• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

I absolutely hate my new job.

P

Pineapple

Member
I've been at my new job for the past 3 weeks, and I just downright hate it. It's a retail job, albeit at a higher end retailer with above average pay and benefits, but still retail.

The nature of the job isn't at all what I thought it would be, and all I think about every second I'm on the clock is how much I hate being there. The hours I'm being given weren't what was agreed upon during the interview, both in terms of the total number of weekly hours and the times at which I would work. The worst part, however, is that I am the worst possible cultural fit for the store in terms of personality and disposition. Everyone else in the store operates on a completely different social wavelength than me, and I just can't relate to anyone at all. I've honestly never felt so out of place in my life.

So, at this point I really don't know what to do. I've had jobs in the past, so I know when a job feels "right"...and this one doesn't. At the same time, I would feel terrible for leaving after a few weeks. But then again...the thought of having to keep clocking in to this job every day makes me hate my life.

Advice?
 
A

Aiii

So not worth it
Trial periods are for both the employer and the employee, although many companies like to pretend it's only the former. I quit a job in my fourth week -the final one of the trial period- once, boss got upset, I did not care, I was happier for it.
 
J-Roderton

J-Roderton

Member
I was in you position for about a year. I know the feeling. Just use some connections and try to line up a gig doing something else. At least you have a job for the time being.
 
S

slit

Member
First of all tell us if you need an income before we advise you. As in, will you be out on the street without this job?
 
D

Deleted member 1159

Unconfirmed Member
You don't owe them shit. If you hate it, find a new one and move on.
 
A

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
Look for other work.

Leave your current job off your resume until you've worked there a few months.

Only quit once you find other work or you're close to losing your mind.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
What do you mean by completely different social wavelength? Like geeks vs cool jocks style?

Regardless if you're miserable consider applying for other jobs, but don't quit until you have another offer.
 
Z

~ Zyzomys ~

Member
All retail jobs are going to suck. Keep the job and start taking college classes in your spare time to pick up a valuable skill to help you get out of retail forever.
 
B

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
What you do depends on your personal financial circumstances and whether you want to burn an, albeit small, bridge. Id say suck it up and look for a new job now. If you truly can't stand another day, just go.
 
openrob

openrob

Member
Don't quit until you have another job lined up. But quit.

On a different note, what are the cultural differences?
 
B

Bloodporne

Member
Shop around for something else in the background while keeping this to pay the bills, the only option. If you CAN find something even slightly more appealing, take it, who cares about feeling bad for leaving.

When I was around 19/20, I worked for at a Chase Credit Card call center and literally lasted about 3 weeks. I was lucky enough to find something less soul-crushing pretty much right away and never looked back.
 
G

gun_haver

Member
If you're not gonna lose your home or be completely broke immediately, or if you maybe have access to some kind of unemployment to fill the gap, just quit and light a fire under you to find something else quickly. I've languished in some shit I wish I hadn't later on. In the end it's probably gonna turn out to have a crappy ending, so you might as well not waste time actively hating your life and move on to something new.

The hours not being at all what you had arranged also is bullshit - they don't care about you.

edit: just checking the other replies - yeah everyone is saying don't quit unless you have something else, but I think it really depends on your situation. In the abstract this is the wisest thing to do but sometimes it isn't, so consider your own situation before taking advice.
 
B

Boke1879

Member
I would never advise you to quit a job if you absolutely needed the money without something lined up.

But you gotta do what's best for you OP.

I've been at my job a long time and about 2 years ago a new management company took over. They really don't know what the hell they are doing. Getting rid of good employees that have been there for years etc. Now the place is just a mess.

I've put in apps and I've got some interviews lined up. Hopefully one of those come through and I'll be out of that place.

I'd say don't quit unless you have something else lined up, but it is just retail. So if it's that miserable. Just quit. life is too short.
 
L

LosDaddie

Banned
It's retail. It's sales. It's not ever going to be a glamorous job.

That said, you don't have to be miserable. And you should be working the hours you agreed upon in the interview.

Look for a new job and quit when you got one secure.

This isnt difficult.
 
K

kmfdmpig

Member
Surely you already know that you should quit. As you wrote this out was it really still an open question? If this job were the only thing between you and homelessness then it might be a valid question, but assuming you have other options then why stay at something that is so miserable.
 
B

br3wnor

Member
To echo others, I'd hold off on quitting until you have another job lined up, never want to have gaps in your resume. When you are ready to quit I'd make sure to give at least 2 weeks notice so you don't burn a bridge "I'm sorry but a new job opportunity has come up for me and I will be leaving in 2 weeks"

No reason to languish in a job that you hate but quitting w/out a backup plan could snowball into a bad situation.
 
P

Pineapple

Member
Admiral Woofington said:
What do you mean by completely different social wavelength? Like geeks vs cool jocks style?
.
Click to expand...

On a different note, what are the cultural differences?
Click to expand...

Yeah, kind of. I was opening the store yesterday with some of the other employees, and 2 of them apparently used to be in a gang, and were high fiving and laughing and yelling. Some of the other new employees thought this was just the most "dope" thing ever, and they were all laughing and yelling and telling jokes and stories that I just couldn't relate to. I just quietly minded my own business and did my work, but I felt incredibly awkward while doing so. My own interests, personality, background, and disposition are the complete opposite of 95% of the people that work here.
 
F

friskykillface

Banned
Do it half ass, don't kill yourself working retail
I used to go all out working at my part time job, they just don't give a shit and even after all that, one slip up and they are blaming you for everything

I'd say keep the job, apply to different jobs while working
 
M

mussolman

Member
Admiral Woofington said:
What do you mean by completely different social wavelength? Like geeks vs cool jocks style?

Regardless if you're miserable consider applying for other jobs, but don't quit until you have another offer.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking snobby rich folk vs. blue-collar.

EDIT: didn't see OP answered already
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
Pineapple said:
Yeah, kind of. I was opening the store yesterday with some of the other employees, and 2 of them apparently used to be in a gang, and were high fiving and laughing and yelling. Some of the other new employees thought this was just the most "dope" thing ever, and they were all laughing and yelling and telling jokes and stories that I just couldn't relate to. I just quietly minded my own business and did my work, but I felt incredibly awkward while doing so. My own interests, personality, background, and disposition are the complete opposite of 95% of the people that work here.
Click to expand...
Ah I see. Regardless, not like it should matter what your coworkers do but it does make life much easier when they're friendly people you can talk with.
 
C

ColdPizza

Banned
Pineapple said:
Yeah, kind of. I was opening the store yesterday with some of the other employees, and 2 of them apparently used to be in a gang, and were high fiving and laughing and yelling. Some of the other new employees thought this was just the most "dope" thing ever, and they were all laughing and yelling and telling jokes and stories that I just couldn't relate to. I just quietly minded my own business and did my work, but I felt incredibly awkward while doing so. My own interests, personality, background, and disposition are the complete opposite of 95% of the people that work here.
Click to expand...

Maybe you should use it as an opportunity to learn about others etc instead of shying away from it. You took the job to make money, not necessarily make new friends.
 
S

SoRuffShoNuff

Member
What high end retailer has former gang members on the floor openly discussing prior activities? When you say higher end do you mean higher than K-Mart but still pretty shitty, like a JC Penny? You couldnt possibly mean a mid high end store like Bloomingdales.
 
B

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
Pineapple said:
Yeah, kind of. I was opening the store yesterday with some of the other employees, and 2 of them apparently used to be in a gang, and were high fiving and laughing and yelling. Some of the other new employees thought this was just the most "dope" thing ever, and they were all laughing and yelling and telling jokes and stories that I just couldn't relate to. I just quietly minded my own business and did my work, but I felt incredibly awkward while doing so. My own interests, personality, background, and disposition are the complete opposite of 95% of the people that work here.
Click to expand...

Blood in, blood out mofucka. You're gonna have to turn in a resignation letter and catch this beating *punches fist into palm*
 
R

Roubjon

Member
Are you in a position where you can talk to customers? Do that more if that's the case. I tried to make my mundane cashier job more interesting by actively engaging the majority of the people in my lane. It would have been way worse if I behaved like most cashiers I encounter in stores.
 
W

Wvrs

Member
You've got to stand up for yourself when they're taking the piss with hours and such. I've worked as a bartender for 6 years now (alongside studies, I have some aspirations) and when I first began, I'd roll over and always try to appease. These days, I don't take shit -- for instance, if I'm given set hours for a shift and they try to make changes on the day, I refuse unless I agree.

I've found that the trick with these menial, low wage jobs is to make yourself as invaluable as possible. I'm the top earner at the bar I work in, and so I get treated better than most and listened to. Whenever I start a new job, I buckle down hard for the first couple of months and put up with whatever until it reaches the point where they realise that they'd take a financial hit by losing me, and that's when you get greater freedom. I'm still working a minimum wage job and it's shit at times, but I feel like I'm there on my terms and I have a bit of stability.
 
C

charpunk

Member
As someone who worked in retail for 12 years before finally getting out, get out now. I had a pretty decent income, but it was not worth being stressed and miserable all the time.

Best thing I ever did was get out.
 
L

Lombax

Banned
First never feel terrible about leaving a job. A company would lay you off without a moments notice so there is no reason to care about that.

My last job was without about doubt the works career move I have ever made. They told me just about anything I wanted to hear, and to be honest this was the company I wanted to work for since graduating college back in 1999 so I did not pay attention to a lot of warning signs.

After my first month I had a one on one with the VP I reported to. In his mind I do not think he expected to be asking me "Do you feel like you made a mistake coming here?", and I did not expect to be so blunt with him when I said "Yes."

This VP and I tried very hard to make things work, but in the end I just down right hated the experience, and feel as if I wasted a lot of my time.

TLDR: Quit. My dream job was a total nightmare, you do you, life is not about seeing how much nonsense you can tolerate!
 
K

Kuroi Gogeta

Member
Pineapple said:
I've been at my new job for the past 3 weeks, and I just downright hate it. It's a retail job, albeit at a higher end retailer with above average pay and benefits, but still retail.

The nature of the job isn't at all what I thought it would be, and all I think about every second I'm on the clock is how much I hate being there. The hours I'm being given weren't what was agreed upon during the interview, both in terms of the total number of weekly hours and the times at which I would work. The worst part, however, is that I am the worst possible cultural fit for the store in terms of personality and disposition. Everyone else in the store operates on a completely different social wavelength than me, and I just can't relate to anyone at all. I've honestly never felt so out of place in my life.

So, at this point I really don't know what to do. I've had jobs in the past, so I know when a job feels "right"...and this one doesn't. At the same time, I would feel terrible for leaving after a few weeks. But then again...the thought of having to keep clocking in to this job every day makes me hate my life.

Advice?
Click to expand...

Couple of questions before I can offer any sort of advice:
-Do you have any certifications(foodsafe, First aid, risk management, etc.)?
-Do you speak any other languages/are you learning?
-What is your academic background?
-Most importantly: Are you making enough money that you'd have at least 100 left over at the end of each month after all your expenses?
 
P

Prez

Member
Maybe consider selling eyewear, those are the good retail jobs. A lot of chains don't require a specific degree and provide training.
 
N

Nephtis

Member
As others have said, don't quit your job until you've found a new one.

When you do, just put in your notice. Done.
 
C

C.Mongler

Member
I'm guessing since this is a retail gig, you probably don't see this as a stepping stone in your career, and more or less just something to pay the bills. If having this on your resume might advantage you in some way, I'd say tough it out until you hit 6 months or so and then move on. If you couldn't care less, move on now. Put your two-weeks in and reiterate what you wrote here; sometimes you don't mesh well with a working situation, and that's okay. That said, it might not be a bad idea to find another job before quitting this one, especially if having a lapse in employment might cause financial strain on you.
 
S

shawnbuddy

Member
Start looking for another job. You're never going to like this one and there's no need to be miserable when there are other jobs out there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I feel like everything about my body is denying my current job at this point
19
2K
sono replied
The Worst Job Interview in History
2
84
4K
dave_d replied
Anyone to went to DigiPen; did you land a job in game development? Would you recommend it to others?
5
761
EviLore replied
How's Arizona Bros
37
2K
SpiceRacz replied
The current job market.
14
2K
indigo-cyclops replied
Top Bottom