Employee left in shambles after being fired seeks advice, receives valuable life lessons

A young graduate shared his story on Reddit after losing his first job out of college. He wrote that he was fired from a biology wet lab job and felt completely broken. He said he majored in biology but now calls it a “massive regret” because he could not get into healthcare. He blamed himself and said he was “too dumb” to enter that field.

After failing to enter healthcare, he got a job in a biology wet lab and worked there for one year. He said most coworkers liked him because he was naturally nice.However, the coworker who trained him did not like him. The trainer said he did not learn well, had poor memory, and made absent-minded mistakes. The employee said he tried to seriously improve himself. He started eating better, reduced drinking a lot, cut down on scrolling, gaming, and going out. He hoped these life changes would improve his job performance.

Even after these changes, he continued making small mistakes every 2–3 weeks. He said these small errors were fixable by himself. He also admitted to making a huge mistake about every four months. These bigger mistakes could not be fixed on his own. He said the latest disaster was his third “massive mistake” in one year. This became the final blow. According to him, management told him the job did not fit his skill set. Still, they gave him a long grace period before firing him because he was a “nice person to work with.”


But during that grace period, things got worse. He wrote that he messed something up on a Friday. When he returned on Monday, he found a room full of dead cell lines. He described it like “Godzilla leaving Tokyo,” meaning everything was destroyed, even though he never meant to harm anything. He was fired on the spot. By Tuesday, he had no job. He said he felt shocked and lost. He then asked Reddit users how to recover quickly and how to get references after leaving a job “in shambles.”

Advice and life lessons from reddit users

One user admitted they did not have specific advice for biology careers. But they said many people do not know about other jobs related to their degree. They advised him to dig deeper and explore adjacent fields. The same user suggested being flexible and open-minded. They gave pharma sales as one example, especially since he described himself as likable. That commenter also shared a personal story. They said they were slow learners and made many mistakes early in their career, but things improved with experience.

Another user told him to take a deep breath. They said a “dead cell line” disaster is almost a rite of passage in lab work, even if it feels terrible at first. This user advised him to contact coworkers who liked him for references instead of asking his direct supervisor. They said coworkers can talk about his work ethic and personality without focusing on the final mistake. The same commenter suggested moving into administrative or “soft science” roles in biology. They mentioned clinical trial coordination as an example, where the pressure is not about keeping fragile cell lines alive.

Bigger message from the story

The story shows that being fired from a first job can feel like the end of the world, especially after repeated mistakes. But online users reminded him that early career failures are common and do not define a whole life. The key lessons shared were: be flexible, explore related careers, use good coworkers for references, and remember that skills improve with time. What started as a story of failure slowly turned into a discussion about growth, second chances, and finding the right fit.

FAQs

Q1. What should you do after getting fired from your first job?

Take time to calm down, ask supportive coworkers for references, review your mistakes honestly, and explore related career options where your skills may fit better.

Q2. Can you get references after being fired from a lab job?

Yes, you can request references from coworkers who respected your work ethic and personality, even if your supervisor was unhappy with your performance.