I (f20) recently started my first full-time job one week after finishing my last semester of Uni. I didn’t even take some time after years of study and I thought I was ready for full-time. Fyi, my job relies heavily on repeat customers and requires me to talk to many people and establish relations. I knew it was a career where extroverts get the advantage but was prepared to challenge by myself as I use to be an extrovert when I picked this career.
Being an introvert, I am generally only comfortable talking to people I know. I do speak at work but I say very little, though I always like to smile. In the past, I’ve only ever gotten compliments at work regarding my attitude and how happy I look to be at work because I am always smiling.
A few weeks into this new job, my manager lashed out at me after receiving a customer complaint about my poor attitude. She had told me that she has a very good relationship with the customer and never wanted to hear complaints like that again. I stood there in shock trying to explain that it wasn’t the case. I was deeply hurt because of the obvious bias towards the customer and she had yet to hear my side of the story. Coworkers were around and the customer was still there so I tried to control my emotions that day.
My side of the story was the customer came running across the store whilst yelling at me not to touch her product as I was getting ready to put them away. My reply – OH i am sorry – whilst backing off and feeling shocked that she reacted that way. Apparently, she complained about my tone OH! I reflected and thought, yes it may have been my fault – my fault for not saying “Oh I am so sorry, I wasn’t aware they were yours” As someone who thinks of what I have said long after saying it, I thought I could’ve spoken more.
My manager and I had a formal conversation after to which it was revealed that another of loyal customers have also complained about me. I apparently laughed mockingly after Oh no after a customer revealed they have misplaced something and mixed up the display table. Yes I did smile and said Oh No! I thought that her mistake was ok and not too serious but was I rude? She obviously thought so because she complained. Fyi, this happened on my first week on the job. Manager told me she brushed it off because she thought i did not mean it. But now after 2 complaints, I am being questioned.
As an introvert, I always find that I am always misunderstood as I obviously lack people skills to an extent. I am always polite though but can be too honest sometimes. I hate people-pleasing and I don’t do that so I am constantly worried my manager doesn’t like me. But overall, I am scared at going to work at the moment and doing the wrong thing at my first job after Uni. I want to just do my work and go home but my job needs me to be a team player. I love what I do and time just flies but I dread office work and know that if I stay long enough, I can work from home.
Opinions and advice is appreciated. Thanks for reading to my rant.