Started a new job last year in Ontario, Canada for marketing for a company. For a bit of context: I am very poor with bankrupt parents, no degree, and not much going for me. When I got a job that paid $24/h instead of my $19/h at a call centre job I REJOICED. It seemed sketch but I did it anyway.
Lots was weird off the bat. I didn’t have a degree so I had no training but I was expected to learn on my own time. Not a huge deal, I did just that. I was lured in by the promise of making enough money and bonuses to buy a house. (My mom and I have been renting all our lives, my only life goal is to buy her a house and me one, too). But lots was pushed on me. Im marketing, social media, admin assistant, order fulfillment, customer service, photography, graphic design, videographer, data analyst, and more, all while having a boss that isn’t present, not reachable on email, refuses to commit to anything, and demands business growth made out of magic.
I tolerated it for a long time. Lots of work, long hours, measly pay, etc just for the promise of someday achieving my goal.
The kicker was when I went back in for the new year. I got in to a long, 1000 word email. I cried reading it. It said:
- I need to do better because sales are down, I WILL be fired if I don’t get sales
- I’m no longer allowed any posters, sticky notes, stickers or decor at my desk because it’s “unprofessional”
- I’m no longer allowed to eat at my desk because I’m messy (I clean my desk at the end of the day every day). We have no lunch room so I have to eat in my car. Everyone else in the office is allowed. I have chronic illness and need to eat every 2 hours or I get dizzy.
- NO earbuds or headphones even though I don’t take any kind of calls. Everyone else is allowed. This is because I didn’t hear him when he called my name once.
- NO MORE working from home when I’m sick. Sick days are only 3 a year and now unpaid. I have chronic illness and take a sick day every month. When I had covid I was sick for 3 weeks and worked from home.
- I am the only one who uses the show rack. I leave my shoes down sometimes when they fall. I was told DO NOT DO THIS! Always pick them up! I get yelled at if I forget.
That’s just the gist of it.
I desperately want to accomplish my goal of having a house but I don’t know if it’s possible. With no degree (I went to school for screenwriting) and no lottery ticket, I’ll have to tolerate it.
Thanks for reading.