So last month I failed my probationary period at a charity. I'd had my probation extended because they had “some concerns”.
I have worked in animal rescue for a long time and this was a job I'd been offered that I moved 400+ miles to take. I wasn't offered relocation costs or anything. I was promised a fast tracked probation because of my experience.
I noticed something was off quite quickly. I was being watched like a hawk whilst others – who were also new – weren't. They had zero animal experience before this position whereas I had a lot.
I would get in trouble for things that didn't make sense. For instance when I had a spare moment or two I'd do some laundry that needed doing. This was not an appropriate use of my time I was told. I would get pulled up on things that literally didn't happen and they had no proof that happened. They said that I was on my phone a lot when I didn't even have my phone on my person, it was in my locker.
The kicker came when someone also on probation left an animal's castrate wound unchecked for multiple days and when they did eventually check that wound was burst and the animal's intestines were hanging out. This person passed their probation a month afterwards. I noticed a different animal's castrate was bruised and noticeably swollen and I was told I wasn't using my initiative and wasting management's time.
Charities are being run like corporate businesses. I came in with previous training and I questioned things that were odd and not up to appropriate welfare standards. I wasn't able to be moulded like new starts who had no previous experience and their only training was the in house training provided.
I'm now left with no job and a failed probation from one of the largest animal welfare charities in my country and I don't know what I do from here.