Customer Reviews

Firing Back: Power Strategies for Cutting the Best Deal When You're About to Lose Your Job

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jodie-Beth Galos and Sandy McIntosh have written an extremely useful book for those who have been unjustly fired or "downsized." The authors provide a comprehensive plan for deciding what the terminated (or soon to be terminated) employee wishes to accomplish, what s/he can, in fact, accomplish, how, precisely, to enter into negotiations and pursue and monitor each phase of the process, how to reach a satisfactory settlement, and, finally, how to manage money while out of work. This clearly and elegantly written book features a balance of realistic stories about firing and negotiation processes and appropriately technical and involved legal and financial information.

This book takes the reader from a position of helplessness in the firing process to that of equals negotiating the best transition out of a work situation. While nothing will ever make the process of losing your job pleasant, this book covers all of the ins and outs of making sure that you get the best exit deal that you can, and that you don't fall apart in the time between jobs. Covering the time from before you lose your job (Yes, Virginia, there may be signs that it is coming) through the process of negotiating your exit, and what to do after it's all over, this book gives a solid, sensible approach to handling yourself in the one crisis few of us anticipate. This book tells you what to do, and more importantly, what not to do when you are being fired. Most people don't think about being fired until it's all over. Get the book and be prepared. It can happen to you.

When a client faces a daunting task of pulling his life together after being fired, usually the last thing he wants to do is "deal" with the ex-employer. This book effeciently steps the employee through the maze of beaurocratic nightmares that must be addressed. --Pam Pearson, pearsonfin@aol.com

In todays economy this is a very good book. I've let several friends borrow but I insist on getting it back. Very informative. If you even think you're on the firing line it's a must read. Recommend!

I really liked this book primarily because it addresses my specific situation. My employer promised us separation pay instead of severance pay. The book explained separation pay vs severance pay very well. I can't believe that businesses can do this to people and get away with it. I know where I stand and that I am not going to get any separation pay because the company is not legally obligated to pay me anything. In my case they are eliminating my position and sending my job to the Phillipines. Separation pay is a way for companies to promise you a lump sum payment and not pay you anything.

Visit Employee Justice Report at [...] to learn how to fire back at your employer. This is a totally free advocacy website that helps employees to get justice, especially if they cannot find an attorney, cannot get EEOC to investigate, cannot get the media to report their experience, or have lost their case in court. Employee Justice Report provides a powerful platform to fire back at your employer!

I was being subtly pushed out of a company for no good reasons except that I was not Big 10 slack jawed hick like the rest of the group. This book made me aware of my rights and how to subtley and diplomatically let the company know I was keeping track of their questionable actions and documenting all their clearly less favorable treatment of me as compared to the rest of similarly situated employees. It really worked, they backed and started treating me alot better. I think these techniques will work better for larger companies with large HR departments and coorporate reputations at stake. My advice is not to make threats but to raise your empoyers awareness that you are aware of your rights and tactifully document in subtle emails and performance reviews any wrong doings. Once you have compiled enough of these it's time to show them all to HR when they start pushing you out a little too hard ( More projects, less support than colleagues, double standards, passed over for opportuntiies, it adds up).

So forget about what your pappy told ya bout workin hard, sometimes no matter how hard ya work, someones not gonna do ya right....so stand up for yourself. From what I've seen with others, they will at least give you a larger severance payout.

FIRING BACK is extraordinarily well-written and is a great development tool even if your job is not in jeopardy. It helps you keep good records, to know what could be problematic for your employer and what could potentially be problematic for you. It gives you great ideas about how to avoid defaming the character of another (even unintentionally), and why it's important to keep notes so that you can negotiate without excessive emotion. It also points out that a separation agreement isn't one sided (p. 3), and if you're leaving your job, you have tools at your disposal to negotiate even when it's a mutual decision. This gives practical, real-life examples to help you calculate your next step on your career path, too. It has a great Q & A section. Even though Galos is an attorney, she and her co-author do not automatically steer you toward the legal profession. In fact, they show examples where that might poison the negotiations and how to decide whether or not legal action is really necessary.

The authors teach you strategies for dealing with unpleasant things in a classy manner. I was impressed with how they acknowledged that a desire for revenge was valid but that it is more important to keep acrimony out of negotiations.

This book is terrible.The "real life situations" used to convey points are so contrived they are obviously made up.This book is written on a sixth grade level and would only apply to your situation if you live in a sitcom.Very poor and possibly financially dangerous advice.Seek information elsewhere.