A little history. About 2 years ago I decided to join State Farm with the intentions of becoming an Agent. I had all my NYS certs/Licenses for Insurance and completed a very tough, very detailed background check and learning program. After a board review they offered me an internship with an agent. One month into working for this agent I was fired for BS reasons. She was brand new and maybe she just didnt know what to do but either way she fired me. The only time in my life I had been fired. Here is the letter I just sent to her today. Just because it makes me feel better. :o)
Hello. This is Adam Valastro, you should remember me. I’m the guy that you fired in the very begining of opening your business. Anyway, I just wanted to let you in on a little information you might like to know about.
When I first started with State Farm I was very excited. Actually it became my dream and everything in my life was put to the side. I joined the Agent Career Track program and made it through successfully at a young age when considering the rest of the Agent pool. This dream should sound familiar because it is the same dream that you had and are still living out today. At the completion of my Career Track, the team told me to take one to two years internship at a new office. I agreed and was joined with you on the opening of your office.
I was very excited and could not wait to start the learning process so that I to could live the dream that I had. To be in business for myself, to have the backing of a very large and very prosperous corporate business and to be working with people on a daily basis. This dream was shattered when you decided to fire me for reasons that even during the firing process seemed transparent and weak. I beleive they included not turning my time card in on time, which did get sent to you but apparently got lost in the process, of which I was willing to show the proof that I had, that it was sent. You didn’t even want to see it. Your second reason was that I was late one morning by two minutes. Ok, I won’t argue that but firing someone based on being two minutes late and a missing time card which I had proof of sending it a little absurd. And in this case a large loss for you and here is why:
As of December 2008 I started up a partnership called Advanced Tek Solutions. We provide consultation services and repair for computer and networking systems. In less than one month the business became very very successful. From a couple of hundred dollars a month and working out of my living room, we grew to a gross multi-million dollar a year company doing business internationally. All this from the guy who you thought was unable to handle answering your phones. And I did it without the help and support of a huge corporation. I did it on my own at the age of 24.
My life in fact continued to grow in success after working for you. In fact if I was still with you I would still not be as successful as I am now. Which is why I am not upset with the situation presented to me a couple a years ago.
But what I want to say to you is this. Before you fire someone, realize that you aren’t just firing them, you are doing much more than that. Also, maybe take other things into consideration when deciding to fire someone. Even better, if someone might be struggling in the begining don’t just throw them to the curb. Maybe take their hand and help them along before just giving them the boot because they dont meet YOUR expectations.
Congratulations on your success. When I read the title to this thread I thought your letter would contain at least some kind of expletive but you took the high road. It’s obvious that it was her loss in firing you but everything happens for a reason and your dream denied paved the way for a great future for you, good luck.
You are right and usually I don’t harbor these types of feelings for a long periods of time. But to me it was a VERY big deal and it took her 5 minutes to get rid of over a years worth of hard for me.
Imagine going through background checks, meetings, and interviews for 12 months. The entire time the size of the initial pool is shrinking as they rid people they believe will not be able to work for the company. We started out with a 65 member pool and by the end of the 12 months we were down to 16, me included. It was very stressful, and a lot of work. After all that hard work she fires me for what reasons I determine to be absurd.
So to me it makes a difference to write that letter.
Survival of the fittest… Thats how shit goes, I doubt that letter will make any impact on anybody and will show to them that you stayed awake in sleepless nights because you got fired, I doubt they will even remember you. It’s life, your doing good now, the past is the past you can sleep peacefully.
well if the girl fired him for stupid reasons, i think more or less hes just letting her know that he could have made they’re company thrive if he had been given the chance.
