Fired for Being Too Excited: The Most Awkward Job Goodbye Ever

So, here’s the deal. I honestly thought I was doing okay at my job. You know, showing up, doing my thing, trying not to get on anyone’s nerves. I had been working at this small digital marketing firm for about two years, and yeah, it was a paycheck, but I figured I was pretty good at what I do. Or at least, I thought so until I got the email.

It was a Thursday morning. I was sitting at my desk, fighting through a mountain of emails that I procrastinated on all week. I saw the email pop up from HR, and my stomach sank a little. The subject line just said “Meeting – urgent.” Great. Just what I needed. I clicked on it, and it was a calendar invite titled “Performance Review.” But here’s the thing — nobody had warned me I was in trouble. No hints, no signs, no last-minute warnings. Just that invite. The day came, and I went in thinking I’d just get a little spiel about my work, maybe some tips.

But instead, I walk into HR’s office, and there’s HR lady (let’s call her Karen) sitting there with this serious look on her face that screams, “You’re about to get fired.” And next to her, the manager — that’s Steve, the CEO — just sitting there looking as uncomfortable as I felt. You know that awkward silence that feels like it stretches for hours? Yeah, that.

Karen just starts with, “We need to talk about your position here.” Uh-oh. Then she drops the bomb — “Unfortunately, we are letting you go effective immediately due to performance issues.” I swear my brain did this weird stutter thing, like, wait, what? Me? Performance issues? I looked at Steve, and he’s just staring at his notes like he’s trying to disappear into the desk.

I asked, “What? What did I do wrong?” And Karen, being *that* Karen, didn’t really answer. Just kept repeating the same canned line about “not meeting expectations.” I was stunned. I mean, I knew I wasn’t perfect — who is? But I thought I was doing okay. Turns out, I had a *huge* blind spot.

Here’s the twist: It turns out, my “performance issues” weren’t about my actual work — well, partially. I came in one day with apparently a little *too* much enthusiasm about marketing a new product. I actually suggested some innovative ideas during a team meeting. It was kind of risky, maybe, but I thought it was good. Turns out, Steve didn’t like that. He’s more of a “stick to what we know” guy. I didn’t realize that my enthusiasm was rubbing him the wrong way until he told HR I was “overstepping boundaries” and “not aligning with the company’s vision.”

And here’s where it gets weird. I overheard later that a manager told someone that I was “too energetic and a little too loud,” as if that somehow disqualified me from keeping my job. Like, seriously? That’s an actual thing? I’ve always thought a little passion was a good thing, but apparently, not in this place.

But wait, it gets worse. In the moments after they fired me, I realized I didn’t even have a proper exit interview. They just handed me my stuff, told me to leave, and that was it. No feedback, no advice, nothing. I mean, I get it — bad news is bad news — but I expected at least a tiny shred of professionalism. Nope.

The funniest part? The day after, I read some employee reviews online about that company and found out I wasn’t the first one to get the axe without warning. Apparently, they have a *thing* for swift dismissals. They fire people for the smallest reasons, usually with no warning, no decent explanation. I even saw a review from someone who said they got canned because they were “too friendly” with clients. Like, what? That’s their standard — just be a yes-person and shut up about ideas.

Honestly, I still find it kind of hilarious now. One day, I was vibing at my desk, thinking I was just part of the team. The next day, I was fired, feeling totally humiliated but also kind of free. And yeah, I learned the hard way that sometimes, your enthusiasm or passion can actually get you *dumped*. The lesson? Be careful with how you express yourself at work, especially if your boss prefers a *boring* environment. Also, don’t expect any farewell hugs or advice when you get shown the door — just “pack your things, you’re out.”

Oh, and I’ve heard some stories about people getting fired for *really* petty reasons. Like, one guy was told he was “too loud on calls” — even though he was just asking a question. Another girl got canned because her manager said she “looked distracted,” which was hilarious because she was just tired from pulling a double shift. It’s like, the most random reasons can have huge consequences.

Anyway, here I am now. Looking for something new. Honestly, I’m mostly amused now. It’s better to laugh than cry, right? Still, I’ll think twice before showing too much enthusiasm at a new job. Or maybe I’ll just pretend I’m *very* boring from now on. Who needs that drama?