Getting fired. It happens to many people, in fact, most people get fired at one point in their lives. The trick is to learn from the experience.

There are plenty of reasons why employers fire people, but those reasons are not always particularly clear. 

Employers, especially those who hire high school students, describe the reasons why they fire someone, and give advice on how to do better on the job.

“The most common reason I fire my employees is when they don’t show up for work. Second most common is when they go on their phones in the middle of doing their job,” said psychology teacher Gary Felch, who works as a supervisor for the oceanfront.

In addition to being a teacher, Felch manages lifeguards at the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association located at the oceanfront. Being a lifeguard is one of the many jobs high school students can do, and Felch gives advice that not only applies to lifeguards, but any high school student who has a job.

“Always show up and be on time. That probably sounds obvious, but a lot of my lifeguards have gotten reprimanded for showing up late. Also, always listen to your superiors as long as they’re being reasonable,” said Felch.

Just like with school, improper time management seems to be the most common way students get fired. Some students are either too stressed to go to work, too tired, or sometimes simply just forget.

“Be nice to your customers, be nice to your co-workers, and you’ll never have to worry about being fired,” said marketing teacher James Cartwright, who works as a supervisor at Ocean Breeze during the summer months.