I was "let go"

Yesterday my new district manager sent me an email. "Thor, I'd like to meet with you and Kevin on Sunday. When is a good time for you?
I reply, "We will both be there at noon"
She replies, "ok, see you then"

I get there at 11am today to continue working on our Star Trek Enterprise promotion. You see, we've been building an Enterprise replica that will be hanging in the lobby...

So around 12:30 she gets there and asks to speak with me privately first. She wastes no time telling me that Bill and Tearlach (our two bosses) met with her last Tuesday and it was decided that they were "letting me go". She then proceeds to tell me that "I know this is tough so I'll give you a minute. I'm just the middle man. Nothing personal".

I wasn't even given a reason.

I'm being dead honest here. This might be the toughest thing I have ever dealt with in my life. I have been working since 15. I have an incredibly strong work ethic. I am very loyal. I've been at the Raleigh Grande for 8.5 years. Working my way up from popcorn shoveler to General Manager. I love that building, the patrons that visit, and most importantly the staff. I've given everything I have to that theater. I work on just about everyday "off" there is. That's why you may notice status updates like "off-ish today" or like the one I had earlier today... "off today, so I should only be working 6 hours!".

When Carolina Cinemas bought the Raleigh Grande I was instantly introduced to their "shady" methods when after 1 week they fired the General Manager and promoted me to GM. I guess I was a little blinded by my promotion to see just how screwed up this was. They informed me that he was getting a severance package and they just think that I'm basically the GM already. That I'm the man that everyone looks to, and perfect for the job. Of course, I ate it up.

Several months pass by and I get a lot of pressure from the bosses about the theater underperforming their expectations. And we've been working very hard to counteract that. Promoting heavily in lots of areas. You might of heard them talk us up on the radio, or how about last week when I was a speaker at the tweetup in Durham for Social Media... being praised for "staying ahead of the curb" as a business manager. Being probably the only theater in the triangle on both facebook and twitter.

What does this all mean? Honestly, much more than you can imagine. The Raleigh Grande wasn't just a job for me... it was much more. More than even a career. I've been there for 8.5 years. A THIRD OF MY LIFE! It was part of my identity. There wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for it. The direction I was talking it is constantly praised by customers.... but I guess in this world if you can't make that add up to "numbers" in a matter of months, it doesn't matter.

Here's what bothers me the most. I feel like we were almost there. Seriously. There are so many positive changes that have been made there in the last 6 months. Digital projector, beer and wine, insane amount of selection at the concession stand, the constant giveaways. And here we are, at the dawn of the "summer blockbuster season" when our attendance will peak, and an insane amount of bodies walk through the door. Many that haven't been in there in months, that will walk about noticing these changes and make this "their theater". They will leave and talk to their friends about how great it has become.

That's my hard work, that someone else will be credited with in 6 months from now, when after the summer the numbers are still great. And I won't sit here and say, "Well, they will probably fail at that now, and things will fall apart" because, 1) I don't wish that, and 2) it probably won't happen. I made sure all the other managers that are there shared my vision and they will continue on impressing the customers. I just wouldn't be surprised if they don't smile as big... at least for a while.

I just need to vent a little. Yes, I was great at my job, and I loved everything about my job. And I was "let go" without ever given a "write up/warning" or anything of the sort. No notice. No severance package. My paycheck on Friday will be my last...

Seriously, if you know of a place that is looking for a young, highly motivated, incredibly loyal, intelligent employee... please let me know.

I really am in shock and disbelief. I hope, for the staff at the theater, they really do find someone who cared as much as I did. At least the job economy is good right now....

5/3/2009 2:37:15 PM

live and let die

[Edited on May 3, 2009 at 2:38 PM. Reason : oops]

5/3/2009 2:38:18 PM

i think you can assume that it's due to the economy

5/3/2009 2:38:31 PM

woah, words. i'm going to read this though, hold on.

5/3/2009 2:38:56 PM

you know you did you know you did you know you did

5/3/2009 2:39:41 PM

5/3/2009 2:44:13 PM

I was expecting the fresh prince ending

5/3/2009 2:47:17 PM

Sorry to read that. Being let go is a huge blow to the ego, but take comfort in knowing they fucked up and you didn't really deserve to be fired.

5/3/2009 2:47:43 PM

that sucks man. sometimes a change in life is good though. try not to mope about it too much and find something else you enjoy doing for a living

5/3/2009 2:49:19 PM

I'm sorry that happened. Like ^ said, this could be a blessing.

5/3/2009 2:59:57 PM

5/3/2009 3:02:08 PM

Hey, did you work there when Chris/CJ Davis did?

5/3/2009 3:02:33 PM

Yes I did.
Chris Davis... he still in App. now?

5/3/2009 3:05:24 PM

5/3/2009 3:07:23 PM

YOU GOT FIRED FROM A MOVIE THEATER......THIS PROLLY SHOULD BE THE GREATEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE!!!

5/3/2009 3:08:27 PM

hahah... thanks KEB.. that actually made me laugh... something I haven't done in a few hours.

Because I just laid back in my chair and for a minute thought, wow... i haven't felt this stress free in a long time.

Though I feel bad for the staff there now.

I really did love my job though, so it does suck for me.

And I know it sounds silly for me to say, "I was REALLY REALLY good at what I did" because anyone could say, "well, then why did you get fired"

The same reason the GM got fired 1 week after Carolina Cinemas took over the grande... because you have to blame someone and "shuffle" things up. Like putting in a back up goalie. Except this is someones life, and not a game.

If you know anyone that actually knows me, they could tell you.
But I'm pretty much done venting.

5/3/2009 3:14:31 PM

just look at it like this

one door closes, another one opens.....

did you really see yourself working at that theater 10 years from now???

5/3/2009 3:20:24 PM

he's right

this is totally a blessing in disguise

that was a summer job that got extended for way too long

time to look forward to a more challenging career

5/3/2009 3:24:27 PM

I didn't read the whole thing, but it sounds like a layoff situation. File your unemployment, and enjoy the paid vacation.

And also, you made it sound in the beginning like you were some higher up in a major corporation or something. You worked at a fucking movie theater. It's not the end of the world.

[Edited on May 3, 2009 at 3:32 PM. Reason : a]

5/3/2009 3:30:12 PM

i know what youre feeling, the exact opposite of the happiness you felt when you got the promotion. fuck them, fuck it.....find a place that appreciates what you do and doesnt look solely at numbers (im sure you already know this)


^ yeah but hes only 24 or 25, respect the fact that he was a gm of something, he obviously has put in some work from a young age to get there.

[Edited on May 3, 2009 at 3:36 PM. Reason : .]

5/3/2009 3:34:48 PM

Think it had anything to do with your spontaneous trip to Jersey?

5/3/2009 3:35:14 PM

sweet, now the truth is coming out


PS: I too went the movie theater route. Started as an usher when I was 16, worked my way up to projectionist, then Assistant Manager at 18. But once I saw how little the Manager made and how much he worked, I decided real quick that putting focus on my education was probably the best bet. The free movies were pretty sweet though.

[Edited on May 3, 2009 at 3:38 PM. Reason : a]

5/3/2009 3:37:23 PM

damn dude, thats crazy, guess theres alot of shit i dont know about movie theatres. anyway im sure getting fired at 24 from a movie theatre in the worst economic times this country has seen in decades wont be the end of dudes career.

5/3/2009 3:40:09 PM

if she didn't give you a reason, then consider it a layoff. did she say you could use her as a reference? because it would really suck if you couldn't, considering that job is your entire resume.

5/3/2009 3:42:26 PM

Wow, that sucks, sorry to hear that.

What kind of job are you looking for? Still something movie related like at another theater or at a block buster or something, or do you have any other fields of interest in mind?

5/3/2009 3:52:22 PM

^^ has a good point. If your former employers are willing to give you a good reference, then take the opportunity to find something else that you love doing. It sounds to me like your experiences will sell themselves.

[Edited on May 3, 2009 at 3:52 PM. Reason : blah]

5/3/2009 3:52:47 PM

Quote :

"Think it had anything to do with your spontaneous trip to Jersey?"

hahah... no, that's not it. I completely had work covered for that. I ended up working 12 hours that monday... and then that tuesday when I decided to take that new jersey trip I knew I was also coming in on Wednesday (may day off) for 8 hours to work on the Star Trek Enterprise model. I told my boss I swapped shifts. That was no biggie at all.

I asked who they were replacing me with, "no one right away". Turns out that two weeks ago when they were interviewing for "city manager" (district manager) they were actually looking for my replacement. interviewing people to replace me... in my building.

sigh

5/3/2009 3:54:55 PM

and by the way, i do appreciate all the positive feedback. wasn't really expecting that from tww

she did say i could use her as a reference...so yes, i did get layed off..
so i can get a bit of unemployement.

and for those that are like... "it's just a movie theater job" well... maybe you're right. but it was much more than that to me.

5/3/2009 3:57:42 PM

Well if she is going to give you a reference, then that is a very good thing. That kind of longevity at 1 job will look VERY impressive to potential employers. You are in much better shape than most.

5/3/2009 3:59:01 PM

Quote :

"i do appreciate all the positive feedback. wasn't really expecting that from tww "

I can't speak for the rest of t-dub, but I know precisely how much it sucks to get laid off. But in my case, I wasn't let go because of a shitty economy or shady upper-management, I was let go because I just plain sucked ass at my job. Trust me, you're a lot better off than I was.

5/3/2009 4:01:39 PM

Quote :

"I was let go because I just plain sucked ass at my job"

haha. gg

5/3/2009 4:07:56 PM

No no, I wasn't literally sucking people's asses. I mean that I wasn't very good at my job.

5/3/2009 4:09:34 PM

Quote :

"What does this all mean? Honestly, much more than you can imagine. The Raleigh Grande wasn't just a job for me... it was much more. More than even a career. I've been there for 8.5 years. A THIRD OF MY LIFE! It was part of my identity. There wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for it. The direction I was talking it is constantly praised by customers.... but I guess in this world if you can't make that add up to "numbers" in a matter of months, it doesn't matter."

Business is business. We have a similar family-attitude at Lifetouch but some of us try to keep in mind it's all about money, not feelings.

5/3/2009 4:10:10 PM

I got let go for fucking around with my coworker. Try not having a job for 2 months AND being denied unemployment. You're in good shape

5/3/2009 4:10:12 PM

you are "Thor" from Raleigh Grande? whoa.

5/3/2009 4:20:18 PM

No job, no unemployment benefits were available to me, been unemployed for almost 3 months now. Been job hunting since Thanksgiving (great way to start off the holiday season, being told to find new employment). Could be worse. I am lucky enough to have saved up enough money that I can, at this point, last until September on my existing cash reserves (I'm still technically living like a college rat, but I have $600/mo in medical expenses that most people will not have).

This is a rough time to be without a job, but based on your description of your work ethic and whatnot I don't see why you couldn't get in as a salaried assistant manager at any other company in the area. Not a bad way to start either from what I've seen. I mean, aldi (the grocery store chain) was hiring for assistant managers in the area in February (when I applied for a cashier job with about 400 other people) and the starting pay was $44k/yr with good benefits.

Your unemployment benefits should cushion you well into a transition into your next job if you've been working there that long. It sucks that this happened, but remember that you are better off not working for people like that anyway. I would also definitely use the other assistant managers where you worked as references and completely bypass the upper management folks that were responsible for you being fired.

5/3/2009 4:39:34 PM

good luck man

5/3/2009 4:44:55 PM

Are you willing to relocate? With all the movie theaters that pop up everywhere, I am sure you can get on somewhere else.

5/3/2009 4:48:04 PM

sucks that it was a job you enjoyed, but yeah I'd say it's about time to move on from a movie theater job

I mean you had pretty much hit your ceiling at a place like that and if you're really that hard-working and motivated you probably could do better somewhere else

5/3/2009 4:56:44 PM

That sucks they didn't give you the exact reason they were letting you go. When I got laid off, I got it completely explained to me why it was happening, so at least I didn't have to wonder.

But yeah, it sounds like you should have tons of good references, so hopefully you can find a better job before too long. Good luck on the job hunt.

5/3/2009 5:07:13 PM

wow I'm surprised.

Don't you always make a small speech to the audience right before the big movies, like batman and such? Or am I thinking of someone else?

5/3/2009 5:15:41 PM

That fucking sucks, man. If I had any job openings at the moment I'd totally try and help you out. I know it doesn't matter at this point, but did your higher ups not know that EVERY theater is hurting right now? Seriously dude, that sucks.

5/3/2009 5:18:11 PM

wow

I remember you from BHS and you worked at Raleigh Grande then


that sucks man...

5/3/2009 5:24:25 PM

Haha. Yes I am "Thor" from the Raleigh grande. And yes I always spoke before crowds giving out prizes and stuff

5/3/2009 5:39:07 PM

whoa, you went to BHS too? that's awesome. Sucks about the job... I could tell you were always into it.

I work with a summer camp in the summer (obviously) and we would always do the free kids movie thing during the week, and I think once we had our kids to say "thank you thor" when you helped us out one day.

5/3/2009 5:42:09 PM

that sucks, man
but like everybody else has said, you're obviously an excellent worker, so if you can find some other job you're passionate about, you will rise
good luck

5/3/2009 5:46:50 PM

Aww You were my favorite manager there. I remember getting SO PISSED at one of the shift leads for being authoritative but not showing any responsibility. And you sent me a response on old school livejournal (!!!) and it made me feel all happy inside, because you wanted us employees to be happy.

I'm really sorry to hear that; I got laid off from a great internship b/c the place was losing money and had to cut positions. I got the "We have to let you go" speech.

But hey, you have a kickass job to put on your resume, and you can be considered "cheap labor" for big corporations -- big money to us young folk, not so much to the 30-40 somethings. GOOD LUCK! I graduate next week (again) with no prospects

5/3/2009 5:46:58 PM

Dude I was at the Watchmen and Origin midnight showings and have been coming a lot since you guys added beer. I definitely felt the turnaround you're talking about, that sucks you got laid off because just from seeing you before a couple of movies I know it couldn't have been your performance.

Like everyone's said, make the best of it and know that people do see the energy you have for what you do, which will really help in the future.

5/3/2009 5:53:03 PM

Do you manage this webpage too? http://www.moviesbythor.com/

5/3/2009 6:18:57 PM

So your name actually is Thor? You must have the coolest parents ever or something. You don't even need to mention the movie theater in your resume, just tell employers that your name is Thor and they'll have to hire you right there on the spot.

5/3/2009 6:25:07 PM