[Mirage's Scrapbook] Seek the Truth

by **Seven Xu** on April 2nd, 2012, 11:16 am

A little bit of unsolicited advice from a person with management perspective in the retail industry:

If you have a beef, you shouldn't be afraid to go to someone with it. But always, always alwaysalwaysalways--be a professional about it. Don't kick down the door screaming cuss words and threatening to ruin someone's life with all of your head office contacts. It may feel better, but it won't go over well.
I'd hate to say it, but I've been in a situation where a store is not doing great, and employee hours are the first things to get cut (actually, I'm in that situation right now). Part-timers always take the hit first. It's just how it is. And it sucks.

Someone called you out for texting on your cell phone. You do, do you not? It doesn't matter how much or little your co-workers do it, they aren't your responsibility, nor do their actions set a bar for you. You're your own person, and management will not compare your actions to someone else's, you own it. Just don't text on your phone. If something comes up so important you need to contact someone right away, you aren't going to do it in a text message. If you're going to try to argue this point with a manager, you're wasting your breath. There are plenty of employers that could give two shits if you surf the internet or text on your free time; unfortunately, face to face customer service jobs are not on that list.

Sorry about the tough love.

I wish you the best of luck.

by **Phoenix** on April 2nd, 2012, 5:46 pm

I have to agree with Seven. After reading through all of this I couldt help but reply. I worked in the same retail job for five years towards the end of highschool and the beginning of college. At that time, not everyone had cellphones. I couldn't expect my friends to be checking their email every 10 minutes (I didn't have texting) so I never use y phone.

I worked 40+ hours a week. I lived right near the store. I was a photo tech and the only one that knew how to fix the machines so I was constantly called in on my off day to fix it. I busted ass for that store. They knew they could call me as I'd come in if they were short. They knew I would stay late. Most times they don't even ask, i just knew what needed done and did it.

Then cells came out and everyone started texting, myself included. I didn't do it often either, but it was enough. I got pulled aside and asked to stop. I didn't, because like you I felt it was only once and a while so what did it hurt?

I got pulled aside again and told if I didn't stop I would have my goes cut or fired.

You see, managers aren't all-seeing. They don't see EVERYTHING we do. They don't see all te good and they don't see all the bad. Unfortunately it's the bad that gets back to them before the good, and at that point you're already in trouble.

Maybe you text once an hour. But whoever told on you or however the manager found out, all he knows is that you texted. Doesn't matter if it's once a day, if at the end of the week he hears that you texted x amount of times...

See what I mean?

It sucks for sure but life ain't fair.

by **Mok** on April 2nd, 2012, 6:11 pm

Hey Mirage,

Here is a real life story for you. I don't know if it's going to help you, but anyways I feel it's appropiate.

I used to work for ATT&T selling cell phones in the mall. I got into a similar situation as you. My manager was disrespecting me. He was being a f*cking bitch, and trying to do some underhanded twisted n*iggah shit. I ain't about that at all. If someone is trying to f*ck with me, I lose my head. I start seeing red.

Long story short, it got so out of hand I actually got in a brawl with him. Sure, I beat the living shit out of him, but I lost in the long run.

I got arrested for assault and was sentenced to 6 months of jail and got sued for breaking AT&T's computer. Luckily I only did ten percent, and got out in 17 days. But my life was fucked afterwards. It's not easy to get a felony off your record, plus I owed ATT hella cash for damages. They charged me about 1000% interest on that computer.

The moral of the story is this....listen to seven's advice and don't do what I did. I know you want to fight him, but learn from me and don't do it.

That being said, I don't regret my actions, because I live a life of no regrets, but just know how much of a hassle it would be to satisfy your inner desires of dropping the smack down on your boss.

Want to know what I do now? I am an independant contractor, so im my own fucking boss. Thats the solution Mirage, work for yourself, and you can text all you want

Much love and good karma,
Mok

by **Gossamer** on April 2nd, 2012, 6:34 pm

.

Response

Honestly, this scrap confused me.

You gave advice which you didn't actually utilize yourself when you said go to the people that are talking and making accusations and deal with it first hand.... but you only went to your friend boss instead which seemed to really get you nowhere until you got truly mad. Then you got all aggressive and threatening about the situation (even if its in your mind) saying they didn't want to get on your bad side because you're going to go over their heads to your friends in upper management in the company. Well, obviously that's no threat to them because your working 1 day in all that series of days aka being "STARVED OUT".

I wonder, sometimes, when people scrap if they realize how they come off to others especially if they are trying to make others see them in a certain light. A few scraps ago you worried about how people see you. I think from your scrap this time its obvious how your employers do.

Maybe instead of poking blame at everyone else and putting out how unfair things are you should turn it back around and start looking at it from their perspective.

As an employer would you retain an employee with this attitude?

However, you do not want to push me that far. I am a very bad person to make enemies with, and while that is a very difficult thing to do some still manage it. I want to think the better of everyone, but some things cannot be ignored. If I have to I will put my foot up someone's... well you get the picture. I am not afraid of saying what I need to say, and I will stand up for what I believe in. Those who are my friends will always have my words and my support no matter what. Point is, don't TRY to get on my bad side. It is hard to do, and frankly you will regret it immensely.

Truthfully I wouldn't. I'd instead keep someone hungry for hours, happy to be there, that worked incredibly well with others, and that everyone loves and says nothing but good things about. Employees in this day and age are a dime a dozen. One job comes open, hundreds apply. I'd work on being that person you'd want to employ rather than the one people would cut the hell out of their hours in hopes they just quit.

.

by **Mirage** on April 2nd, 2012, 6:34 pm

You know, it is honestly not the cell phone texting that upsets me. Really I understand where they are coming from, and I really do not blame them for getting on to me for that act. After all I am a reasonable person (though not in my head sometimes haha)

No, my problems come when I am working hard, doing my best and then I am cut down because of a problem I was not aware of. Is it not the job of the manager to inform their employees of mistakes? Are they not supposed to come and talk to you (and i do not mean talking to you after you bring the issue to them yourselves) and try and clear up the situation before it gets bad? They are right?

Well they haven't. Kevin and the other Big manager on staff ALWAYS come talk to me when I have missed something or when I do something wrong. They are strict, but not harsh and just overly mean about it. They tell me off, give me instructions about what I am supposed to do and them move on. I try to fix it how they want, my feelings are hurt for a bit but ultimately I see where they are coming from and I really try to be better. I am not someone who hates critisism.

These other managers, however, have not even once brought their issues to me. They have never taken me aside to talk to me about what I am doing "wrong", and when I keep doing it they just cut my hours and call it a day. Is that fair? I think, and this is from an employee standpoint, that if I am working so hard and I make a mistake these managers should come and talk to me so that I can try and fix it, no? Instead they wait until the next day, talk to each other and complain about me (To Kevin and the General manager as well) and then just cut me in half. Is that how it is supposed to work? Am I just supposed to know what they are thinking?

What really gets me is that I ASKED them if everything looked ok. I went out of my way to get their opinions, as if I could do something else and they just say "oh its ok" and them come back and punish me for something that I thought was "ok".

Ok I am not an overly harsh person, and after last night I have more or less gotten over my rage and disappointment. Now, the manager that is causing me all this trouble has only been in this position for about a year (and actually he has been working here a shorter time than me). I have tried on numerous occasions to talk to him and get him to tell me if I do something. I have talked to him in private and told him I WANT to be a good employee for him, but he just has to tell me so I know. This is not something that is just happening, I have had to deal with this kind of stuff for several months, since the summer. I have asked the advice of the General manager before, and she did help it for quite a while. She called us both in the office and we talked it out, and I thought that was it. Well then she left and he has slowly been getting worse again.

Honestly I am more hurt that mad... I really really want to do a good job. Yes I know that the cell phone stuff is something that I should fix (and I have not been on it since I talked to Kevin), but still...

Call me what you wish, think what you may, but know that I am not an openly defiant person. I am not someone who wants to make trouble, and in fact I hate causing trouble in any way. I just want to be a good employee and I wish that they would let me. I just want some communication, just anything so that I can be better.

I have ranted more than enough on this subject, and all in all it is over. I was mad the other day, so mad that my usual composure was only just in place. I am a hard person to shake, but honestly... I can only try and talk to this person so many times. My patients has been wore then, and while I wont actually call down the heavens on this person it sure has hell felt good to say it. I bite my tongue more often than not, so it was nice just to get some of this off of my chest.

Kevin was understanding, as he always is, and I think he understood where I was coming from. He has assured me that he will look into it, and if worse comes to worst he said I shall stay on shifts with either him or the general manager. All in all I am content now. I said what I had to, I did not back down because some people would not approve of my actions. I did what had to be done for ME. Honestly this job, I love it to death, but this is not my future. This is just a step along the road of life for me, and honestly I should not have to fight so hard just to be treated fairly.

It should be know that I was not the only one with problems with this manager, and in fact he has been this way to several employees before me. All of them are no longer working here, and IMO and the opinion of the 2 older managers they were some of the hardest working, good guys that they had on staff. They were sad to see them go, and so was I. Well I wont leave so easily, and if my manager has acknowledged my complaints he must have seen at least a little of what I am talking about for himself.

I feel better for saying all of this, but please do not judge my words spoken only in anger. I am not such a shallow person as to truly cause harm to another, but you better believe it felt good to think so (if only for a short time).

I give no disrespect to other manager's out there who have dealt with similar situations. Trust me, I understand that most of the time it is the employees fault, and I have on more than one occasion brought myself to talk to/apologize for some things I have done as worker under these managers. I am not a bad person to work with, and honestly I would not care so much about this if my hours were not suddenly cut with no explanation given.

Yes I know part-timers are the first to be cut, but really... 7 hours? A week? I have been there 2 years now, I have been at the top of the sale charts for months on end. I am good at my job, and while I am not perfect I sure do want to be. I make mistakes, but when I do I just want to be informed and talked to... Please understand.

by **Mirage** on April 2nd, 2012, 6:45 pm

Goss and everyone else,

Thank you for the advice. I will take it to heart. I am not a terrible person, and I am not as harsh as I may have appeared lately. I was frustrated, and I acted unprofessionally here on Mizahar. That will change.

It is true I have not been keeping to my own advice, and I think it is about time that I follow it. Professional in the real world I am not so forthcoming with my thoughts and feelings. I have never had the need to be the bad person, and I really hate it. I do try to change myself Gossamer. Each and every day I try.

I may be contradicting at times, but in all I understand myself better for all comments and criticisms. I am a very passionate person, in many ways, and at times these passions overcome my own natural sense. I shall work on it, so please be patient with me.

Gossamer, your words always sting the most. They sometimes feel like white-hot iron scorching my bare skin, and I wonder if they leave scars sometimes. But you know... each and every time you have talked to me it has been with good reason. I am still young. Very young to some. In fact I am still only 21 (Lol yeah just turned 21 2 weeks ago). I am learning every day from my own mistakes and the kind and harsh words of others.

Will I make more mistakes? You better believe it. I will fall every day, I will mess up and regret things every day. But I will never stop learning. I suppose this scrap has been a failure so far. Things have been said here that I now regret, but then I learn more every day.

*sigh* I suppose I still have a long ways to go. I keep thinking "I am an adult now and deserve this, this and this." I am, however, still trapped within a very childish mentality of the world and its workings. All I can really ask is give me a bit more time, and please continue to talk to me with the honesty that you have shown so far. That is to everyone who knows me, and not just Gossamer.

So I come to a strange place, what is this scrap book about to become? Hm... Well we will see very soon. I will not, however, treat this place as a way of letting off steam from the real world. That is what the gym is for.

So to all, thank you for your time,
Mirage

by **Seven Xu** on April 3rd, 2012, 1:06 am

It varies from province to province and state to state, I'd imagine (please correct my ignorance)--but in Nova Scotia, part-timers must be available to work a minimum of 40% of a full-timer's work hours per week. That does not mean they will get them. To be guaranteed hours, you must be full-time staff. My company has gone entire weeks without scheduling one or two part-timers at all, because of the hours available.

When it comes to cutting back hours, whose hours are it easier to cut?

I'll give an example.

A store has 190 hours a week to work with. They have a store manager, an assistant manager, a product manager and an inventory specialist that all require 30+ hours a week to be able to function and do their jobs (the inventory specialist and manager get 40, without question). 40+40+30+30=140. That means the remaining 50 hours for that entire week are to be divided between a full timer (who, by law in my province, requires 24 hours a week) and two part-timers.
50-24=16.
16/2=8.

See what I'm getting at? This stuff trickles down. It doesn't matter how amazing you are at your job, if you are part-time staff. That's harsh, but it's true. It's not about making mistakes or evil managers that hate you, it's a chain that, unfortunately, you're at the bottom of.

by **Mirage** on April 3rd, 2012, 3:15 am

Ive more or less come to accept that, and I am ready to put the past behind me and move on. Lol I think its time my scrap got a bit of a revamp.

by **Mirage** on April 3rd, 2012, 3:23 am

The Start of Something New

Yes! It is just as the title says! This now is the beginning of my new scrapbook (because it would be kinda silly to just make a new one). From this point onward I am taking on a new look on life, and a new way of scrapbooking

. Some of you know, and others don't, but I am trying to get into photoshop, well after I collect an extra $100 that is lol. I will most likely be bombarding this place with completely terrible attempts at awesome ideas I have. In between these posts I will be adding a bit of flair to spice this place up a bit

. Everyone is welcome to start posting random pics and/or advice on getting my photoshoping career going. I could really use some help T.T

Alright expect some pretty interesting and completely random stuff coming your way soon

by **Mirage** on April 3rd, 2012, 3:32 pm

Today is Gonna be a Good Day

Lol yep just as the title suggests, today is going to be a good day

. I am enjoying my new 21 year status, and I must say... now that I am able to by certain things I find myself not really inclined to do so. Why? Because most of the good stuff sucks my wallet dry T.T So instead I am going to enjoy myself in different ways. Root bear and icecream

Yeah I have really been wanting a rootbear float for a while. Idk why, but I WANT one! I was out last night at wendy's (not sure if that is spelled right) and they have this really good looking one on their menu, but of course I did not get it because it was 8:30 at night and I really shouldn't have that kind of sweetness that late. Well I am determined that tonight is the night!

In other news, my last few classes are registered for, and I am staring at the end of my degree as we speak

. Needless to say I am excited and ready to get started! But you know what the best thing is? No more Chemistry/Physics courses! Yay no more math! Lol I can do math, but it makes my brain hurt.

Hm i think that is it for now, but I shall leave you with a cute picture of a puppy XD

Later days