1. You Weren’t Working on the Right Things
Anyone can do long and late hours. I’ve known people who regularly put time in on weekends, who never take lunch. None of that means a thing if you weren’t focused on the things that mattered to your employer.
2. You Suffered From Stagnation
It’s an intense, complicated, and ever-changing world we live in. So if you fail to make an effort to keep pace, you risk becoming irrelevant. Be aware of—if not heavily invested in—current trends in your industry, new technology, and even internal changes within your organization.
3. You Didn’t Get Along With Your Co-workers
Your ability to produce results is obviously critical to your viability with an organization, but it’s certainly not the only thing that matters. The CEO of an organization I worked for right out of college once said, “Anyone can be replaced, even me.” She’s not wrong. Unless you possess a highly unique skill set, there are others who can do your job. They may not have your charisma or emotional intelligence, but they can do the work. This becomes an issue if you come across as cocky or abrasive rather than charming and thoughtful.
4. You Worked Past the Point of Productivity
While working diligently and producing solid results should ideally be recognized and rewarded by your boss and company, it’s not always the case. And, believe it or not, there is a fine line between hard work and obsessive work—the latter doesn’t usually help you get ahead. In fact, over-working could lead to careless mistakes, sloppy results, or just plain, old burnout.
But also keep in mind that, sometimes, being cut loose has nothing to do with what you were working on, how well you played with others, your comfort with current trends, or the quality of work you produced. It may be a simple matter of a company’s bottom line. It’s unfair and unfortunate, but it happens. If a company has decided that your role isn’t worth investing in, no amount of goal-exceeding is going to keep you on staff.
