fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2872 ]

[ SECRET POST #2872 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2872 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

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After almost a year of unemployment and trying desperately to figure out what I want to do with my life (and still having no damn clue), I've gone crawling back to retail for a seasonal job. I have spent my entire adult life trapped in retail and hating it so badly that it affects my health. I have never been even a little bit quiet about this fact (when I'm not where my coworkers can hear me, at least), or about the fact that having to go back to it is destroying whatever sense of self-worth I had left.

And yet every person who hears that I have a seasonal retail job immediately responds with "That's great! If you do a good enough job, maybe they'll hire you on permanently!"

I hate this, too. My dad does it.

Once I got a temp job in a call center. My dad was like: well maybe they'll hire you permanently and you'll wok your way up! There's literally no position in that sort of place that I want to "work my way up to". I do not want to stay long enough to work my way up, either.

Before this my dad got it in his head I should be a secretary (which ranks somewhere just slightly under sewage cleaner and slightly below professional dominatrix in the list of "jobs I don't want to do".)

He got so invested in this idea he was nagging at me to go do a course to learn typing blind, and set me up with dubious job interviews with some of his ex-colleagues. It was weird and disturbing.

At this point, I will do these types of things when I'm desperate, but I hate it when people suggest it's a potential beginning of a career.

No, it isn't. It's take the money and run. And it's just delaying my real goals.

Edited 2014-11-14 02:18 (UTC)

Could have done without the shitting on secretaries. We get enough of that bullshit every day, thanks.

If you get that shit everyday, then surely you must understand my sentiments about the job.

Mostly it's from people who think what we do is equivalent to sewer work and treat us accordingly.

I'd never treat a person badly for doing honest work - that being said, that doesn't mean I can't think that job is shit.

I hear you. Every time I get that "If you do a good enough job, maybe they'll hire you on permanently" horseshit, I have to physically bite my tongue to keep from responding with "And then maybe I'll take a header off a fucking apartment building".

Have you tried a job that doesn't involve people as much? For instance, warehouse assistant.

Or, perhaps, change the mode of interaction. Like, working as a livery cab driver. Or even a bus driver... municipal or education.

If retail is very bad, it's worth trying something else.

Maybe it will be so bad it will somehow wrap around to good, or at least indifferent.

da

The problem with all of those options is they're shat on at a cultural level. The complete and utter lack of respect you get if you work in any of them - not just from customers, but also from managers, colleagues, and acquaintances - is absolutely exhausting.

The pay's crap, the hours are crap, and people treat you like you're subhuman because you weren't "good enough" to get a white collar job.

One of the trades? Plumbing, electrician, etc all command an acceptable salary and working conditions, whilst not exactly having tremendous social capital they're certainly considered above retail or equivalent.

And they require a fair amount of up-front capital to get into, at least where I live - you need to take at least a year of courses before you can get a paying apprenticeship, and while it may not be as expensive as taking a degree program, it's not cheap. Saving up is possible (I've managed to do it for an entirely different training stream), but it's not easy, especially with the rising costs of living.

Oh my gosh, are you serious? It's hard to get started in a trade? I always thought it was sunshine butterflies and free handouts.

For someone who's only complaining and making excuses, be fucking thankful that you even HAVE a job at all today.

People are trying to encourage you because clearly they have a more realistic understanding of both the jobs market and life as a grown up than you do.

I'm not OP. I have a job. I like my job.

I am just incredibly fucking sick of hearing people say "oh, just go get [jobs similar to mine]" like you can wave a magical wand and suddenly be a skilled tradesperson. It's not actually easy.

You need money for courses. You need to be able to support yourself while you take those courses. You need to be able to find an apprenticeship/learning placement. It's a hell of a lot of hard work, and not actually great advice for someone who's flopping around with no idea what they want to do in life.

You don't go into a trade because you want to do something that's a step up the ladder from unskilled positions, you go into a trade because you want to go into that trade. If you don't understand that, then no, you don't have a realistic understanding of either the job market or life as a grown up.

Yes. It has never occurred to me to try not working in retail. I never would have dreamed that other jobs might exist somewhere in the multiverse that are more in line with my aptitudes. Thank God for your wisdom, internet stranger.

well gosh, you're just so charming that I can't believe you haven't been hired anywhere else. reach for the stars xoxoxo

Oh my god, are you me.

Considering a lot of people are unemployed, that "maybe they'll hire you on permanently" is the "hope you don't get shafted after Christmas ends" well-wish. What do you want them to say? "Hope you find a better job?" That's just as bad, and insulting to everyone who has a career in retail. Take the well-wishes and deal.

As someone in retail: fuck you. Don't speak for me. Retail is horrible on self esteem. So yes, I would absolutely say "I hope you find a better job" as opposed to "maybe they'll hire you on permanently" since the latter means the company thinks you won't raise a stink, thinks you'll accept shit wages and thinks you'll accept really bad hours.

As someone else in retail: fuck you, don't speak for me. I love my job, my self-esteem's fine, and thanks to encouragement from my friends and family I actually have worked my way up into management. Sorry you hate your job so much, but not everyone in retail does.

Been there, punched a few faces after hearing that.

(Not really)

Best of luck job-hunting in the non-retail world after the holidays, anon.

You know, I've been in retail close to 5 years now while studying, and then for 2 years after studying, and what helped get me through is actually making myself respect the job I was doing and my coworkers for whom it was a career, and think to myself that if everything else went pear shaped for me at least I could work up to store manager than BDM after that.

Also, counting the blessings of retail - talking to people, not stuck behind a desk all day, and it being imposdible to take your work home with you.

I know it sucks. I know. But just think to yourself 'this is my safety net while I apply for other jobs/ get qualifications to be eligible for other jobs.' And fuck anyone who looks down on you for working a job you hate ro get to somewhere better. One day they will know hardship in their lives and it will suck even more balls for them because they lack empathy.

If you feel that way about it then do the world a favor and kill yourself, because obviously somebody will want and need the job more than your sorry ass.

yeah, I hate those generic "well wishes" without any regard for the person you want to be.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2872 ]

Encouragement that isn't.

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da

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