Author: Olivia

I was an assistant manager at a shitty alternative fashion store who prides themselves on “not being like other stores”. It was my dream job as an emo teenager and it turned into my worst nightmare. After being hired, I was told verbally the day my probation period ended, that I would be getting a promotion to level 2 assistant manager. Three months later, after my manager offering it to another worker to make her stay after she handed in her two-weeks, I finally signed the contract and got my promotion/ .25 raise (l o l). 3 months pass and the new fiscal year begins and unprompted, my manager pulls me into the backroom to tell me that I will not be getting a raise this year because I had “just gotten a raise”. In my time of employment with this place, we had our entire team of associates quit…

I bet someone here met with similar situations. But people who themselves are in the shitty jobs are sometimes so pissed towards people who escape this 'system'. I don't even think they really know why themselves. One example (but there were more): My childhood friend, we have known each other since we were born and we are the same age. He was into art all his life and is very good at drawing and design. However, he was struggling badly trapped in low-paid jobs and with debts, because he took loans to pay rent and other stuff. So he was constantly trapped in those jobs for many hours, exhausted by them, paying off debts and then his confidence was dropping. His dream was to be a tattoo artist but he had no energy after working so much. He already was drawing good designs for those. At the same time, I…

I applied at Ross and I get it, retail is crap, but seriously? First day and they’re already bringing in the corrective actions in case they see I can’t finish running the racks. I don’t know where things are, I don’t know how they expect me to know. Sure I get why certain things have to be organized a certain way in the rack to make it faster but still. I wasn’t given a locker to put my stuff, and the supervisor didn’t even bother to introduce herself. Any questions I’ve asked she would look annoyed. Saying I have 15 minutes to get stuff done. With all honesty I’m not even bothering with this micromanaging.

I was recently promoted to manager at a job where I have been nearly killing myself. I don’t really want to be a manager but I couldn’t turn down the pay. What do good workers, want from your managers other than to be trusted, to be asked for YOUR ideas, and to be left to do your work? If you’re new, are you open to friendly mentoring? I want this experience to be positive for the 3 employees; I want them to be able to grow because they all seem to deserve it. So while many of us hate work right now, what could a new manager do to help you not hate work as much?? I’ve basically just wanted my managers to treat me as an adult and do training meetings as I need. I want to treat them as I wish to be treated. Thoughts??

I’m currently on unplanned sick leave because my my immune system got worse and caught a flu. They always want me to work even after work hours and most times I work 15-16hrs. Can’t even rest because I have deadlines. I also have a responsibility in our household. I would say working in a startup is traumatizing. My mental health is also getting worse because of constant panic attacks. Having toxic coworkers adds up to it. They keep on getting projects with short deadlines. And I’m the only one who can do it. Planning to resign but everyone told me to not be a quitter and stop my bad attitude. But then, my salary won’t even pay enough for my hospital bills if I get admitted.