My job sucks. I've lost motivation to be there. I'm always showing up late even if I put in the effort to be there on time/early. I feel as though my job is a soul sucking, mind numbing, dull and boring. I want to quit but people keep telling me not to quit until I have another job to replace it but I'm not sure if I can stand it for that long. I'm not the kind of person that money is a motivator. I have to enjoy what I do to be motivated. When I was first hired, I was motivated because it was my first job, so there was that excitement of it being a "first" but now it's like... I'm done with it.

Everybody there, with the exception of a few of my fellow cashiers, are jerks. The managers there are stuck up snobby little @ssholes. I have a vacation coming up so I'm thinking that the payday after I get back from vacation I'll quit. I honestly don't think I can stand to work for them any longer than that. I can't stand working for a huge corperate giant. I'm not cut from the corprate mold. I'm a theatre techie. Working for a theatre is not the same as working for a huge company. Theatre people are more lax. If you show up a little late, they're not gonna throw a fit. As long as you're there two hours before curtain on show days and you show up within the first 10 minutes of the scheduled rehersal time, it's fine. Theatre's not so ridgid.

I guess I'll chime in. First, you're not in a corporate job. If you are a cashier I'm guessing you work in some sort of retail job. That's not a corporate position so don't rule out jobs with big companies entirely. I'll get to the point of why you shouldn't in a minute.

Why don't you take your friends advice and keep this job until you find another-maybe a job in theater? It sounds like that is where you want to be anyway. If it is a passion of yours why not turn that passion into a job that you enjoy doing everyday? If you found a job within an industry that you like it really changes your outlook on working and certainly makes jerks at work easier to deal with.

Regarding big companies. Don't always rule those out. I've worked for a few very large companies and I didn't seem to fit for one reason or another, but one thing that is great about big companies is their benefits. I didn't realize the true "benefit" until I started working for a small company and then owning my own business and of course when you start a family. It sure is a reality check when you go from paying $40/month for your family's health insurance to over $700+.

I know you don't want to hear this, but don't do anything rash. You could really regret it. Most of us are very impulsive and do things on a whim or without thinking them through fully. Just think about what you really want to do and create a path to get there.

Good luck,

Agent

I work for a national home improvement chain. I think I heard one of my bosses say that it's a fortune 50 company. So it's not a small little company. I do want to get a job with a theatre company but it's very hard to break into it. I tried calling to ask a local theatre if they were hiring and I all I got was an automated machine... and it was 11am!

I'm thinking I'll quit the payday after I get back from vacation. Then I'll be paid for vacation. I want to see if I can find a job either at a theatre or at least someplace I like to shop at. lol.

ADD girl, you sound like your fairly "young" to me. I would take AgentSpeeds advice and wait to you have another job. Today's job market is T.O.U.G.H! I have been out of work for a little over 3 months and I have got quite a bit of interviews, and no job offers... I'm late 30s. I have hurt many aspects of my life by quitting(and also getting fired) a few times in my career. I learned my lesson late in life(it took me till my early 30s to realize this was STUPID!) what I did at my last job was basically act like a lunatic(not really literally, but close!). I argued with customers, my co-workers didn't really like me, and I talked $hit about the company I worked for... It all worked out in the end--I got fired and recieved unemployment. In the past, I would have said; F-it...I'm quitting NOW. The moral to the story: do not quit.

Not trying to be an ***, but has anyone here ever liked their first job?

Also, you must be pretty young, because "theater" is an extracurricular activity at school, not a job. Most actors (that actually survive off of acting) had to work at really bad jobs for a very long time while eating ramen and sharing a studio with 3 other people.

I was 12 when I had my first job... picking strawberries. I hated it. Hated my second job, third job, and had a love/hate thing with my fourth job at the ripe old age of 15 until the age of 18. I've hated most jobs after that. I'm 24 and finally found a job that I again have a love/hate relationship with, which is better than I've had for a while. I'm back in college again but am not working in my prospective career field yet.

If this is your first job, then you probably have a long time until you'll find a job that you really like. One thing you need is "qualifications". That takes time, effort, and/or schooling. I've been working for 12 years and only had one "job" that I liked. That was being a volunteer firefighter, in which I didn't make any money.

Moral of the story: this is only your first job.... try to find the best things about it, because you'll have plenty more jobs to hate after this. Work is work. You wouldn't be doing it if you didn't have a reason, which is to make money so you can do the things you actually enjoy. What I have been slowly learning is that it isn't the job, but your mindset, and the way you look at your job and your life. It's just a necessary step towards your true goals, so try to enjoy what you can.

If I really hate a job or reach a point where I dread going in before even beginning my days off I can't stay there either - I will admit the idea about making them fire you in order to collect unemployment isn't a bad one.

Also, you must be pretty young, because "theatre" is an extracurricular activity at school, not a job. Most actors (that actually survive off of acting) had to work at really bad jobs for a very long time while eating ramen and sharing a studio with 3 other people.


I never said I was an Actress! Are you kidding me?! I could never act! I'm a Techie. I do the building, painting, sound, lighting, props, rigging, etc. In a theatre, there's about twice as many techies to actors. On a movie set, there's like... 5x as many techies as there are actors.... (provided it's not a Jerry Bruchimer movie... then counting the extras, it's about dead even HAHA). Techie jobs are easier to come by than acting jobs because nobody sees our faces! lol. The hard part is breaking into the profesional theatres but once you're in, you're in. (BTW, I'm almost 22 so we're not that far in regard to age.)

Oddly, I know more actors now than anyone who "supports" actors. I've been in the stage crew before as well. I suppose it is the industry that I'm speaking of. The entire industry is ridiculous. It isn't reality. But if you really like it, then go for it. Everyone has their own interests, and I may have my own opinion, but what does it matter? If you have a talent (you should narrow yours down, because you mentioned quite a few professional careers in your last post), then use it. As I said, high school "theater" is quite different than actually doing this for a living. For instance, you mentioned "sound" as one of the many things that you have done. I work with some of the best "sound" guys in the industry. Seriously. I work at one of the largest audio equipment companies in the world, quite possibly THE largest. Most of these guys have spent their entire lives working with music, electronics, acoustics, etc., and the bare minimum that each of them has is an audio engineering degree. These people are brilliant, yet they work as tech support, and are making just less than double minimum wage. Not as glamorous as you might think.

Yes, I'm a bit pessimistic, but reality is rather harsh. I'm great at quite a few things, but not great enough to get hired as one of those things. Through my experience, I can fight fires, provide EMT-B medical care, create small functional programs (client/server side) in Perl, fly (single engine) aircraft, and kill anyone and anything within 300 yards with an M16A2/A4 and multiple other weapons, and much more. Yet I can't get a job doing any of those things.

All I'm saying is that you have to work DAMN hard in order to break into whatever career you truly want to be in. Yes, you may have enjoyed theater in high school. I enjoyed programming in high school. Doesn't matter. I need to be really good in order to get a job doing it. There are thousands of people better than me right now. I am working on changing that. It will take money, time, and very hard work, but I will do it.

You are only at your first job, and you will experience quite a bit more resentment towards other jobs. You have a very long way to go. Especially in todays world. Keep at it and don't give up hope. Just don't expect it to be easy, and don't shrug off every job you have. You may not know it, but you are gaining valuable experience and developing character right now. That is very important. I honestly wish you the best of luck.

PS - I've had a very rough past few weeks. I've started two new meds, and have been weening off another. I apologize for my bluntness. Yet I feel that my comments are just. Keep trying, and don't give up.

Theatre is more than just a hobby to me. It's the one place in this whole world I feel... normal... in control... a sense of belonging. It's more to me than something that interested me in high school. I've had to take a break from college so I haven't worked in a theatre for a while now, and I feel I'm missing a part of myself. Like there's a huge hole in my soul. Theatre is my passion. During High School, and even in College, if I was having a bad day, I'd call my parents and tell them I would be staying after in the theatre because there was always something I could work on. Theatre is like a place of sanctuary to me. A place I can go and forget about my problems for a couple of hours. What I like about theatre is that it revolves around a realm of fantasy and make believe. When I'm working in a theatre, I can check reality at the door. The only reality that exists is the one that I help create (the play/musical).

Because I've only done it in high school and college, I've had to be a "jack of all trades." I think I want to be either a sound or lighting designer but I'm leaning towards lighting designer.I'm thinking of talking with an advisor to figure out what classes I still need to take in order to get my A.A. in Theatre, then I want to enroll in college again (community college).

I want to get my Associate of Performing Arts, then go on to get my Bachelor's of Performing Arts. I know it's a tough business to break into, but like I said, once you have, it's a cinch from there. I'm willing to do anything to break into the business. If I have to start out as a stage hand or something remedial like that, I'm willing to do that until I can work my way up to better positions. There are plenty of professional theatres in my area I can put in my resume at, it's just finding a day off I can get downtown to do so.

Although even if I was working for a clothing store, I think it would be better than the job I have now... and there's a new store in my local mall that's dedicated to all things pirate that I wouldn't mind working at. (If you couldn't tell from my username, I love Pirates!) I know that working for a professional theatre might not be possible until I get my A.A. And I'm willing to settle for a different job that I would enjoy better. I took this job because it was the one place that would hire me without any job experiance.

I equate my first job like my first boyfriend. Both were really great in the beginning. It was exciting and thrilling but as the months went on, I discovered little things about each that I disliked. Soon those little things started getting on my nerves until the point that I couldn't take it any more and felt like if I didn't get out of that situation I would explode. So I broke up with my boyfriend because he was an @ss and now I want to "break up" with my job because it's boring, I dread going in, I'm sick of the bosses, and they're all just getting on my nerves. I feel as though that job is eating away at my soul. It's mind, body and soul numbing. I don't ever want to get stuck in a job like that. Ever.

Regardless of what job you're intending to find, looking for one that "allows" you to be tardy is a bad sign, and frankly makes you a less than desirable candidate.

I can relate to the hating your job part however, and I bet you're a complete joy to the customers at this point. The fact that they haven't fired you yet for being routinely late is a miracle.

Two bits of advice: If your not giving a job your all, then don't expect management to kiss your butt. It kind of peaves coworkers when someone is either consistently late, or functioning on a sub par level and still maintaining their employment and they (*the coworkers) are busting their butts and not being acknowledged.

Secondly, the grass ain't always greener.

Getting a degree and finding a job that you truly enjoy is definitely going to improve your life in a number of ways. However you still need a job and if someone is willing to pay you to do a job, I'd highly recommend you do it and do it to the best of your ability.
But if you don't like being a cashier, then don't be a cashier. Just don't blame them because you find it boring.

If you're at the big box home improvement chain I'm thinking of (or the other one) and you're anything like the cashiers I've experienced there, that's the very reason I no longer shop there.

I do not work at the orange box. I work at the blue house (??). You know, the one with the employees in the red vests/aprons. And even though I hate my job, I do not take it out on the customers. I have great customer service skills and I think that's one of the main reasons they haven't fired me. And I've never had a single customer complaint in the year+ that I've worked there. Only recently have I really started to dread going in. Before it was just like... "*sigh* I work today...." But now it's like, "D@mn it... I don't wanna go... Am I sick? No? D@mn." Now I'm always asking myself in that split second I wake up, if I have any excuse/reason to call in sick because I don't want to go in. The days are long and boring and the bosses have got a stick up their rear ends... or they're just stupid and incompetent (case in point, the store manager... he has no clue how ANYTHING works within the departments or how the returns works, etc. He's a moron. And one of my other bosses is also ADD and he's worse than I am because he's @nal!)

Also I think another reason I haven't been fired is because every time the pull me into the office, I always end up crying and it's always my ADD boss to pull me into the office so maybe the tears pull me some sympathy/empathy. LOL.. (j/k)

Well the only thing I can say is that unless your parents are paying for everything for you, you need to have a job while you are going to school. I'm in that position right now. My parents are 2000 miles away (not like they'd pay for anything for me anyways), I work full-time, and go to school part time. I don't want it this way, but I don't have any other options.

I suppose you are just going to have to learn how the working world works. You may never find a regular job that you actually love (I really haven't yet). However, you can find jobs that you may like, but it may very well depend solely on your attitude. I figure that as long as a company is paying me and I'm going to school for something that I like, I won't mind my situation because it isn't permanent. Working at a job doesn't mean you have a career in that field. It is just a job. I used to hate going into work every day, but I was eventually able to change my mindset in order to just do my job, and do it better than anyone else. Now I don't mind it. There are countless things that **** me off, but I either try to fix them, or just accept them. You will eventually learn that even though you may not like your job, you have to do it anyways. I wouldn't imagine that you would know this yet, but getting fired from a job can make your next job harder to get.

My next statement is very important, so please pay attention. One of THE most important things that employers look at is your prior job experience, and how long you were at that job. If you had a few jobs and held them for only a couple of months each, your employer is going to question your work ethic, and probably not hire you even before looking at what you did. Why would they hire anyone who is just going to be there for a few months, regardless of their qualifications? In one of your previous posts, you said, "I took this job because it was the one place that would hire me without any job experience." So you have already experienced the limitations of bad/no work experience.

If this were your first job and you were 15 or so, I would expect this sort of thinking. However, you are an adult now and only 2 years younger than me, so you should know these things. Also, I would highly recommend taking responsibility for your actions. At most jobs, crying doesn't get you very far.

Well, I was just kidding about the crying thing (hence the reason I said j/k). And I do still live with my parents. I think if I lived on my own my attitude about holding down a job would be different. That, I think, is the major reason that I said money is not a motivator for me. My parents are very loving and generous with me. Before I even had a job, they did pay for my education. My mom told me as long as I live with them, they will help me with tuition. And it's not that I don't want to have a job any more, I just don't want the one I got. Plus I want to see if I can find a job with a better health insurance policy, hopefully with Kaiser (local hospital in the area). I was born at Kaiser, they know me there and Kaiser is SO different than a PPO.

I have worked at my current job for almost a 1 1/2 years. So it's not like I've only worked there for a few months like you mentioned. This is my first job and I've been able to hold it down for a year and a half. I feel as though it is better to quit because then it is MY CHOICE to leave, rather than being fired which puts a negative look on my work ethic, behavior, etc.

If they ask me why I quit, I can simply tell them that I did not enjoy the job any more, it was a poorly managed store, severly understaffed, ect. It was my first job and I felt as though it was time to move on. I don't know about other states, but here they have an option on applications that asks if they can call your last employer or if you do not want them calling your last employer. I can choose for them NOT to call my previous employer and they cannot hold that against you.

First, the way you worded that sentence about the crying made it seem as though you were joking about the sympathy, and not the crying. No matter though.

Second, considering the new information, it might possibly be time to look for another job. Because your parents can pay for everything (I never had that luxury myself although my fiance did) and because it has been a year and a half for your first job, then you might be ok with getting a new job. I apologize for my previous assumptions. I would imagine that most people in their first job are very young, and many of the things you said led me to believe the same.

Either way, I still believe that what I have said before stands true, however it may not be 100% relevant now. More time at a job is better, but if you are financially secure then you might want to consider leaving. However, as DeloresMelon said previously, "the grass isn't always greener." That is a very hard truth that I still have difficulty with. You will find that some or most of the problems you are having now will apply to any job you are at. My current job has some of those issues, but then again I love the people I work with. You have to weigh out the good and the bad.

some of these posts are quite something. What are some of your problems in life...Av8joker(or whatever your handle is), how about you DeloresMelon? you two seem to have all your $hit together...have figured out the "American career path", etc, etc, etc..... Great. Some of us aren't so lucky. I'm done with this thread.

some of these posts are quite something. What are some of your problems in life...Av8joker(or whatever your handle is), how about you DeloresMelon? you two seem to have all your $hit together...have figured out the "American career path", etc, etc, etc..... Great. Some of us aren't so lucky. I'm done with this thread.

My career path isn't what the original poster asked about, and my $hit isn't something she asked about either, so we'll leave that for another time. How you have come to the conclusion that we've got our "$hit" together is beyond me. I don't even know what you mean by "american career path".

The things I posted in response to her are the very same things you're going to hear from just about any person interviewing a potential employee. I have yet to find a business looking for someone that will be late and rude to the customers. Now, I did NOT say she is rude to customers, I said if she IS, then I'm sure she's a joy to the customers. Sarcasm. She was the one that mentioned always being late.

I've been in the working world for darn near 20 years and the things I said are just as true today as they where 20 years ago. Now that she's clarified where she works, I'm pretty damn impressed she's been there that long.

In fact, I was just about to post to her that while she may have to tweak her work ethic a bit, she seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders. Your post, however, sent me on a whole new tangent..

"some of us just arent that lucky"...?? I don't know what you mean here. If you mean "lucky to find a job that you love", then very few people are employed in their "dream" job.

I don't know. I'm not really sure why you're bent.

I'm bent because in America(not sure abou the rest of the world), your screwed if you have "shaddy" employment. Which I have currently(and in order for me to get employeed again, I HAVE to lie on my resume--which I HATE!). I talk to a lot of people who are just plain MORONS and they somehow keep jobs. They have ZERO social skills, no communication skills, but they have figured something out..what!? I have no idea...

Regarding you're post.... I hear what you say OVER AND OVER(I know its meant for a "younger adult", and OP, but its still common sense stuff, that is repeated OVER AND OVER AND OVER, by the so-called "job experts", I'm sure the OP has heard this time and time again)! I'm tired of it. I don't like how money and wealth is distributed in our society, and I don't like how people define you by your job or career. This is what I meant by "the American career path".... Capitalism, fu#$# a lot of stuff up. Everything is about; money, greed and power. Most of the people in this country need to wake up and realize all the propoganda that is being feed to them on a constant basis....mostly by our f-up government and media!

Watch the movie(and read the book!): Into the wild. What a interesting perspective this person had on life!

sorry, I'm frustrated with a lot of things. Back to the originally scheduled program.

Mods(Meadd), sorry if this got "political". I will not be talking about this sort of stuff again.

Before I got in this funk, I really did honestly try to be on time. I still do try to be on time. It's not as if I purposely go in late... I guess I just want an employer who is not so rigid. I always thought that if you're in the building by the time you're scheduled, then you're on time. I guess that's what years of public school and community college conditions us to think like. As long as you're in the building by a certain time and at least in the class room at a certain time, then you are on time. As long as you were in the class room by the time the doors shut, then you were on time. You didn't need to be in your seat by the time the bell rang.

My dad gave me a good suggestion that I think I'll use. He suggested that I devote 2 or 3 weeks after I get back from vacation to search for a new job before I quit and if I don't get another job in that time then go ahead and quit then spend full time searching for a new job.

your screwed if you have "shaddy" employment. Which I have currently(and in order for me to get employeed again, I HAVE to lie on my resume--which I HATE!).

:confused: ..................... Um... you wouldn't "have" to lie if you didn't have shady employment. Nothing that DeloresMelon and I are saying isn't some high and mighty academia. This is common knowledge. Common as in everyone knows this stuff. Even those that do this stuff know this, like myself. I'm not always perfectly on time everyday, however I know this and realize that it is bad, therefore I try to fix it, or accept the consequences. These are facts, nothing ground breaking here.

You are in fact the only one who called us "so-called job experts". If I'm an expert in "jobs", then there is truly no hope for humanity. It seems that my redundancy hasn't set in yet so let me repeat, this is common knowledge.

I actually agree with you 100% on the capitalism, media, propaganda, etc. However I can't see myself being motivated by a Hollywood movie or a book to run off into the wild or join a hippie commune. There are other ways of showing your disappointment of society while still maintaining a job. There are many things in this country that infuriate me, but I'm quite limited on what I can do about it and I know that falling away from society won't get me anywhere.

You have no influence if no one respects you. I understand your frustration, but I'm not going to blame the government for all of my problems (only some of course). One thing I've been learning over the past few years is to take responsibility for my actions, and no one is going to get me anywhere but myself. I could btch and moan about how everything sucks all I want, but when I do that I always find myself back in the same spot, never moving forward. At least I'm trying to do something about it now.

and I'm not motivated by the hollywood movie; Into the Wild. A suggestion for people to watch it... btw, its a true story, that actually happened. I'm a little "bi-polar" right now, so please, excuse me. You're correct about your actions and taking responsibilities, etc. Sorry to be so abrupt in my posts.

Well, Cameron, while I applaud your righteousness, it's a little much for this particular post. Maybe you're hearing these things over and over and over is because they hold a bit of merit??...!!

How you got capitalism from me saying people need to be on time to their job, I don't know.


Anywho, good idea ADD_Pyrate_Gurl. My mother always said "don't quit your job until you've got another one". Do your homework on any potential employers and get an idea of what they're going to expect of you before hand.

And at the risk of another "cameron scold", it's best not to badmouth your previous employer to a potential employer. All it does is make you come out looking like a complainer.


As far as the late to work issue, look at it from your employers view: to them, it just looks like you can't be bothered to even show up on time. It shows a lot more disrespect to them than I think you may realize, and whether you intend it or not.

ADD gurl, The place you work has many other jobs under the roof.

Is there another department you might like to work in? Since you like to do stage work and sets, how about the decorating area, paint, blinds,etc. If your creative you have the flooring department. Personally I think I would like to design kitchens or maybe bathrooms, but thats me.

I

A while ago, when I first started I was cashiering down in Lumber and my knees gave out from under me. I have a bad knee and standing for that long was just too much on my knees. So I got a doctor's note to request the use of a stool in between customers. Even with the doctor's note, they told me that No I could not use a stool however they could move me to a customer service associate position within a department or I could answer phones. I chose to be moved to a department. They put me in outside lawn and garden as the official water girl. I hated that more than anything because I know diddly squat about plants. They had to teach me how to water, and even still I didn't always get it "right". Well, winter came and they didn't need many associates outside and they moved me back as a cashier. WHAT?! Didn't I leave that position because I couldn't stand for long periods of time??? So I asked why I hadn't been moved to another department and they said because they didn't see me in the training room trying to learn a department.... They just couldn't put me in a department w/o me going through the training first.... Whatever. So I've been using a stool and as far as I knew they still had my doctor note on file but then they tell me they don't have one on file. WHAT?! And Furthermore, they tell me that if I bring one in, I can continue to use a stool no problem... WHAT?! Wasn't I told that I could NOT use one, hence the reason I was given the option of CSA or Phone Operator??? Talk about confusing! Did the rules change or something and I just didn't get the memo??

It's a freaking stool. I doubt customers would be revolted by someone sitting down on the rare occasion. That is a little ridiculous.

Well for one it sounds like the place you work at may not be the best for you (according to the information from your side of course). I've been going in and out of wanting to quit my job as well, for many, many, reasons. I would get angry and start looking for a new job (just online), and then I would cool off and it would start getting better again. This cycle constantly repeats. Overall I really do like my job, but I know that I'm going to get upset again and go through the process.

Either way, whatever you decide to do, find another job first. It isn't like you have to leave immediately, so make sure that you have a better job lined up. Since you have some time, you can be a little more picky (depending on what you want to do and your ability to do it of course). You have a decent amount of time in for this being your first job though, so that might help. You may even want to look for an internship. Since you are covered financially, you can get some experience and some places even hire their interns.

Whatever you decide to do, be patient and don't get discouraged if the job isn't what it seems. Some jobs take some time to become more comfortable, and some jobs just plain suck. Good luck to you.

not likely. They're just using their upper management powers to screw with your young and (they hope) clueless mind.

A company disregarding an employee's doctors note is treading on semi thin ice.

Since you're planning to leave anyway, I'd just let it go and just make sure you get that note and get a stool for the remainder of your employment with them.

You guys can't be serious with some of these replies....can you? Obviously, your employer has become aware of your lateness and probably other issues they have with your work behavior. If you are telling us you have hated your job this long most likely you have told coworkers a long time ago. This puts you into the category of "hard to get along with" or "difficult employee" or "chronic complainer that won't be happy with anything". When you are labeled as such your employer or manager may have a hard time feeling sorry for you when you need a stool to sit on.

This is tough love, but I think someone needs to say it-You have to earn the respect of your employer and co-workers. If you are consistently late they have the right to make life a little harder for you. You can't go through life thinking that someone will find something for you to do, find it yourself. You are lucky they didn't just let you go when "it got cold". I'm guessing if you have a Lowe's you don't live in a super small town. If you did I would expect that it would be hard for you to find another job. But it sounds like you just aren't motivated to go out and do that. You can't complain about your job if you don't give it 100%. You can't complain about not being able to find another job if you haven't actually looked....I mean really looked, not just heard from people that companies aren't hiring or read that the economy is bad and the job market stinks. I mean you have talked with employers or asked manager if they are hiring, gone on interviews and been turned down, etc.

At the end of the day you are responsible for you, not your employer. If you don't like it then leave. Don't hate working at Lowe's because it's not Broadway. It's a home improvement store and unless they told you the job included setting the lighting and sound for musicals you have no right to complain about the job you are in. It is what it is. If you realize you are the problem then fix it, work with it or find somewhere else to work that suits your personality. Last piece of advice-don't take a dr's note in to your manager, it only makes your situation worse.

Agent

Excuse me, Agent, but where do you get off saying all that? Yes I hate my job and yes I realise it is not broadway. I realise it is a home improvement store, but where do you get the idea that I have behavioral problems? The only thing, the ONLY thing, that ****es off my bosses about me is my cronic lateness. When I am there, I am nice to the customers, I am nice to my fellow co-workers and I have excellent customer service skills.

I've actually been told on more than one occation by more than one person (head cashier, my boss, etc) that they would rather have 10 of me than some of my fellow cashiers who lack the personal skills it takes to give great customer service. That is one thing I pride myself on. Never once, in the year and a half I've worked there, has a customer complained about the service I gave to them. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

What I'm going to say right now is fairly contrary to what everyone else is saying, but here goes. . .

Just go ahead and quit. Working at a crap home improvement store is not the path to working in theatre. I'm 31 and have had every job under the sun. I moved out when I was 16 and have always supported myself. I've been flat broke, lived in my car, had no phone, heat, cable, food, etc. I've been through so many rough times yet somehow it all works out.

I've waitressed (briefly, I always get fired), worked as an exotic dancer, answered phones at an escort service, worked on Wall St., worked in real estate, done graphic design, fashion design, worked as a temp, done club promotions and record promotions, worked as a barn manager and exercise rider, taught riding lessons. You name it, I've done it (briefly:)). I also managed to complete 3 years of college at an Ivy League school (dean's list every semester). I never finished the last year as the stress of school and work became too much for me. My career path is basically a series of meaningless jobs, but I'm ok with that. I have always wanted to be a writer but still have never gotten the courage up to actually submit anything to get published. Perhaps that's rather pathetic since I'm 31 and still haven't gotten around to doing that. However, I value every single experience that I've had and feel fortunate for having seen so many sides of the world and of human existence. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

As for success in life, I have my own dogwalking and petsitting business. I started it 3 years ago and at the time (due to an unfortunate series of events) had $26 and my chihuahua. I've worked really hard, but I actually make a very good living (much better than if I had completed my degree and had a corporate job). I get burned out at times but knowing that the dogs are waiting for me to walk them and that there's no one else to do it keeps me going. I realize that self-employment is the only thing that works for me. As for tardiness, I'm always running late. I book all my dogwalks in a 2 hr. window so I have being late built right into my schedule. Next time someone says something to you about being late, just tell them that time is relative. Furthermore, my job allows my mind to be free to think of whatever I want to. I come up with all of my stories while walking around, I have a couple of cool inventions that I want to patent, I have designed all sorts of extravagant dog clothes and sweaters in my free time, I come up with really cool business ideas, etc.

As for the theatre part. I would suggest applying for an internship. I have both clients and friends that work in theatre either doing sound, set design, or acting. Most of them have other jobs. (I have a few who are very successful and have leads in Broadway plays-- but this is an exception). The vast majority are constantly between theatre gigs and have to do all sorts of crappy jobs to support themselves. Sure NY is a tough city, but theatre is really tough. If you want to make it, you're going to have to work your butt off, probably for free, for a very long time before you are able to support yourself doing it.

I'll share my fiance's story- He works as a music mixer for a network television station, has won an Emmy, has produced tons of albums that went platinum, etc. He freelances as well (was mixing Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot today for the Grammy's), and has an album that he produced coming out later this month. He has definitely made it. However, he is one of the few that did. And he worked his ***** off. He's 55 now, but was constantly broke until he was in his early 40s. He started in the business when he was 18. He had to live in the studio where he worked because he was homeless and sometimes had to resort to stealing food. His job-- getting coffee and doing other meaningless stuff. He never gave up though, and gradually improved his mixing skills and started working at a lot of the major studios in New York (most of which have now disappeared). He wrote jingles for a while and then started mixing and producing records. We have platinum albums all over our apartment, and despite all that, he didn't make much money. It wasn't till he broke into television and won a Grammy that he started doing better. He even told me that his ex-wife was bugging him one time because they were always broke and he went and interviewed for a job at Macy's. He was ready to give up. Fortunately, he didn't because it was shortly thereafter that he won an Emmy and his career took off.

My point being, it's going to take you a long, long time to be successful in theatre. I'm not trying to be harsh, but that's reality. Not only do you have to have tremendous talent, but you've got to be willing to bust your *****. I see people do it all the time. So go ahead, quit that job, find something else and keep pursuing your dream. You only live once, don't waste it ringing up a bunch of junk at a home improvement store.

(An aside, the second my fiance step into Home Depot, we are suddenly ready to kill each other. We have now decided never to go to any home improvement store ever again. We suck at that sort of thing anyway-- we just call our super and he fixes everything).

Because I have been where you are, I've said the things you have said, and I've made the same excuses for why I'm not enjoying my job. I've never been a cashier, but that doesn't matter. I have worked in plenty of jobs where I have complained about the manager and the way they treat me differently than the other employees, hated certain things about my job that really weren't things you could change. It is part of the job, but I hated it. Realistically, there are things you can change and things you can't. I tended to dwell on the things I couldn't change and I would complain about how much I hated it. That isn't fair to anyone.

If you start thinking more about how your behavior affects others around you maybe you will see this from another perspective. You have posted how you think being on time means being in the building where you work. Think about this from your employers perspective. How long have you been in the building before you actually start doing the job they are paying you for? They aren't paying you to stand around. They aren't paying you to talk to your friends, etc.

Instead of quitting and worrying about where you will find another job, why don't you try just the opposite to see how it works? Why don't you put yourself on a strict schedule of getting up 10 minutes earlier, getting to work on time (ready to do your job at the time you are supposed to), doing what people ask you to, not socializing unless you are on break, etc. This would require a major committment on your part, but you can do it. I know it can be done and I think you will be a little more content at work if you do it.

Agent

No. I dislike every aspect of that job. I don't like handling money all day, I don't like the bosses. My co-workers are fine. I like them for the most part. There's one woman who works in commercial sales that our personalities just clash, but other than her, I enjoy the company of all my coworkers. Our boss does not mind if we chat with each other in between customers. They understand that, especially in the night shift, there are fewer customers and cleaning and zoning the batteries/flashlights can only entertain us for so long. lol. They do not expect us to be stoic robots. If they wanted stoic robots, then they would invent a robot to do all the checking out and not a human.

I've had to put up with crap since I got there and it has slowly been chipping away at my soul. Like I said, I'll give myself 2-3 weeks after I get back from vacation to search for a job before I quit and if I can't find one by the date I set as my goal, then I'll just quit on that day and devote full time to searching for a new job and putting in Apps. in places that interest me. Like a clothing store I like to shop at, or there's a new pirate store in the mall that I wouldn't mind working at if they're hiring. I just need to find places of buisness that cater to my interests and apply for a job at those places.

I've worked at my current job for a year and a half and I still don't know where half the stuff we sell is located, not to mention there have been times when I'm ringing up an item I have no clue what it is used for!

Keep in mind, there is one unfortunate thing about working at some places that you think might interest you. It is still a corporate (or whatever the same thing you're doing is) job, and no matter what type of place it is, it will more often than not be the EXACT same job with the same BS. I work at one of the largest audio equipment companies in the world (which can be cool sometimes), but either way, no matter what company I would work for in the position I'm currently in, the job would still be the same, but with different products.

Customer service, mail room, EMT, dishwasher, retail, USMC, metal working, sales, inventory control, firefighter, account manager, etc. These are some of the jobs that I have had that I experienced the same politics, same retarded managers, and same lack of a livable wage. I thought (think) the grass is always greener. It's always when I get to a new job and have been there a while that I think back and say to myself, "You know, that last job wasn't so bad."

I'm not saying don't quit your job. Of course you need to move on and up. Just don't get in the cycle that I am and think that every new job will be better. Some are, some aren't. Just don't set your expectations too high. I'm working full time and just figured out today that I'm going to school 83.3% full time, and I'm finally starting to develop a little patience. The next job that I get will have (I hope) an actual purpose. I want a job in my prospective career field, and if I can't get that, then I will research and interview until I find a company that might be a little better than the one I'm at. I know now not to expect much difference (unless it's freaking Google or something), but I have plenty of time, so I might as well think it through.

Okay guys this thread has gotten a little heated in areas - although a rare thing is this area I guess it happens.

First of all it is fine to disagree with each other We currently have 23000 members even if just a percentage of them are participating disagreements are going to happen however being disagreeable is not an option -



Things like personal attacks are not going to be tolerated for any reason.



I would also like to remind members that if you are flamed or personally attacked by another member instead of returning fire to defend yourself or a friend I would like to encourage you to report the abusive post instead. Intervening on behave of fellow members so discussions do not deteriorate into flame wars is why there are moderators. The reporting process can be used to report any post that are in violation of ADDF guidelines (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15843)

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what happens if you feel you are flamed by a mod?

I don't think this was very heated and I am quite tolerant of personal attacks, although I don't like them.

I think the previous situation has been diffused and was only really "heated" by one person, who later apologized. I think the situation worked itself out.

Cameron, there is an report button on all of the moderator's posts as well if you feel the need to report them for something.

Cameron, there is an report button on all of the moderator's posts as well if you feel the need to report them for something.



Good question and correct response!

No. I dislike every aspect of that job.

ADD pyrate gurl - what did you decide?

Are ya quitting your job or are you going to try and stick it out until you find another one?

I think when I get back into town (I'm on vacation right now) that I will count out 3 weeks and circle the end day of 3 weeks. In that 3 weeks I will go out and around and search for a new job, put in apps. and try to get some interviews. If I have a new job within the 3 week time frame I gave myself, great, I'll quit the day before I start my new job. BUT if I do not have a new job lined up after the 3 week "deadline" I will quit my job then continue my search for a new job every day until I have a new job. :)

Pyrate Gurl,

Coming in a little late to this discussion - just wanted to put in my $0.02 as someone in the performing arts. First of all, it's fabulous that it sounds like you have your parents' support. That's an immense help in anything in the creative world!

Here's what I've seen - and please bear in mind, this is just what I've seen. Day jobs suck, yes, but for most people in creative professions they're a necessary evil, oftentimes for longer than I want to think about...I have a friend who sang at the Metropolitan Opera...and...you guessed it...she still temps in an office. True story. Oy! On that general note, the unfortunate thing about any long-term job, even in the wonderful world of theater/live performance, is that there are still all of the blucky things that come with a long-term job...co-workers ya don't care for, nasty bosses, demanding clients. Just think of dealing with people now as practice for dealing with the wide range of personalities you would have to work with in a theater on any given night :)

Also, on the career front - have you seen if you could offer your (unpaid) services to local theater companies as an intern or volunteer? It sounds as though you have some assistance with basic living costs, so perhaps this wouldn't be a problem financially. If it isn't, it's a great way to get to know people in your area in the business and learn a lot, too. It's also a great way to "test drive" technical theater as a career to ensure that that's definitely the direction in which you want to move with your education. As opposed to calling people - at any-sized theater, the technical staff is probably incredibly busy - perhaps you could send an e-mail or letter with your (theater) resume attached letting the theater know that you would be interested in any opportunities they'd be willing to provide. Look on websites to see who the stage manager or technical director is, and send the e-mail to them or the resume and letter to their attention. Even if they need help ushering, it's a foot in the door - and a chance to observe some great lighting, sets, stage effects etc. up close.

Apologies - look like someone else already mentioned the internship idea :) Just wanted to mention - I don't know specifics, but at least in Southern California, Kaiser is typically offered only by larger companies, and generally in pretty corporate settings (think lots of cubicles). Don't know if it's like that in your part of the West Coast, but that might help narrow down the job search a bit if you're really focused on getting Kaiser coverage - also - like many HMOs, Kaiser typically doesn't cover "pre-existing conditions," including ADD, for about 3-6 months after you start coverage (which could be a few months from when you start with a new employer) - just read your policy carefully and make sure you have your ADD (or any other important) meds covered if you're going to have a gap in coverage.

Also - you're 21 or 22, right? If you parents have health insurance and their plan allows it, you can be on their plan up to age 24 IF you're in school - that might be another way to get back on Kaiser insurance :)

If you're able to get by without working then I agree, quit the job! Enjoy it while you can and make preparations for your dream job. You might also consider having a plan B,C, and D. Sometimes (maybe most of the time) we don't always get the job we love.

I hate my job too! I only do it because it pays the bills and most importantly it provides health insurance! Nowadays it's difficult to find a job with decent benefits let alone any benefits. Well maybe I don't hate my job afterall. It's nice that I get paid holiday's, paid time off, and like I said, the health insurance.

An interesting thing that I'll mention is that I know of someone who has a BBA degree who took a low level job at the type of store you're working at just so he could get health insurance. I bet he never imagined having to work that kind of job while he was studying hard for his exams!