What a lame excuse, right? What kind of employer would give that amount of money as a wedding gift?
Unless you want to get fired, make sure to account for all the money that isn't yours. Keep in mind that it is also essential to always be honest, even when no one is watching. This one has got to be one of the strangest #WhyIGotFired tweets out there.
Slow As A Turtle
Dairy Queen is often touted as being a great place to work, but the truth is, it’s also challenging. Susan’s daughter was one of the few unfortunate ones to say goodbye to her job at Dairy Queen. She was fired because she was too slow at preparing orders. Indeed, this girl was so slow that the ice cream melted before customers could get their hands on it.
Shouldn't employers be more understanding about new employees' mistakes? We think she deserved a second chance, especially since new employees are often stressed and overwhelmed during their first few months on the job. Well, at least there's a valuable lesson learned after each failure.
Sassy Lifeguard
Working for a company means that you will be held accountable for your behavior, both on the job and in public. Caroline was immediately fired for instigating a series of mischievous and unprofessional actions at her company.
Caroline either wanted to be fired or didn’t care about her job. In her lifeguard job, she failed to rescue a drowning adult, broke the five-second rule, and even fed her manager trash. There’s no excuse for such an attitude. We hope Caroline is aware of her shortcomings and has taken steps to improve.
The Joke Is On You
A refrigerated drawer in a morgue is one of the most unsettling sights you can see. Glen's buddy decided to play a prank on the students, only to have his own prank backfire on him. As soon as he shut the drawer, the dead came back to haunt him, and he promptly fainted.
Someone else had already had the bright idea of scaring his friend in the morgue. Glen’s friend was scared, but he didn’t know that the cadaver was a fake. Maybe next time these guys decide to scare other people, they’ll think twice about it.
The Art Of Making Excuses
Making excuses for work is a talent, but not everyone is gifted in this area. Fortunately, Lisa's dad has a knack for it. He told his boss that he couldn't attend a meeting because of pressing issues, namely an eye appointment. The thing is, that was a big lie.
He was not able to dodge the question without adding details. His manager didn't let him off the hook easily. His eyes were clearly not the problem, but he tried to avoid being fired by offering an excuse that landed him in deeper trouble.
Take Short Breaks Instead
A nap is the ultimate source of happiness. A burst of energy is important at the office, but don’t let your boss catch you powering down for a few minutes. Jenny’s boss caught her sneaking in a quick nap when she was tired and bored.
It's not good to take a nap at work. When you feel sleepy, it's best to get up and walk around. You can even go outside if you need fresh air. Drinking water or coffee will help keep you awake. While you're not being paid to sleep, you can always take short breaks whenever you need them.
Wouldn’t Miss It For The World
Francesca loved going to concerts, and in 1979, she was fired from her job because of it. Francesca wanted to meet The Who, one of the greatest bands of that era. Despite her boss telling her no, Francesca took matters into her own hands and went anyway.
There is nothing quite so satisfying as pursuing your passions and dreams, even at the expense of day-to-day responsibilities. Hearing your favorite band live is a rare experience, and Francesca should be congratulated for taking her love of music over just another day at the office.
Pen Clicking
Clicking pens can be super annoying for some people. The incessant sound can be distracting, and it can also signal anxiety in certain circumstances. Joanne’s husband fired her at a staff meeting because she was accused of continuously clicking her pen.
He fired his wife and then his secretary. The meeting must have been awkward, and the clicking of the pen only made things more uncomfortable. Sometimes, life takes you to strange places. At those times, it can be better to just roll with the punches.
A Brilliant Plan
It’s awkward to run into your boss at a grocery store or at the movies, but what if you bump into him while trying to escape from work? When you have no choice but to see him, you know you’re in a difficult situation.
Kath snuck out of work in the middle of her shift to see a movie. It was a brilliant idea, except that her boss also had the same plan. The odds were small, but with no one else there, Kathy had nowhere to hide.