--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was once hired to write a column for…" description: "\"I was once hired to write a column for 'The Guardian' and then got fired before I'd submitted my first one. That was unusual. Most newspapers wait unti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/toby-young-19678_columns_i-was-once-hired-to-write-a-column-for-t_2171680.png" --- # I was once hired to write a column for 'The Guardian' and… ![“I was once hired to write a column for 'The Guardian' and then got fired before I'd submitted my first one. That was unusual. Most newspapers wait until I've written at least one piece for them before firing me.” quote by Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/toby-young-19678_columns_i-was-once-hired-to-write-a-column-for-t_2171680.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/toby-young-19678_columns_i-was-once-hired-to-write-a-column-for-t_2171680.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15d/toby-young-19678_columns_i-was-once-hired-to-write-a-column-for-t_2171680.png) > “I was once hired to write a column for 'The Guardian' and then got fired before I'd submitted my first one. That was unusual. Most newspapers wait until I've written at least one piece for them before firing me.” [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being dismissed before producing work highlights how some employers act on assumptions rather than performance. **In simple terms:** Fired before showing any work. Key Takeaway Beware of premature judgments. Themes career media employment expectations Mood frustrated reflective Type anecdotal cautionary When to use this quote - job interview - first assignment - contract negotiation - career planning Key Concepts journalism organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess a new hire's potential? - What safeguards can prevent premature termination? A Different Perspective Assumes competence without evidence can lead to unfair decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Column Guardian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/column-guardian-4652996/) [Columns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/columns/) [Fired Submitted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fired-submitted-4652995/) [Firing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firing/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Got Fired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-fired/) [Guardian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guardian/) [Hired Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hired-write-3676477/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Newspapers Wait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers-wait-4652997/) [One piece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-piece/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Unusual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unusual/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know if I have some kind of defiance disorder or something, but if I'm hired to write something by "The Man," or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diablo-cody/i-don-t-know-if-i-have-some-kind-of-defiance-disorder-or-something/) [Diablo Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diablo-cody/) > [Yashraj liked my writing style, and they had a concept in mind, so they hired me to write. That's how 'Luv Ka The End'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shenaz-treasury/yashraj-liked-my-writing-style-and-they-had-a-concept-in-mind-so-they/) [Shenaz Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shenaz-treasury/) > [We both got fired on exactly the same day. Well, we'll float on, good news is on the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/modest-mouse/we-both-got-fired-on-exactly-the-same-day-well-we-ll-float-on-good/) [Modest Mouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/modest-mouse/) > [I was going to direct the movie 'Training Day', and I got fired. Denzel Washington didn't want me to direct the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-guggenheim/i-was-going-to-direct-the-movie-training-day-and-i-got-fired-denzel/) [Davis Guggenheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-guggenheim/) > [I used to be a window cleaner. I got fired because I sometimes liked to drink the soapy water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelia/i-used-to-be-a-window-cleaner-i-got-fired-because-i-sometimes-liked/) [Jamelia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelia/) > [I've never had a relationship with a record executive. I always went to the record company by someone that liked my playing. Then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ornette-coleman/i-ve-never-had-a-relationship-with-a-record-executive-i-always-went/) [Ornette Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ornette-coleman/) > [I had come from a middle-class family in Port Washington, Long Island, and I was really clueless about Wall Street. My first job there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-had-come-from-a-middle-class-family-in-port-washington-long-island/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [I did all kind of jobs to sustain myself. 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Not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-hansen/in-l-a-i-worked-as-a-bagger-at-a-ralphs-for-about-two-weeks-and-i/) [Ryan Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-hansen/) > [The next day after I got fired, literally the next day, I started a new company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-next-day-after-i-got-fired-literally-the-next-day-i-started-a-new/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [I used to work at UPS I got fired for unloading packages into my car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-esparza/i-used-to-work-at-ups-i-got-fired-for-unloading-packages-into-my-car/) [Felipe Esparza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-esparza/) > [If you've got to get fired, it's really fabulous to get fired with a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorja-fox/if-you-ve-got-to-get-fired-it-s-really-fabulous-to-get-fired-with-a/) [Jorja Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorja-fox/) > [When I got fired, I had a feeling of loss because Viacom had been a passionate long-term relationship. But I got my balance back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-freston/when-i-got-fired-i-had-a-feeling-of-loss-because-viacom-had-been-a/) [Tom Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-freston/) > [They'll totally hire me if I say I got fired from my job on the Hill because of a sex scandal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-cutler/they-ll-totally-hire-me-if-i-say-i-got-fired-from-my-job-on-the-hill/) [Jessica Cutler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-cutler/) > [Basically, Pizza Hut just backed out on the ad agency at the last minute. They got fired and we got fired. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-ween/basically-pizza-hut-just-backed-out-on-the-ad-agency-at-the-last/) [Gene Ween](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-ween/) ## More by Toby Young > [Teachers complain a lot about how tough their job is. 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We're under a huge obligation to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/if-anything-bad-happens-the-media-will-leap-on-it-we-re-under-a-huge/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [“It was journalism at its best: irreverent, mischievous and beholden to no one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/it-was-journalism-at-its-best-irreverent-mischievous-and-beholden-to/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [In my capacity as a board member of the OfS, I hope to be impartial, objective, and fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/in-my-capacity-as-a-board-member-of-the-ofs-i-hope-to-be-impartial/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [America thinks of itself as a meritocracy, so people have more respect for success and more contempt for failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/america-thinks-of-itself-as-a-meritocracy-so-people-have-more-respect/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [I tried being a mechanic and I tried catering, but I realized I had even less aptitude for semi-skilled labour than for academic work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/i-tried-being-a-mechanic-and-i-tried-catering-but-i-realized-i-had/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [My life's ambition is to play a James Bond villain. 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