Contract not renewed - heard it from HR not boss

I am on a yearly contract and my job is dependent on funding. We normally get notified by nov/early dec if our contract is renewed for the following year. I have been at my workplace for over 7 years with the same boss.

From Nov I have been asking my boss every week if my contract will be renewed. He said that we were still waiting to hear back. On my last day of work for the year my boss acted like we may still get funding and he was expecting me to come back in the new year if we get the funding. The next day I get an email from HR saying that my contract won’t be renewed as we are unlikely to get the funding and my skills are different to what is required for the position.

I’m angry and annoyed. This is not how my boss should have treated me. I still have not received an email or anything from my boss. I feel like the least he could do is email me to let me know. I understand in this line of work that contracts may not be renewed. I was expecting my contract to not get renewed, as it has happened to many people I know.

I don’t know what to do now. I feel like it’s awkward now. Can I use him as a referee if I apply for future jobs? Do I want to use him as a referee? Do I wait for him to contact me? Or do I be the bigger person and email him?

Yes get a referral. Also tune up your resume and LinkedIn profile. It doesn't matter who you heard it from or what their protocol is. What matters is exiting gracefully and professionally and getting a good reference. You'll have to put this position down on your resume anyway as far as past experience and work history goes. Never burn bridges over petty things like who emailed you this determination, particularly since HR may be the ones handling that type of thing..

I get an email from HR saying that my contract won’t be renewed as we are unlikely to get the funding and my skills are different to what is required for the position. Can I use him as a referee if I apply for future jobs?

You're upset at your boss for not notifying you directly and you expand that to thinking your boss isn't going to give you a recommendation. That's not a logical course of thinking.

Yes use him for a recommendation/referral, no to staying angry at your boss for something rather trivial in the scheme of things.

Yeah, I don't think your boss handled this well. Do you think your boss genuinely has your back? I definitely think that he should have told you or at least reached out to you after HR did. When is your last day? Will you see your boss again? Is there a possibility your boss will talk to you about this in the meeting? Sorry, more questions rather than answers from my part.

Most bosses don't do the dirty work, including being the ax man.

As the Wiseman said. That's what the HR department is for.

Yeah, I don't think your boss handled this well. Do you think your boss genuinely has your back? I definitely think that he should have told you or at least reached out to you after HR did. When is your last day? Will you see your boss again? Is there a possibility your boss will talk to you about this in the meeting? Sorry, more questions rather than answers from my part.

Yes I feel he should have reached out to me at least after HR did. My last day was before Xmas. I won’t be going into work again if I don’t have to.

As the Wiseman said. That's what the HR department is for.

I know but in my workplace other bosses I know would have done the right thing and at least let them know a few weeks in advance. I mean I have been working with him for a long time.

Yes get a referral. Also tune up your resume and LinkedIn profile. It doesn't matter who you heard it from or what their protocol is. What matters is exiting gracefully and professionally and getting a good reference. You'll have to put this position down on your resume anyway as far as past experience and work history goes. Never burn bridges over petty things like who emailed you this determination, particularly since HR may be the ones handling that type of thing..

Any suggestions on how I should approach him for a referral? What should I say in the email?

Any suggestions on how I should approach him for a referral? What should I say in the email?

"Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. Would you be willing to provide me with a reference?"

And it is not a "referral". A referral would be your boss giving someone they know your contact information to consider for a job opening they have. A reference is a letter or email your former boss would write that can be attached to your resume when you apply for jobs.

Unless your former boss knows of a specific job opening they wish to recommend you for, in that case it would be a referral.

And it is not a "referral".

Thanks for clarifying that I was wondering where the term came from.

I tried to like your post but I got a message that I gotta spread more reputation around first.

I don’t think the reference would be a problem. He maybe feels bad that it has happened because of how long you have worked together. Even if you were expecting it it’s still not nice and maybe he couldn’t face being the one to tell you. I’m not saying it’s right but maybe you should be the one to open a line of communication, tell him it’s a shame but you have enjoyed working with him.

I agree with the above about contacting him for a reference letter.

I wouldn't harm my own stomach lining by imposing 'shoulds' on anybody. Sure, boss showed that he's a wimp, but that's how a lot of people handle partings: if they can avoid them, they do. Whether that's 'right' or not doesn't change reality, so it doesn't serve us to inflict any pain on ourselves over the limits of others.

Serving a site for 7 years speaks volumes about your work quality, and that's terrific. It could, however, imply that you settled into the comfort of a limited skill set, so any courses or volunteer work you can do to bring your skills and your leadership capabilities up to a more senior level would benefit your job search and future rate of pay.

Head high, and trust that any employer would be lucky to have you on board.