Fired from legal secretary job over protocol error...Not sure how to explain this in interview.

I made a protocol error by requesting a transfer to a litigation desk and was let go 5 days later.
Could anyone provide advice on how to handle this in an interview?

I've just recently come to terms with this and decided not to let a BPD attorney destroy my professional life.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

DON'T. Because whatever you say will come out wrong. We have all been there. Just how in the heil do you make a protocol error by requesting a transfer?

Welcome to Florida. I did have my career destroyed, by an office manager. I had two college degrees and twenty years of experience. She called every placement agency she could think of to run me down - and it worked.

As for you, when you get an interview and they ask why you left your last job, keep it simple, as close to the truth you can get without being bitter in your response.

I would say, the firm is cutting back on staff. I asked for a transfer to another department, and I was let go.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: What's a BPD attorney? Anything like an SOB attorney? If so, I hear ya.

You have to tell the truth if you're asked why you are no longer with that firm, so don't embellish regarding firm cutbacks. It may not be true and you could come off badly during a reference check. Just limit your response to being let go after asking for a transfer. Nothing more. It's true. Whatever you give as your reason for leaving, be as brief and succinct as possible.

LOL
BPD - Borderline Personality Disorder.

I said in my interview that I was released after requesting a transfer. It's true and I'm not going to lie.

Yeah, exactly what is wrong with wanting to work in another practice group. I was told by my recruiter that because I worked for a managing partner it was perceived as an insult to the attorney.

Thanks for the advice.

BPD - I'm lmao!!!!!

I was working for a psycho MP doing admin/marketing stuff and one time I ordered Christmas dinner for her family. No joke.

I wanted to RETURN to a litigation desk working for an associate. The associates were the nice ones who realized what a psycho my boss was. In fact the whole firm knew my boss was psycho. There was a running joke about when she got REALLY BAD that she had skipped her medication that day.

Wow, Displaced.
I hope that your displacement has allowed you to regain your sanity and health to some degree.
Your boss seems like an abuser. I hope you are getting better and I totally understand about not understanding why things happen in law firms. It's so confusing and hurtful. Feel better.

DLP-whenever I read through you stories about that firm and particulary, that partner, I just get so upset FOR you. What an a**hole. I would think that there would be certain lawsuits available to employees who suffer these kind of abuses! I also worked for an insane partner. I remember when I gave notice to leave, it was the best feeling of my life. He had his nice moments too, and believe it or not, in social situations, he wasn't half bad. But as a boss, a nightmare. I cried on my SECOND DAY on that job and stupidly stayed for 2 + years, but ONLY because I was in a very bad spot financially at the time. If I wasn't, I would have told him off and walked out.

I am applying for jobs in different restaurants to waitress. (I refuse to go to another firm). Unfortunatley, I am still in law, but hopefully, by this time next year, I will be someplace else.

Also wanted to add, isn't it against the law to badmouth someone on a reference check???

To all who have suffered abuse at the hands of lawyers, office managers, snitchy co-workers and the like, I have been legal secy for 26 yrs. At least half of my experiences are pure hell. Unfortunately, not in a position to change fields. Maybe we should get together, write a script for the silver screen, and make a FORTUNE off those above-mentioned psychos!

Hi, Abused!

26 years? Me, too - we are gluttons for punishment. The last firm was the worst: I lost count the number of times I was screamed at and called names, by secretaries and attorneys. It was a young staff - I was 20+ years older than most of them - so this behavior was pretty unbelievable. I worked for four attorneys - one guy I worked for would be polite and smile at me and then on my review, he went negative - I was totally blindsided - I went to talk to him about it, such a phony. And the secretaries were just nasty, much worse....

I didn't play up to these 20-somethings, just did my job. I guess they didn't like that. I never gave them a give for Boss' Day or Christmas - are you kidding me? I can't believe the way young people are so coddled and spoiled. (I have a 20-year old relative who is away at an elite college. Family members of each student have been asked to write letters telling them how much they mean to them. Are they serious? These kids are 20 years old - not 5!)

Well, they come to work and they treat their secretary like the hired help. Those letters and being treated like little princes and princesses all their lives really had some effect on them, yes indeed, the little darlings.

It's been a wild ride, indeed, but I can't retire - I have to go back for more, thanks to all the money the generous attorneys paid me all these years.

Displaced Legal Professional in Denver, Colorado said: Someone has already written a book: "Diary of a Mad Legal Secretary." I read excerpts. It's hilarious.

"Diary" is available online.

It's a tale worth telling - no matter how hard it is to believe!

Britney33480 in Florida said: I made a protocol error by requesting a transfer to a litigation desk and was let go 5 days later.
Could anyone provide advice on how to handle this in an interview?

I've just recently come to terms with this and decided not to let a BPD attorney destroy my professional life.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

My way of handling the legal industry period was to go back to school and prepare for a career change. I was miserable. I hated it. I felt it was a dead-end job. You go through all that crap putting up with the attys, and there is no room for advancemt b/c you can't get promoted anywhere. It's the atty who has a lot to show for your hard work, yet you will never be able to buy your own home regardless of the experience you have because pay is never high enough.

I left my last full time job 1 day b4 my 39th bday. I didn't have another job to go to and am a single mom. I moved back to Sacramento suburb - my hometown - found a p/t job and was a full time student for 3 1/2 years. I graduated w/degree in Economics last Dec and 1 day after my 43rd bday I started w/fed govt. I LOVE my new job. My branch chief, first line supevisor, and the mentor assigned to me - they are all wonderful people. I am as lucky as a lotto winner.

Good luck whatever you do. Sorry if I bored you but I tell my story because a lot of "older" (I considered myself older) chicks are afraid to go back to school and change careers for fear no one will hire them b/c of age. I had that fear, too, but did it anyway b/c I was desperate to get out.

good luck.

dh in California said: My way of handling the legal industry period was to go back to school and prepare for a career change. I was miserable. I hated it. I felt it was a dead-end job. You go through all that crap putting up with the attys, and there is no room for advancemt b/c you can't get promoted anywhere. It's the atty who has a lot to show for your hard work, yet you will never be able to buy your own home regardless of the experience you have because pay is never high enough.

I left my last full time job 1 day b4 my 39th bday. I didn't have another job to go to and am a single mom. I moved back to Sacramento suburb - my hometown - found a p/t job and was a full time student for 3 1/2 years. I graduated w/degree in Economics last Dec and 1 day after my 43rd bday I started w/fed govt. I LOVE my new job. My branch chief, first line supevisor, and the mentor assigned to me - they are all wonderful people. I am as lucky as a lotto winner.

Good luck whatever you do. Sorry if I bored you but I tell my story because a lot of "older" (I considered myself older) chicks are afraid to go back to school and change careers for fear no one will hire them b/c of age. I had that fear, too, but did it anyway b/c I was desperate to get out.

good luck.

Oh, to be 39 again. Congratulations on your hard work, not easy when you're a single mother, really! At 58, getting laid off after 14 years at one place (the nastiness factor again), things are a little different. I needed a job the day I got laid off. I'll be 60 in a few weeks. I need a job - YESTERDAY!

I stumbled upon this forum by accident this morning, now just HAD to come back and do a little "light reading". I love the BPD. If not already done so, let's take that one step further: DUPD - Definite Untreatable Personality Disorder. Also love the user name "ToHellandBack" LOL!! If we can't change careers or win the lottery, at least we can come here and share some advice and creative writing.

Actually, let's call it DUPED. Because you go to the interview, and they are on their best behavior (they know they need a butt in that secretary seat), and you're thinking, "Well, he's not so bad." We get the job, see the real attorney. And we are DUPED.

AbusedLegalSecyinPA in New Kensington, Pennsylvania said: I stumbled upon this forum by accident this morning, now just HAD to come back and do a little "light reading". I love the BPD. If not already done so, let's take that one step further: DUPD - Definite Untreatable Personality Disorder. Also love the user name "ToHellandBack" LOL!! If we can't change careers or win the lottery, at least we can come here and share some advice and creative writing.

Hi, Abused!

TH&B Here -

I like to stop in at The Forum between trips to CraigsList and CareerBuilder...

Glad you are enjoying yourself...Do I sound a little bitter? Between insulting recruiters, "we're all getting older," and an office manager telling me over the phone, without meeting me, "your resume doesn't reflect your age," and all the rejection letters, well....I just don't know....

It is a jungle out there...

Stop by anytime!

Hi All! Thanks TH&B. I totally hear you from start to finish! After losing job I mailed to law firms, companies, etc. I apply online and regularly check job boards. Interestingly, the interviews I've been on most were from cold mailing and a couple from job board and online app. One firm actually had such outdated paper app it asked date of marriage, number of children, school dates, etc. Didn't answer those and was not questioned on those during interview. You think a law firm of all places would update app! Just love it when recruiters whose job is to help YOU get a job don't even respond to messages. I hope Ed McMahn [sp?] didn't take my check with him when he went on to the next life, 'cos I've been waiting a LONG time for him to show up at my door, check and balloons in hand!!!

Hi, there in Pennsylvania! Thanks for your empathy... So, you are looking, too - keep the faith and don't give up!

I am going to the EEOC next Wednesday - that was the last straw - "your resume doesn't reflect your age" - and that was from a law firm manager - the EEOC rep said to come in when I told her about it - so, we'll see....I should have done it sooner regarding that agency, "we're all getting older." unbelievable... Another recruiter screamed at me, asking "why are your eyes so red? You don't have any self-confidence! Don't you know you're interviewing with a managing partner? You are so defensive and angry about your past employer!" I thought she was going to jump over the desk and hit me!

I just sat there, stunned, looking at her in disbelief - finally, I just told her maybe this was not the position for me, could she pass my resume along to someone else? (god..), thanked her for her time and left, thinking, what a jerk....but it wasn't over - She came running out to the elevator and handed me back my resume!

Yes, another Tale from the Dark Side from TH&B! Are you LOL yet?

Laid off during a recession, running out of money, dealing with lunatics, and now I'm looking to go back to work in a snake pit, if I'm lucky...

ToHellandBack in Oak Lawn, Illinois said: It's a tale worth telling - no matter how hard it is to believe!

-- I would gladly pay you for a look at some excerpts from your copy of The Diary of a Mad Legal Secretary. Thank you for whatever you can do. Janice Titus -- email: figleroi@aol.com

ToHellandBack in Oak Lawn, Illinois said: It's a tale worth telling - no matter how hard it is to believe!

Is Diary of a Mad Legal Secretary really available online? Last time I looked it wasn't. Could you please post the link? Thanks very much.