Looking for a new job..
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
August 3, 2011 9:51am CST
I hate my job so much, and really wish I could quit! I need the money, so I haven't quit yet, but one of these days I might do something really stupid and just stop going in.. that's how much I hate this job! I know that won't help me land a new one, so I have started looking for a new job now before I make the mistake of quitting my current one.
I pretty much hate every aspect of my job. I dislike the majority of the people I work with. They're all young, and some of them who've been working there for a couple of years have this "high and mighty" type attitude. They can do no wrong and nothing I do is right. I'm working with one of them tonight.. yay me.
I really hate closing shifts, and that's about all I ever work. Most of the time it's not terrible, but when it starts getting busy and I have so much other work to accomplish and it's too busy to get any of the closing tasks accomplished, I start stressing. I don't want to be stuck there late, I want to get the work done in a timely manner and get the heck out. So when customers keep pouring in I end up getting mad at them for not letting me get my work done. I know this is irrational.. the customers just want to eat, they don't mean to mess up my night. I still try to be pleasant, but it's stressful for me.
The icing on the cake is how frequently they call me to cover shifts I'm not scheduled for. I'm almost always called on one of my days off to pick up someone else's shift. I also get called on days that I work to see if I can come in a little earlier. This has gotten worse since our new manager took over. She tries to come in late as often as possible and sneak out early. So she'll ask me to come in early so she can leave. Last week I worked a 4-7 and was looking forward to it.. it's not a closing shift and as long as we're not crazy busy at 7 I can leave with no problem. It would be an easy shift. Well the manager said there was a family emergency and couldn't close, so asked me to close for her. I tried to think of a good excuse for saying no, but couldn't think of anything. I'm too soft I guess. So I ended up saying yes and was super mad that I did. I really hate closing.. have I mentioned that?
Today I'm scheduled to work another closing shift.. and I was fine with that, until this morning. My phone rang at 8:30 am and I was still asleep. Since I did not have my glasses on or contacts in I could not see the caller ID so I didn't pick up and they did not leave a message, but I could not go back to sleep. So I got up and turned on my cellphone and see a missed call from a co-worker. I check my home phone and see the call I missed was also from work. So I began thinking "Okay, they need me to cover a day shift.. and if that's the case they'll have to cover my closing shift tonight.. I can do that". I love shifts where I don't have to close!
So I call her back, and sure enough, she said she didn't feel good and wanted to leave early and asked if I'd cover for her. The kicker was, they weren't going to cover my closing shift tonight.. they wanted me to work 11am till close!
Now the hours would be great, the money would be great.. but dang that's a long shift! Normally my husband would be home on Wednesdays, but this week he has Thursday off instead, so he's not here today. So my kids would be left alone from 11am till 7pm when hubby gets home. That's a long day for my kids (my oldest is 14 and has been babysitting most evenings lately because my FIL doesn't have the energy for it anymore). Not to mention I did have plans today, that I would have cancelled if it would have gotten me out of closing.. but I didn't want to cancel them just to work all day long!
In the end I said no.. sort of. What I said was that my son has a speech appointment at noon so I wouldn't be able to come in until after that, so she told me to nevermind because she was leaving at 11 no matter what. Now I'm not lying, my son does have a speech appointment, which again I would have cancelled if it would have gotten me out of a closing shift. But again, I can't cancel the speech appointment and my plans for the afternoon to work an 11 hour shift.
Of course now I feel bad. I don't know why.. I hate being called in and know that I can't be fired for saying no when I'm not scheduled, but I always feel really bad when I say no to extra shifts. It's not for money reasons.. I don't even really care about the extra money right now because honestly I'm starting to feel like the job isn't worth the money. I hate this job! I dread going into work. I'm actually getting sick to my stomach right now because I am that desperate to not go into work tonight.
So please keep your fingers crossed (or pray) that I'm able to find a new job rather quickly, before I quit this one and end up unemployed! I really can't afford to be unemployed, so I'm going to hold out as long as I possibly can, but I'm to the point where I'm thinking my happiness and sanity is not worth the money I'm being paid to do this job!
5 people like this
25 responses
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
3 Aug 11
Hiya kats. I'm sorry that you hate your job so much. But I'm glad you're looking for a new job while you're still working there. Potential employers seem to really like that. It might just be the thing you need to help you land another job. As you know, I'm doing that as well. So far I've gotten interviews with a couple of different places...
However, in my case I can't say I hate my job. Sure, it may not be great...it can even be downright disgusting! LOL But at least I don't have to deal with rude or angry customers, I only have one co-worker (okay, there's actually 2, but I've only worked with one so far and we get along fairly well), and I even get to work by myself sometimes, which I prefer any day as I'd much rather work independently anyway!
Anyway, good luck getting a different job...and fast! I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Happy mylotting!
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
3 Aug 11
Try to hang in there. Hopefully you won't have to be there too much longer!
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
3 Aug 11
PS I just wanted to add that it's really hard to get bored at my job! But then again I'm always busy doing something! LOL
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I generally prefer not to work by myself. I find it boring. I need the conversation and social interaction in order to really feel like I love my job. Where I work, some nights aren't that bad at all.. but some are. Days when I go in after the manager has been there all day, I know none of the closing tasks will have been started, so that makes the night longer because there's so much extra work to do. Then, the girl I work with tonight.. well she's really good at getting the closing stuff done.. actually she'll do it all completely by herself unless you force her to let you do some of it.. but she also tends to ignore the customers, even when there's a long line of them, and she's pretty rude to the customers. Unfortunately most of the customers do not complain much about her. We got a complaint last week and told the manager and it seemed to come as a shock to her that the girl was so rude. So either one of them tends to make my job harder. There are also quite a few others that are either just too slow or lazy and don't do the job right.. so they make it harder too.
There are a few people that I love working with.. unfortunately I don't get to work with them often. I don't dread those shifts quite so much because these people are easier to get along with and easier to work with.
Unfortunately tonight is one of those nights I'm seriously dreading, so it's been really hard to get myself excited about going to work.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I have been in your shoes before. I know what it's like to have to cover shifts and do work you'd rather not do, and be so stressed at the job to the point you want to quit. I actually HAVE quit and I do sort of regret it but at the same time I don't. I can still find work, I found work and am waiting for them to call me back. This is at a grocery store (my new job).
I've been a waitress and I've been a cashier, a stocker, an in home aide, a banquet server. All those jobs are stressful (except for the in home aide psoition it wasn't that bad).
Just try to stick it out, you can do this. Remember you don't want to regret quitting. I know how you feel about not wanting to say No, I feel / felt the same way. Even if I didn't want to work. However, when I did say yes sometimes I'd find that I was in a bad mood, and that wasn't good for me or my customers.
Have you ever had a customer who thought you closed an hour later then you did? I had that one time. I think we had either just changed our hours or she had thought it was a different day. I was nice to her, though a bit tense and irritable, okay maybe I wasn't so nice. She asked me what was wrong and I told her "I just want to go home, we closed a half hour ago." She was nice and said "oh I am so sorry I didn't realize that! Forgive me." She left me a good tip too lol.
Anyway good luck with finding new work. Don't give up yet though, you can get through this and you're next job will be even better.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I think for me the boss had let the people in. I think it was like 30 until closing when he let them in, and since most of the food was fast and easy to make, it wasn't that big of a deal. It was just they wanted to sit and chat is all. Not that the restaurant I worked at wasn't the perfect spot to do just that, as it was.
When it gets close to closing time I get antsy, I hope I've gotten past that. It's been a few years since I've worked retail.
Good Luck, You'll find something. I think grocery stores tend to be a bit more understanding with the mothers, atleast one grocery stor I worked at was. I'd work for one mother who was worried about her kids (fresh being a SAHM. Try applying ot the bakeries, deli's, etc in supermarkets. It's quieter, more private, you'll still get customers but youc an go to the back and chop etc and be gone on time most of the time.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I'm not working retail or food service anymore after this. There is no way I am going to go from one bad job to another. That is why I am in school now, so I am going to find a job more relavent to what I'm going to school for.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
We lock the doors at close, so customers cannot come in. Once or twice I've had some come to the door after close, but I just ignore them. At that point everything is put away and I'm working on cleaning. Only once did I have to serve customers after close. It was because the line didn't stop and I couldn't just kick people out who were already in line just because it was a moment or two after we should have closed. That was like the worst night ever. My last customer did not leave until 10 minutes after I had closed.. but right before I waited on him I made sure to turn off the Open sign to hope I wouldn't get anymore customers!
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
4 Aug 11
I have those days when I cannot stand my job. I sometimes wonder why on earth I got back into the food industry to begin with. It is not usually the customers, but my co-workers that I cannot stand to be around. And most days the money does not seem worth the stress. I just got a pretty decent sized raise though, so it might start being a little more worth it.
Hang in there till you find something else. The money might not seem worth it to you right now, but when it is not there you will realize how much it helps out.
Good for you on not overdrawing.@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Aug 11
Yes, I know I need the money. I know the money has changed our lives drastically, even if it is just an extra $100.. that little bit is exactly what we need to feel more comfortable with our finances because hubby's job can just cover the bills and that's it. Before I got this job we used to overdraw the bank account on a regular basis because we could not stand not to do anything fun now and then, or eat out now and then. We have not overdrawn our bank account in 6 months and that's huge for us!
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
3 Aug 11
As you've a family to care for, i think you'd really be quite justified in refusing when you're called at the last moment to do shifts that you're not scheduled for. It sounds like that aspect of it is adding to an already stressy situation. How about starting to tell a few white lies next time they ask?
Oh, and good luck job hunting!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Aug 11
I try that most of the time, especially when I'm called on my days off. The hard part is when they ask me to work when I'm already scheduled. Like coming in early or staying later. Like last week when I was working a 4-7 and they asked me to close. I'm already working so it's not like I made plans, so how do I say no to that?
The thing I hate most of all is closing. I don't mind shifts that aren't closing shifts.. and I can't really explain why I hate closing so much. I think it's just because there's so much extra work to do for the closer, and if it gets busy there's no guarantee I'll be out at a normal hour.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
3 Aug 11
I have been ranting for the past 3 years about being terrorized and abused by my boss. I am now making a plan to leave. I know that he is trying to force me out by linking this property with the one next to us and having one manager for both. The requirement would be to live on property and I am not prepared to furnish an apartment for this job. I am praying that he will not get rid of me before Christmas and in the meantime I am trying to pay off my house in this next year - by August next year. Mt car will be paid for by October so these are my major bills. I will keep my part time job which I love and try to find another part time job to make up the difference. As I finish the car then I will put the car payments onto my house.
I know exactly how you feel. Soem days I am so nervous and sick to my stomach at the thought of hearing his booming sarcastic voice again.
Kat - you just have to hold on until something better comes along. Look how life has been better for you and your family with the extra money coming in? Just grit your teeth my friend and pray that an opportunity will open. Are you still studying?
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I hope you're able to find a nice part-time job that you enjoy and that makes you happy.
I don't really know what my problem is. I've had terrible jobs before.. but I've never forced myself to keep a job. Anytime I ever got to a point where I started to hate my job, I'd just quit. Sometimes I'd look for a new one, sometimes I wouldn't. But I never ever made myself have another job lined up before quitting my current job. I know I need the money, so I can't quit and be unemployed, not even for a short while. But I just don't know how much longer I can keep forcing myself to do this job that I hate so much.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
3 Aug 11
Yes - I am hoping too! I know what it is like and right now my boss is away but will be back this weekend. Already I am anxious
I really hope that something turns up for you soon.
I really hope that something turns up for you soon.
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
10 Aug 11
Hopefully you do find a different job pretty soon before you get too burned out with it.Stressful job situations can make it longer to feel like you are relaxed after you get off work too. Sometimes stressful job situations make people more moody when they get home too and can make you sick.Good luck. I will pray for you!
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Aug 11
Yes I am pretty moody, both before and after work. If nothing else I'm going to have to cut back my hours once the kids go back to school because with my son in sports I won't have a regular babysitter. My father in law is too sick to watch the kids anymore, so my oldest has been my babysitter for most of this summer.. but he wants to play soccer in the fall and won't be done until after the time I'm supposed to be at work, and I can't leave the kids alone without him.. and I certainly can't afford to pay for a babysitter!
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
11 Aug 11
That would be hard trying to change hours to kids hours. I don't blame you on not wanting your kids home by themselves. I remember being a kid home by myself so I'm afraid to let my kids be by themselves. As soon as my parents would leave it was time for my sister to pick on me and when I was home by myself without her I would hurry up and do things that I knew I wasn't allowed to do when my parents were home
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@GardenGerty (160883)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I know about the shift thing, and I was middle management, but I would go ahead and take the shifts if my staff had something else to do, the weather was bad, HR had not gotten me enough staff, etc. It stinks. Do not feel bad. They will keep doing it to you as long as you allow it. It is commonly said that it is easier to find a new job while you still have a job, so I think you are smart about this. Now, if we could just find you something clerical, that has decent hours, you will be all set. It is a lot to ask a 14 year old to babysit all of the time. Praying for you.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
It's usually not too bad on him, just a couple nights a week. Hubby tries to come home early on those nights, but my son honestly does a better job than my FIL used to. FIL would come over and try to watch TV, and without the TV the kids get bored and get acting up. When the oldest watches them, he lets them watch TV and play video games and use the computer, so they all stay occupied and out of trouble. It's not exactly how I want the kids spending their time.. but for now I'm left with very little options. I do my best to get them outdoors in the afternoon since I know they spend most of their evening in front of the TV or whatever. Too bad it's raining today, but we might go visit a friend of ours today.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
4 Aug 11
Again & again I see something of my own traits that I hate, in you. Its that Subway job, isn’t it? Though I feel like preaching you on how its perfectly alright to say NO, I myself cant do it in 9 out of 10 cases. Just last Friday, I had to stay back till 8:45 pm (mine is a regular 10-6 job) just to send emails to a client coz the lady who services that client, had to leave early on some pretext. I wonder how do these people make up so many excuses??? I’m tempted to believe they make it up coz it cant be that the whole world has some issues or the other and only I (and people like you) who are forever there to take their place!!! Like you, I too was fuming mad coz its so maddening to have to stay back just to send mails! The girl who services the client, knows everything about the job, she’s involved in it, so for her it would have been meaningful job and not idle spending of time!
We all need the money so much and that kind of worsens the situation…like our hands are tied and we are forever struggling to break free, knowing very well that we can never! I guess people like you and me are really too soft for the corporate world, but even I don’t know how to say NO in a polite and convincing way! I mean I can just say NO but that would make me look like a work-shirker (which I am not)…I just hate it too when people dump their work on me and walk out of the office on some pretext or the other! And wonder how the bosses never really see thru such people, its only donkeys like us that do all the grind yet never get the recognition! Its so unfair and yet, that’s how we are!
About looking for another job…you can always try but I think all places have people like your boss and until and unless we can really to become ‘smart’, we’ll always be exploited.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Aug 11
I used to cover shifts constantly when I first started, and a lot of times it would backfire on me. The first time I got called it, it was by the District Manager. She claimed it was super busy and they needed an extra hand, so I assumed I'd go in for a bit and be sent home when things were caught up. Instead, when I got in, the DM left and I was left to cover her shift till close. The worst part was I had just been hired about 2 weeks prior, and the other kid who was on that night was also new.. so the two of us together with no one experienced on hand to help us out, it was a disaster!
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
3 Aug 11
I will keep my fingers...toes and legs crossed that you find a new job soon. I used to work at a job like that....it took me forever to learn how to say no...but once I did it a few times they quit calling me! I loved it. Now I work just regular hours...but I am not really thrilled about my job like I used to be. Since the kids took over it's not the same.....
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Aug 11
I know that you are very disciplined with your job and keep it forever! I've never been that type. 6 months is a pretty long time for me, it's about the longest I've ever kept a job, except for the time that I worked for my family's company, I kept that one for over a year. Sometimes I wonder if my feelings of hating the job is just a natural thing for me. Like they say marriages have that 7 year itch.. I wonder if I get a 6 month itch on the job since I literally have never been able to hold a job for more than 6 months. I keep wondering if I push myself through it, will it pass like a phase and I'll end up not wanting to quit so bad.
Who knows. Either way I'm still going to look for other work because I don't want to be in food service forever.
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
3 Aug 11
Good Morning Kat!
Just keep plucking away til the next opportunity comes along. And of course til you kids are in school/bigger and your done w/ school yourself you probably won't get something better than retail or food service of sorts. I know it sux royally but perhaps you can find something else within the next month or so as the college kids go back to school.
You already know I'm in the same boat to a degree, except I like my job... just not the pay.
You already know I'm in the same boat to a degree, except I like my job... just not the pay.@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
Yeah.. the pay, didn't mention that.. all this headache and I'm only earning minimum wage.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
3 Aug 11
Well then, I really hope you find a better job soon. And that nobody comes in when you're trying to do all those closing tasks...
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
3 Aug 11
Sorry u are so stressed out over ur job. I have worked a few i didn't like so much either but needed the money. Hope u can hang on till u find something else. Jobs are very hard to find around here. I think people around here are very blessed to even have a job in these troubled times. GOOD LUCK.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
3 Aug 11
Jobs are hard to come by no matter where you are. It took me a month of looking just to land this job. My previous experience was not helpful.. I hadn't really worked in 3 years and I had walked off my last job. That's why I'm trying so hard to keep this one, I know it's hard to find a new job and I know it will be even harder if I don't have a good reference from previous jobs. I need to quit in good standing, and have a new job lined up before quitting.
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
7 Aug 11
I think that you already have enough 'work-experience' built up at your current work, that you shouldn't have any problems looking for another. I think you'll be looking for another customer service kind of work, and with the students going back to school this fall, there should be a lot opening up soon.
So, in the mean time, hang in there until you get a new one. Goodluck!
@chiwasaki (4694)
• Philippines
11 Aug 11
I somehow feel the same with my previous job. I don't really hate it but somehow I'm not really happy about my work. I quit my job last june and I found out that I also have some health issues I develop because of this kind of work. As of this moment, I'm still looking for a job.
@jobenmakapangyarihan (546)
• Philippines
4 Aug 11
and i am staring to hate your job too. it is not right to abuse someones kindness, i am like you i usually can't say no on favors that are asked to me. but what i do is i try to find the light in the darkness, that if i do this things for them maybe they will do good things to me also, and i am correct. when ever i ask something from them they always help me, they can't say NO to me because i have helped them so much.
i think you should ask a favor from your manager. i know she cannot say NO to you, after all the things that you have done for her.
enjoy your work or you will just stress up yourself.
@Robben2009 (146)
• China
6 Aug 11
It is better that you quit this job, but please make sure that find another one before end up this job. You know, happiness and health are the most important things which money can't buy. Good luck!
@lipstick2009 (1236)
• Philippines
4 Aug 11
I fully understand how you feel, cause for me it is very important that we enjoy whatever it is that we are doing.But I would advise you to stay in your present job and find other sources of income that you can do during your spare times.If you are too busy multitasking, you won't tend to notice the people and situations that just irritates you in your present job.Don't leave yet till you have a good one to fall back on.
Good luck. (^_^)
@Cutie18f (9546)
• Philippines
4 Aug 11
When I read your post I felt angry inside. It seems like your co-workers do not treat you fairly. What makes them think that you could cover for them anytime? That is too much. I can understand why you want to leave that company. I say go for it even if it means less pay because in the end what is important is your health, happiness, and peace of mind.
@pepperpopper (376)
• Philippines
4 Aug 11
we are on the same shoes. I thought at first, I have found the perfect job. Because my current job pays me higher that my previous job. Then, as years goes by, I learned that nothing goes to my savings. In other words, my expenses in order for me and my family to live is higher than my salary. But i'm not saying that I am really unlucky for having a job like this. In fact, I was able to invest at least. Next year, i will apply to other company but I won't quit my job until I have found a new one. Hell no, it's not wise to quit immediately especially, when you have'nt found a replacement.
@cow_boy29 (236)
• United States
4 Aug 11
hem this is seriously problem, it is so complicate, if i like you i am looking for a new job but it is so hard because today world not really outta from moneter crisis so the world slowly grow and looking for a new job that we want is so hard, many people has losing their job, they had been failed, today salary is not really to consider especially fresh graduate that want to continue their live,they want minimum salary for continue their life. so let's rethink about looking for new job.
