Anyone have experience with retail departments? I just got "fired" – I've been moved from working at Starbucks in Safeway to Safeway's bakery department. So, not only am I in the back, where next to no people go, but I lose out on tips on top of pay above minimum wage.
Here's the thing: my performance has been shit. I know that and fully agree with it. The work itself isn't hard, but between family dying half a week ago and having to still focus on classes, my ability to recall the specific recipes has been lackluster, just as I've made from really boneheaded mistakes.
I'm grateful that I was still offered an alternative, but less so about how it was given. I decided that I needed to get serious and spent pretty much all of yesterday and this morning studying every single recipe. I made this case to my boss, acknowledging my mistakes and offering to be all sorted out by the start of the next week (but I didn't mention the specifics of what was going on). He clearly didn't give a shit, though. I can't tell if this was purposeful or not, but he stated, in no uncertain terms, that I either move or get properly fired, all while making me feel like a dipshit. I haven't even been given the full training period to prove myself, and there have been cases where I've excelled far past the workers with seniority. I really liked this job, beyond the pay.
Is there anything I can do? Since I'll still be working one last time at Starbucks tomorrow morning, I'm just going to do everything I can to leave a good impression. Starbucks is also the only department with its own sub-manager. Should I talk to her during my break, asking how I screwed up so badly that I've been prematurely axed? Would it be wise to ask if I can reapply if another position opens later?
I'm confident that I can do this job and exceed the job requirements. I'm just pissed – mostly with myself – that I haven't been given the fully-promised time to prove myself just as I'm getting my head straight.
>>17239332
Safeway still exists?
Someone in your family died three days ago and you didn't tell your boss? I'm sorry for your loss, man, but not telling your boss was a big mistake.
Had to walk away and didn't even get to see how long my opening post was. Here's a tl;dr that's probably better than what I originally wrote:
>Start new job at the Starbucks in Safeway two weeks ago
>First week is just training, but on that Friday, I'm allowed to work the register
>Start of next week is when I get to start making drinks
>This coincides with death in the family; none of the drinks are hard to make or involve complex steps, but I'm having a hell of a time keeping everything straight and recalling specific steps
>Make boneheaded mistakes from not paying attention, too, like throwing out entire drinks when I mess up, when they could be fixed with small tweaks
>Spend most of yesterday and parts of today studying drink book, taking extensive notes. I know I need to stop screwing around and up.
>Get called into Safeway office today
>Boss is terrible at letting people down gently; even though it was likely accidental, he basically says that I'm either moving or leaving while throwing tons of subtext of how I'm incompetent
>Doesn't care even after I plead my case, after I say I'm aware of my lackluster efforts and that I'm committed to turning things around
>Really like job and am certain that I can excel at it
>At this point, because I'm part time, I had only worked five partial days of being able to make drinks, while taking everything else in.
>>17239486
No, the start of last week, but I guess you're right. Do you think it's too late to mention it now, or should I just take my lumps?
>>17239696
The thing is, I have connections to get a much better-paying job with the metro in the city not too far away, but I have to wait on that. All job titles require having a driver's license, in case of emergencies, and my state requires me to wait nine months before I can even take the test. Safeway absolutely isn't my end goal, but I'm worried that the available jobs have already dried up for the summer. If I have to do bakery, I'll at least give it a shot, but even if I don't like it, I might just bide my time until summer's over and some jobs are free again.
>>17239706
I guess I'm worried that it's too late to mention that. Like I said, I mentioned the extents to which I tried improving myself, and tried assuring my boss that I would fix my mistakes. Maybe it really would've been better to mention that as a frame of reference, but I'm worried that he'd either go "not my problem" or would use that as a cue to fire me altogether, saying "I'm not in a good place to work at all."
Bumping with posts that were deleted for whatever reason. Right now, I'm going to talk to my boss during my break, asking her what I could've done differently. I'll then mention the death it it's appropriate and see if I can get her to test me on any arbitrary drink, if that'll have any chance of letting me stay. Woke up at 3 this morning to cram for my 10AM shift.
>17239696
>I might or might not have been a departement manager at Slaveway once upon a time.(I was) Do yourself a favor and go work for a different grocery chain. Get some experience wherever you can work. Either it being somehow at Starbucks with a second chance or the bakery. Then move on to a different chain store that would instantly pick you up due to having experience. Management in general is grossly incompetent and thick headed. It's like their fucking corporate philosophy. I just can't get over how they're digging their own grave with some of their practices.
>17239706
>Also you really need to mention that your family loss has been affecting you, and that you can easily turn around and perform better. Ask for another week and if things don't turn around; you'll work in the bakery.
>>17239332
Cut the crap. You did a shit job and so got fired. Learn from this and don't make the same mistake on your next job. End of story.
Retail SM here.
You dun goofed. I'd talk to your Starbucks manager and see if she atleast put in a good word for you if you were to transfer to another location. Obviously the Safeway boss don't give a fuck about you. And going forward is recommend you communicate any issues you have to your bosses if it's effecting your performance.
In the Real World, you don't get a lot of second chances.
You'll have to create your own Next Chance by going someplace else and starting fresh.
>>17241326
Honestly, that's the take away I have now. I didn't bother talking to anyone today because at the end of the day, I did do a shit job. It doesn't matter how much potential or aptitude I supposedly have if I don't demonstrate them. I'm working in the service industry, and the customers come first. They shouldn't have to worry about whatever I'm going through, and what I'm going through shouldn't impact the service.
I fucked up. That's the unembellished truth. My wishes mean jack shit when I'm on another's payroll.
