A 26-year-old man from UK has found himself at the centre of a cautionary tale after being fired from his customer service job for spending work hours Googling trivial topics like "Simon Cowell's botched Botox" and "Turkey teeth." Josh Williams, who held the job for just three months, revealed how his hasty decision to vent about the incident on social media has since severely impacted his job prospects.
"I just didn’t have enough work, so I ended up Googling stupid stuff," Josh explained to The Mirror. "It was quite embarrassing… I spent all my savings getting my teeth done in Turkey, only to come back to no job." His admission of wasting over 50 hours on such searches, combined with frequent sick days, led to his firing in July after a lecture from his manager.
In the aftermath, Josh shared his frustrations in a TikTok video that went viral, a move he now regrets. "I massively regret keeping the video up," Josh said. "When I applied for other jobs, interviewers recognised me from the video and said my values didn’t align with their companies."
Josh claims that his TikToks, while embarrassing, earned him around £450 (Rs 50,000), which helped cover some rent after losing his income. However, the backlash from social media was intense. Critics pointed out his lack of professionalism, with many saying he should have just used his phone to Google the trivial stuff, and another user stating, "It’s not normal to be sacked from so many places."
Despite the criticism, Josh continued to use TikTok to cope with his financial struggles, although he now admits the decision has backfired. "It really did backlash on me. I’ve had to take a job in a sector I’m not comfortable in just because I didn’t want to be recognised."
Reflecting on his actions, Josh attributes his impulsive behaviour partly to his ADHD. "I don’t think things through. I just do it in the moment," he told The Mirror. "Be really cautious before you put anything online, even if it’s just in the heat of the moment."
Josh, from Bristol, lost the first job in July and posted the videos after his sacking. The next three interviews were in the same sector, and thanks to his TikToks, he didn’t get them. He had to change his industry to find open positions.
Josh has since found a new job as a supply chain coordinator in the food industry, but he admits that it’s not a role he enjoys. "I feel like an idiot," he confessed. "Looking at my situation, I’d say it’s one of the worst things you can do for your future career."
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