June 16, 2009

The trigger that makes them decide

I have a friend who was laid off from her job due to something which we found to be so absurd. We are taking the matter to the labour department and will be making sure she gets her due. We believe that she does not want to work back at that place as the way she was terminated was like a slave being shot before anyone investigate what was accused of her. She was terminated 24 hours and although she asked for clemency as she had two sons to support, they arbitratily sack her without any regards to these facts. She was devastated and was drifting aimlessly without work for quite some time. As she was a very good friend of my business partner, I was involved too in a way in trying to help her out. Hearing what happened to her made everyone angry.

My business partner was very supportive of her and was trying to find her a job which suited her. She was very good at what she does and she had the contacts and the know-how. The problem is that her industry is one of those which needs you to know-who more than know-how (isn't all industry like that here?). So, it was quite some time before she managed to land a gig. She did a good job at it that the organiser asked her to handle the event again next year. However, as the pay was quite miniscule, she did need a job to fill her coffer in between gigs. So, she joined a friend who was looking for someone who can market his second-hand car business. A simple job but she had to contend with the prejudice which comes in working with second-hand car dealers.

Then, she braved herself and had a discussion with the second-hand car dealer owner who is also a friend. They struck a deal, albeit one sided but she was in charge of everything on the business and that include the account. It was not a perfect deal but she partly owns the business and she will make a bit of a profit before she was given more if she can prove the business can really makes money. What was surprising was the fact that nearly all of the clients that she contacted (which she plans to 'steal' from her former company) seem to be giving her a try and she may even signing up a few within the month.

As we were having some drinks a few days ago, my wife commented on this fact and she actually said that she should have tried it way before. Before what happened to her happened. For me, if not for what had happened, she wouldn't have the guts and she wouldn't have done what she did.

I call that the TRIGGER.

2 comments:

Rick (Ratty) said...

I wish people were protected with their jobs a little more here. If they decide to lay someone off or fire them, they can do almost nothing unless it is an extreme case. Sometimes getting wrongfully laid off can motivate somebody though, just like you friend.

Legal Cat said...

The extreme employers here are the same and they are willing to go to court so that they can do it again and again...

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