Work and Life Stressing Me Out.

[X4biddenxLustX]

I hope this thread can remain private here on the deep thoughts section here. So that non-members can't view it cause I have a lot of stuff to talk about.

I have been under an immense amount of stress mentally, emotionally and physically lately.

My job sucks ass big time, I work as a beauty adviser at a Walgreens. I thought I would love this job but instead I find myself dreading going to work. I'm starting to get panic attacks. I just can't handle it. The workload especially when I'm there by myself is way too much. I'm just working part time but it's fucking ridiculous. This job ended up being way different from what I had thought it was going to be like. Yesterday there was a customer who had walked in and asked my senior beauty adviser who we will call B about cold cream. B suggested that she try the Walgreens brand version of it cause it has the same ingredients. I told the customer that I agree and that the Walgreens brand was just as good and practically the same thing but cheaper. I was being really nice about it too. And I was going to walk away and do something else since B was helping her out but B then just told me to help the customer. I assumed that B had more important things to get done and had to leave. I didn't realize she was pissed at me or anything. The customer ended up buying the Walgreens brand cold cream, I had rung her up because B was no where in sight. I honestly don't care who rings the customers up because sometimes things come up that need to be done and it's just not feasable to work the register if there is another person working the area with you also. As long as we have 49% of cosmetic purchases rung up at the cosmetic area we get credit and look good period. Later on I walk a customer over to the travel size product section and the customer was standing literally inches away from me. B was right there and starts to tell me that she thought it was rude and unprofessional how I "chimed" in when she was with HER customer. She was pissed at me. I defended myself by saying that I was just giving me input which was the same as her about the cold cream. I wasn't trying to steal her customer at all, I was just trying to help. I was sincere about the whole thing and didn't come off IMO any other way. I just thought that if the customer got 2 opinions about a certain product that are the same, it'll help me them in deciding whether or whether not to get the item. In my experience that has always helped me personally when in deciding to buy this or that. But obviously not to her. According to her its showing off or being a know it all. I know for a fact that I did not come off that way at all, it wasn't even my intention. So I sucked it up and apologized to her and told her that it wouldn't happen again like 10x cause she just kept going on and on about the same thing. And this is all happening in front of customers and co-workers. So not only did she make me look like a completele ass cause everyone else around didn't know what was going on, but she made herself look like a fool too. I can now understand why she was I guess mad and I'm glad she told me but there has to of been a better way of handling it than in front of others. She could of took me to the break room which was right next to us! Or waited til our area was empty. The whole thing just set my day off in a bad way.

She gave me tons of shit to do (probably more than if I didn't piss her off) when I had to work the night shift by myself for the first time. The workload is fucking ridiculous if your working by yourself, and have to cater to customers, ring people up if it gets busy. Then on top of that we have to face products and make sure EVERYTHING is neat and in order. That itself can easily take like 2 hours to do. I had signs to put up and boxes and boxes of product and displays to go through. I didn't leave til an hour after my shift ended. An hour I don't get paid for. My dad who was being so kind waited patiently in the parking lot for me. I just had sooo much shit to do, 9 hours of work and I was only able to take a 20 minutes tops meal break the whole time cause there was just too much to be done by myself. I was freaking out too. I screwed up due to being so confused and hungry during a credit card transaction with a customer that required a signature. I totally lost my mind and forgot to ask her for it. I started panicking and called a co-worker up front who we'll call C, who told me to just be careful next time and hopefully since it is a small amount nothing will happen. He actually helped me a lot yesterday when I had to put non beauty section items and damaged ones out. We had a few laughs but he could see how stressed I was and told me to go on a meal break after the credit card incident and to go home when I was busting my ass off facing products way after my shift.

Ever since I started working there I'm a different person. During my last therapy session within 5 minutes of it, my therapist could already see it. I'm irritable, stressed out, and just starting to get panic attacks again. I had a few last night. And right after I left the store and got into the car, broke out in tears cause it was too much for me to take. I went home and cried for an hour and a half just shaking, my parents were worried. My mom finally got out of me some of the other things besides my job that were bothering me because she knows I keep everything bottled.

My mom's health isn't the best and she is going back to China for treatment this summer. She was originally suppose to go alone but now she's really considering taking me and my brother after school for him ends with her. We'll be there for 2 months. She's just really worried about my well being cause she's seeing the changes in my behavior too. The excess spending, irittablily, and panic attacks. When she was originally suppose to go herself, I had expressed a lot of worry over what was going to happen to her and it's been bothering me alot. I'm not sure if I want to go to China or not cause if I went it would mean my dad would be by himself at home. His health sucks too (high cholesterol and diabetes) and he's not too good about sticking to a good diet and staying out of trouble.

I just don't know what to do about work and everything. Any advice anyone?

 

[LMD84]

your work mate was completely out of order talking to you in front of other workers and customers. no wonder you feel so shitty but you were embrrassed completely in front of others and the worst part is you didn't do anything wrong!!

If i were you i would speak to my manager (of the store not just your section) and try and get a meeting set up between you and your work mate. if she still keeps going on about it then obviously she needs to sort it out. plus if the manager is involved at least it shows that you are trying to sort things out. explain that you were mis-understood and you sai sorry. but telling you off in front of others is not on at all. i'm a manager and if i need to have a word with a staff member i do it off the shop floor.

as far as the work load it does seem insane that you spent ages after your shift ended trying to do everything. honestly i would leave it. do what you can, the best you can during yoru shift and if it's not done then leave it. if you leave it they will see that you are understaffed and that they will need to get somebody else in on the shift with you. even if it's only half of it. the problem is that if you work extra just to finish they will keep putting more and more on you because they think you can do it.

as far as lunch breaks go it's rare that i take my break times... in fact none of my staff take our full break. this is annoying but i know that i me or my staff ever need some extra time out of the store i let them because i know they loose out on most days. the thing is the way i do things is fair. but when you can't atke a break because you're understaffed... that's not your fault and not fair. but agian if you tell them you need an extra pair of hands this should improve.

i'm really sorry about your mum and i hope that she gets the treatment that she needs in China. as far as going with her goes do what you feel is right. if you will be worried about your dad then maybe it's not such a good idea. manybe you could visit your mum for a couple of weeks insted of staying the full 2 months?

as far as you getting stressed, panicy and stuff it's normal when you are over worked. but i really do think that things would get better if you spoke to your boss about staff and the shitty co-worker. just try and take deep breaths and remember you can only do what you can do. go in and do your best and go home on time happy knowing there was nothing more you could do. that's all anybody can ask of you.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Thank you soo much hun for reading that crazy rant of mines and giving me your input on it!

I just started at my job at the drugstore almost a month ago so I'm still learning when there are so many things you need to know and learn about. During training on the computer, a video came up and it said that it usually takes weeks for a beauty adviser there to really start getting the hang of things. And considering I'm only part-time, I'm not there more than 3-4 days a week.

The co-worker that I was talking about, B is a higher up and the senior beauty adviser. Idk, the whole incident was weird it was as if she was having some kind of power trip cause she is above me? A friend of mines seen it that way when I went to her to vent. She had been super nice to me up until that moment. I had made many honest mistakes cause I'm still a beginner and she never seemed to get frustrated at me. But whenever I decided to just give me input about the cold cream (our input was basically the same) she just lost it. I had explained to her that I did not know that offended her and was not in her opinion the right thing to do. It wasn't as if I intentionally did something to piss her off, I would never do that. But that's how she seemed to make it out to be. I also explained to her that whenever I shop for beauty products at a counter or just products anywhere in general, I have found that I'm more likely to buy something I am unsure about when more than 1 person approaches me with positive praise about it. Her response that we are different from a department store. Which I know is true but still I'm trying to offer good customer service and my honest opinion on a product to help the customer decide. I thought that was a good thing. The customer ended up buying the Walgreens brand cold cream anyways so I guess what I did had worked. After I gave my reasons, every word that came out of my mouth became "sorry, I apologize, it won't happen again".

As much as what I had done was deemed rude and unprofessional in her eyes, what she had did to me was just as if not more unprofessional. We were getting looks not only from other co-workers walking by but customers also. I'm pretty sure customers don't want to witness all of that. Yeah, I was absolutely humiliated that moment cause I was made out to be incompetent and a jackass in the situation when I felt like I hadn't done anything wrong. The way she treated me was as if I had cussed her out or did something completely outrageous. And yeah considering her position in the company and her experience there I don't know why she didn't handle this in a much better way. I have no problem with her coming to me and letting me know that I'm doing something wrong. Just don't air it out for EVERYONE to see. I don't have much all that much work experience but I already know that is not the right way to handle things.

I would get a manager involved in this if I hadn't just started to work there, and if she wasn't a higher up and we would be working together quite often in the same department. I just want this to be over with. After she went on and on about what I did, she said that she was pretty much beating a dead horse at that point and that she was not upset at me and that were okay. I kind of doubt that.... I don't know what to expect from her cause this situation practically came out of nowhere. I'm just going to have to tread lightly whenever she's there and give her her complete space and territory. I honestly just wish I could avoid her but I can't so I'll just be careful.

I do think that alot of the time we can be understaffed especially on Sundays (which today happens to be today and my day to work also, meh). We have a ton of customers come in on that day and sometimes I have to stop what I'm doing in my department and ring people up. And that can take hours sometimes. That leaves all the work I was suppose to be doing untouched. It's not my fault but I can't help but feel it still looks bad on my part. I keep getting told that at Walgreens you won't get in trouble for stopping what you are doing to assist a customer. I feel like they should have 2 people working in the beauty department at night and on truck days. This way one person can tackle all the boxes and shipments and facing the products while the other can handle customers and ringing people out. Another co-worker and I ended up working together when both of us had almost the same work shift that day and it is so much more efficient and productive. Or just have someone just mainly do the stocking for the most part. Many times we have customers complain to us that our shelves are empty and we don't have this or that product in stock. We may have it in stock but just not out yet cause we can't find the time to put it out! When I'm there all by myself I have to do everything with no help. I feel as if I applied to be a stocker at a store and an occasion cashier rather than a beauty adviser. That term is so damn misleading. But tonight I'm just going to get as much as I can done while dealing with the register and customers. Then spending the last 2 hours facing product (which is an end of night shift requirement so I have to get that done) and just leave. Whatever I don't get done that involves hanging up signs and stocking, I'll just write down in our notebook to let whoever is coming in the next day know. And if they get pissed oh well, I did my best it's not as if I spend my 8 hours there doing absolutely nothing all day. I NEED at least my 1 half hour meal break when working full 7 or 8 hour days. Cause I get flustered and confused if I don't eat. That's when mistakes start flying about. Plus I don't think it's worth it for me to bust my ass after my shift to get stupid stuff done and have panic attacks about doing my job well enough and on time.

My parents agree that this is definitely NOT the job for me. There is a ton of physical work involved and your there by yourself many times. I work better as a team player than a loner. I know that there will be times where you will have to work by yourself. But this job totally mislead me.

At this very moment I don't think it's the right time for me to travel anywhere right now. I have a lot going on and me just up and disappearing half way across the world is not going to help lol. She think so though cause I'll be with family and in a different place. I mean it's not that I wouldn't love to go just not now. Plus the entire time there I'll still be worried about her health and well being along with my dad's (he would be staying at home in the U.S while we were gone). If I did go I would have to quit this job go on the trip and then find a new job or go to school once I got back. There is no easy way. I've been trying to tell my mom over and over this but she just keeps thinking that me traveling with her is the best option. She's even told me she's going to just pay off my credit card balances off so I can quit early and go to China with her. That's totally not what I want. I want to be able to pay off my dues with my own money and be responsible. She just won't listen. It's just another dilemna I have to figure out in a very short period of time.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

I just got done eating with my family. They discussed our trip to China pretty much the whole time. I kind of wanted to avoid it, and kept changing the subject. But they would bring it up again. My mom said that I could spend 50 days there instead of the whole 60 (2 months). Not that 10 days would really make a difference... I would consider going if it was just like a few weeks.

 

[LMD84]

maybe you can sit down with your parents and just get them to listen to what YOU want. tell them not to interupt until you have finished saying how you feel. realistically 50 days out of 60 really is no difference. explain that no matter how kind an offer it was for your mum to clear your debts but you want to do it on your own. surely they should be proud they have raised such an indipendant daughter? i'm sure many girls would love their debts cleared just like that! really push how you want to make sure your whole family is going to be fit and well... if you mum needs to go abroad for this then great, but if your dad doesn't look after himself then you need to be there to make sure he gets his meals ok and also his medication. surely they can't force you on a plane and make you go?? it is a tricky situation though because i can understand you don't want to rock the boat and upset any family member.

as for work, if you really don't want to speak to a manager then maybe just put what happened to the back of your mind. it sucked and was unprofessional but if she's been since before this happened hopefully she was just in a shitty mood that day and let it be.

also maybe try asking your supervisor which jobs are most important. make a list so that you just work your way through the most important jobs first. at least that way the things that matter get done.

i hope you try and stay positive today when at work

good luck!

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

I know, I REALLY need to sit down and be firm about my decision. I just first need to make up my mind though cause there is just too much going on. I mean I would love for everything in my life to be perfect right now and the opportunity to go to China and see the rest of my family. But realistically things are far from that right now. My parents have been really pushy about me making a decision asap even though it seems as if they've already decided for me. That's because there is a limited amount of time they have to purchase tickets and once you buy them you can't really return them. I'll have to come back from work tonight if I'm not dead from exhaustion and talk to them about it or tomorrow morning first thing.

And yeah I would love for my debt to also disappear into thin air lol. But it's not going to happen. I got myself into this credit card mess and I have to get myself out. I'm actually far from independent hun lol. My parents have babied me quite a bit and I've been wanting to grow up these past few years. It just wouldn't feel right at all if she paid off the $1,500 (that's just an estimate) that owe with her own money.

I still don't know what's up with B but again I'll just be very careful around her. And yeah who knows maybe she had a bad day and just snapped? Either way I just hope she's not there today when I first get in for work. I just think we need like some time and space apart from eachother to cool off and forget about this. Hopefully nothing like this happens again. I'm going to give me job some more time and if things don't work out for me there I might try looking else where for work or just taking the trip to China and coming back to attend school.

I've made a mental note of what things are important: Facing products at the end of the night, getting as much stock out as possible, greeting customers when they come in. And last but not least make sure that I eat and take that full half hour break at least (we are suppose to on a 8 hour shift receive 2 15 minute breaks also). I've packed a box of juice in case I start to crash and need a bit of energy.

I have got to stop freaking out and just go in there give it my best shot and realize that I'm only human and can only do so much realistically.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMD84 maybe you can sit down with your parents and just get them to listen to what YOU want. tell them not to interupt until you have finished saying how you feel. realistically 50 days out of 60 really is no difference. explain that no matter how kind an offer it was for your mum to clear your debts but you want to do it on your own. surely they should be proud they have raised such an indipendant daughter? i'm sure many girls would love their debts cleared just like that! really push how you want to make sure your whole family is going to be fit and well... if you mum needs to go abroad for this then great, but if your dad doesn't look after himself then you need to be there to make sure he gets his meals ok and also his medication. surely they can't force you on a plane and make you go?? it is a tricky situation though because i can understand you don't want to rock the boat and upset any family member. as for work, if you really don't want to speak to a manager then maybe just put what happened to the back of your mind. it sucked and was unprofessional but if she's been since before this happened hopefully she was just in a shitty mood that day and let it be. also maybe try asking your supervisor which jobs are most important. make a list so that you just work your way through the most important jobs first. at least that way the things that matter get done. i hope you try and stay positive today when at work good luck!

 

[jenee.sum]

hey hun,

sorry to hear about ur parent's health, i hope ur mom will get well soon!

but since we have the same job, i think i can help you a little? lol
i know how hard it can be especially if you're on the floor all by yourself. when i started my job, they trained me like 2-3 times with someone else, and then i was on my own after that. cash, advising, learning products, feeling scared and out of place...LOL i was so nervous cuz i had so many products to learn about and i was afraid i wouldn't be able to fully help customers out with products and then have them bitch that i dunno my shit. so i totally understand. and when it's busy, fuck and u gotta put away boxes and boxes of orders, it can be soooo hectic. and u got regular duties too such as facing and keeping the department clean. on those days, i run through customers and i feel bad if i don't help them as much as i would like to. i know customers come first, but what can u do? i try my best to focus on customers, and if shit doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. view the cameras if u don't believe me, right? and ur boss will know by the sales # too.

but the thing is ur senior beauty advisor is a bitch. do u have another senior beauty advisor? like is she the cosmetic manager? or is it just another cosmetician that just works with u? if so, i wouldn't even call her a SENIOR. fuck that shit. at my work, every cosmetician has their own sign in # for the cash register...so each cosmetician's sales can be recorded for commission. do you guys have that too? if you do, did you ring her customer out under her # or yours? if u rung it under your number, i could understand why she was pissed, but at the same time, chill the fuckkkk out. it was probably like a 2% commission anyways! geeeeez. and it was an honest mistake too...ur still new and learning! but it is courtesy to ring it under the cosmetician who helped the customer out, which i hope you did. but even if u didn't big whooop. no need to pull a bitch fest in the middle of an aisle in front of customers...which is by the way FUCKIN UNPROFESSIONAL!! lol and u wanna call her a SENIOR?

hellllllllllll no. if she's just another cosmetician that you work with, fuckkk her. LOl bitch is just worried about competition...cuz she sees u as one. and i know she's just tryin to save her own ass in this economy, whether it was for commission or just to look good in the company. maybe she had a bad dayyyy, we all do, but hun, if she pulls this queen bitch thing on you again, i say return the favor and save your own ass.
don't let bitches take you down. too many bitches like that in the world and they need a maddd smack down! that'll put them in their place.

sorry for using the word bitch a kazillion times so far, along with many other swear words....it's a bad habit.

and if shit like this happens, bring it up to your boss/cosmetic manager, and say you are trying really hard to be a TEAM WORKER, but you find it impossible when u work with B. and then explain yourself. and that she still remained a bitch after u apologized and told her it wasn't ur intentions.

must get back to my hwk now. lol
HTH!

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Thanks so much girl!

I hate that my job kind of requires me to meet and great practically EVERY customer I encounter in my area. Not only is it probably annoying to the kind of customer who just wants to be left alone to browse and what not but it is annoying to me too. But it's part of my job. And omg, don't even get me started on the people who come in and apparently don't have enough brains to go look for non-beauty related items all the way on the other side of the store for themselves before asking me about where they are. Our aisles each have signs that say what is on that aisle. They waste a great bit of my time. I mean if you tried hard to look for something and truly can't find it, no problem but theres just people who are too lazy to look for themselves.

Yeah, I was stuck there for another 45 minutes again tonight trying to hurry and get shit done. Why? Cause facing is the devil. One of my assistant managers who is so sweet had asked me why I was still there after 10 and I told him that I had so much to do. He was just so shocked when I told him I had already clocked out after 10 cause there is a policy about overtime and stuff there and then just continued to work. He punched in an extra half hour for me and was concerned about how I was going to get home that time of night. He could see how stressed I was and how bad I felt that I didn't get EVERYTHING done. He just told me to forget about facing the skincare aisle (the last aisle I had left to do pretty much) and just throw away the trash and damaged items and I could leave. He kept telling me to stop stressing and that everything is fine. He gave me some tips too like if your off the clock, and a customer approaches you with something just explain to them that your off the clock and it's time for me to go and to politely tell them to find someone else for help. And to not punch out until your done or to just basically get what you can done and leave at the end of your shift. I'm so glad he's been so patient and considerate with me.

We only have one senior beauty adviser and that's B. I guess you could consider her that "manager" of the beauty department but she's not really a manager manager. So sadly she's not just another co-worker and there really isn't a way for me to avoid her either. She was actually pretty okay with me today especially as the day went on before she left at the end of her shift at 4. At our store, we have to sign in with our #'s in order to do a transaction at the register. But were not allowed to sign in with other people's #'s just ours. And yeah we get like commision sort of when we ring customers who are buying beauty products at our register. We also get something called Promotional Monies or PM's, which basically is when different companies pay us everytime we ring up a customer who is buying one or their eligible products. Companies and products change every month or so. But yeah I did ring up her customer in my # cause she was no where in sight at that moment and I was already having to ring people up and that customer happened to be in line. This is probably weird but sometimes I just see way too many people in a short span of time that I forget which customer is which. I didn't even realize she was the cold cream lady til she handed me the jar of it. The Walgreens brand cold cream wasn't a PM item. There's been wayyyyy more times when she's rung up customers that I have helped out. I've never had a problem with it. We have no choice but to ring up whatever customer comes up to our register to pay if we just happen to be the closest person there. So it's not always convenient and possible for the person who helped that certain customer out to ring them out. And eventually I'll get my own kind of "routine" going on and know when the time is right to do this and how much time I should spend on each task.

I still can't believe how unprofessional the whole thing was though. I was actually kind of embarassed to show up to work today and to face her if she was there (which she was). Idk if anyone else knows about the complete situation even though it was aired out to everyone around us. But I have heard her talk smack (and this I will NOT get involved in. I'm not into gossip at work with co-workers) about another beauty adviser with another co-worker (she was from a different department). So it's possible she may of said something to someone else and yeah I'm embarassed. That person won't hear my side of the story at all and will automatically think badly of me now if B had mentioned this to them.

My mom and friend told me something along the lines that B is somehow threatened or jealous of me or something like that....? Idk, they were prob saying that just cause there my mom and friend lol. I did connect with that customer though. After B left me with her, I asked her a lot of questions about products she uses already and what she prefers to try to help her find the right makeup remover. I really wanted her to pick the right product to use cause she had never tried a cold cream or makeup removing wipes before. I didn't want her to go home and use something she ends up absolutely hating. Either way I see no reason for any hostility towards me. I actually feel inferior cause I don't know shit about the products we sell there for the most part. There are way too many brands and lines and prodcuts. I'm more use to buying high end stuff at counters. So I end up asking B and other co-workers for help quite often and no one not even B seems to get frustrated by those questions. So Idk hopefully she was JUST having a bad day and nothing more. I don't want a repeat of this ever.

I'd like to think I have a pretty good rep so far working there and I would love to continue to hold that to be true. My assistant manager told me that everyone likes me and that I'm doing a good job so far. I'm nothing but nice to everyone cause that's how I wanted to be treated. And I've had customers make comments to me a lot about how helpful and patient I am with them if they are having a problem. I had 2 customers come in today and get quite upset about the store not having the products they wanted. They both kind of made a really big deal about it and were angry. I listened to their problems and tried to help as much as I can. As a reg. beauty adviser I can only do and know so much and eventually they requested a manager be called in. One guy had to speak to both managers several times. But both of them told me that they were not angry at me but how things worked and that they appreciate how patient and thoughtful I was. The one guy even told my manager that I was a keeper.

I just hope things work out okay cause I've been really iffy about this whole job for like two weeks now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenee.sum hey hun, sorry to hear about ur parent's health, i hope ur mom will get well soon! but since we have the same job, i think i can help you a little? lol i know how hard it can be especially if you're on the floor all by yourself. when i started my job, they trained me like 2-3 times with someone else, and then i was on my own after that. cash, advising, learning products, feeling scared and out of place...LOL i was so nervous cuz i had so many products to learn about and i was afraid i wouldn't be able to fully help customers out with products and then have them bitch that i dunno my shit. so i totally understand. and when it's busy, fuck and u gotta put away boxes and boxes of orders, it can be soooo hectic. and u got regular duties too such as facing and keeping the department clean. on those days, i run through customers and i feel bad if i don't help them as much as i would like to. i know customers come first, but what can u do? i try my best to focus on customers, and if shit doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. view the cameras if u don't believe me, right? and ur boss will know by the sales # too. but the thing is ur senior beauty advisor is a bitch. do u have another senior beauty advisor? like is she the cosmetic manager? or is it just another cosmetician that just works with u? if so, i wouldn't even call her a SENIOR. fuck that shit. at my work, every cosmetician has their own sign in # for the cash register...so each cosmetician's sales can be recorded for commission. do you guys have that too? if you do, did you ring her customer out under her # or yours? if u rung it under your number, i could understand why she was pissed, but at the same time, chill the fuckkkk out. it was probably like a 2% commission anyways! geeeeez. and it was an honest mistake too...ur still new and learning! but it is courtesy to ring it under the cosmetician who helped the customer out, which i hope you did. but even if u didn't big whooop. no need to pull a bitch fest in the middle of an aisle in front of customers...which is by the way FUCKIN UNPROFESSIONAL!! lol and u wanna call her a SENIOR? hellllllllllll no. if she's just another cosmetician that you work with, fuckkk her. LOl bitch is just worried about competition...cuz she sees u as one. and i know she's just tryin to save her own ass in this economy, whether it was for commission or just to look good in the company. maybe she had a bad dayyyy, we all do, but hun, if she pulls this queen bitch thing on you again, i say return the favor and save your own ass. don't let bitches take you down. too many bitches like that in the world and they need a maddd smack down! that'll put them in their place. sorry for using the word bitch a kazillion times so far, along with many other swear words....it's a bad habit. and if shit like this happens, bring it up to your boss/cosmetic manager, and say you are trying really hard to be a TEAM WORKER, but you find it impossible when u work with B. and then explain yourself. and that she still remained a bitch after u apologized and told her it wasn't ur intentions. must get back to my hwk now. lol HTH!

 

[TISH1124]

I have no advice...but dang ya'll can type...wow!!!! My fingers hurt just looking at it

 

[LaVixxen]

Im so sorry to hear your feeling this way sweety. I dont want to make this about me but if it makes you feel better I have panic attacks (anxiety) which makes my life so out of control. I basically cant live my life =/

As for your co-worker that was totally uncalled for and very childish. You should have never apologized and told her, I didnt "steal" your customer. I tried to get you more credit into selling the product, because usually when 2 or more people say its good, its a 99% chance the customer will buy it! You making a scene about it is very childish..you couldve rang her up but instead you didnt and that made you look unprofessional! So next time I wont put my 2 cents and than it will be a 50% chance the customer will buy it! Youll see!...If she keeps on with it, I suggest you speak to your manager about it! I dont want you to stress. Its bad for your health and your mental state. I hope you can look for another job in the meantime that suits your needs and that youll be happy with sweety. Good luck with everything and sorry to hear about your mom n dad being sick. I hope they get better soon.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1127 I have no advice...but dang ya'll can type...wow!!!! My fingers hurt just looking at it

Lol, according to all my middle and high school classmates I'm gifted with some kind of magical keyboarding power. Which resulted in practically the whole class begging me to type up their reports and projects cause it would take up less time for everyone. Now, looking back I should of charged a fee! haha.

But eww, as I read through my rambling (meh, it's a bad habit of mines) I spot many typos. Too lazy to correct them though lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaVixxen Im so sorry to hear your feeling this way sweety. I dont want to make this about me but if it makes you feel better I have panic attacks (anxiety) which makes my life so out of control. I basically cant live my life =/ As for your co-worker that was totally uncalled for and very childish. You should have never apologized and told her, I didnt "steal" your customer. I tried to get you more credit into selling the product, because usually when 2 or more people say its good, its a 99% chance the customer will buy it! You making a scene about it is very childish..you couldve rang her up but instead you didnt and that made you look unprofessional! So next time I wont put my 2 cents and than it will be a 50% chance the customer will buy it! Youll see!...If she keeps on with it, I suggest you speak to your manager about it! I dont want you to stress. Its bad for your health and your mental state. I hope you can look for another job in the meantime that suits your needs and that youll be happy with sweety. Good luck with everything and sorry to hear about your mom n dad being sick. I hope they get better soon.

Panic attacks are the worst thing ever to have to deal with. You actually feel like your about to die seriously.

I've had to deal with panic attacks and anxiety problems since I was 12, I'm now 18 so that's 6 years. There have been times where it has been manageable and other times where I would completely just break down. Exactly like I did last night. If you had seen how I was the other night, you would of thought that someone had tried to come after me and kill me! Cause I was freaking out just that badly.

I now just realized I didn't face the area that contained all the heat styling products like straighteners and curlers. And yeah I'm freaking out now... I can just see myself getting SCREAMED at when I return to work Wednesday cause I did a shitty job. I think I have a twisted mentality of perfection at times. I looked like a crazed woman trying to face all those products. The other night my co worker C told me that whenever B leaves at nights the area never nearly as clean as it is when I'm finished facing. So Idk if I should just panic or relax right now (like as if I can make myself relax pfft!). I honestly think I NEED medication for this. I actually live in fear sometimes of having another panic attack. Everyone that knows me knows that I freak out easily even over stupid stuff.

I'm just gonna let B do her own thing cause she seems to think she has absolute rule over beauty-land. Maybe she really does though. Idk. Who cares. Either way I don't need another episode in front of employees and especially customers to happen. I'm gonna give her her space, and ask her to make sure I can do this or that before doing them. And make sure she gives me a good specific answer so I don't piss her off again. Cause I'm just a mind reader ya know? Apparently I'm Miss Cleo to her.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

I had a feeling that this situation wasn't over.

Just the other day as I was about to leave at the end of my shift, another beauty adviser whom I get along with very well who we will call L approaches me about something. She asks me in a non-nosy way if me and B had had a run-in. This was because a few nights back I was suppose to do a very good job at straightening things out and facing. Some congressman was suppose to be visiting our store the next day and we wanted things to look nice. L told me that she did a bit of dusting and that I should try to do some also. After she leaves my GM (whose EVERYONE'S boss) told me that dusting is cool and all but it would really make a bigger difference if things were organized very well, and if I could get to dusting that would be fine. So the main priority according to my GM was to straighten rather than dust. So I did just that and didn't find any time to really dust things off. But the place looked nice and in order though when I left it.

But apparently B wasn't satisfied because I was suppose to dust and didn't get it done and was all like why didn't she get this done?! She was SUPPOSE to get it on! She said this to L in a very bitchy tone. Now I wasn't there to hear this cause I was off that day. But L defended me by telling B that in the notebook I had said that it was VERY VERY busy and I had a lot to do besides facing product which I did do and complete so I could not get to dusting. L was concerned for me because of the way B had said that and reacted. Normally that was something she wasn't very anal about but just go so pissed over it. She also mentioned that B is a nice girl but she can be very hard to get along with at times and that they both just got into it just the day before about the schedule.

I'm very lucky that L is realistic and such a sweetheart. She understands that I'm only human and one person working a whole department with a ton of duties plus so many things in between that come up that I have to deal with it. I can't always get everything done but I will try and I prioritize what's the most important and get those done first. I just really hope B doesn't have this idea in her mind that I spend my 8 hours there doing absolutely nothing.

My job coach (I got this job through a work agency type of a thing) told me that she could talk to my GM about this situation so that she is aware of what is going on. I told her to not cause I didn't want to make a mess out of things even more so than it already is and I don't need drama. But I am afraid and this may sound crazy that B is going to nit pick EVERYTHING I do just cause she does not like me. Or try to get me in trouble over something stupid. B does not have the authority of a manager so she can't fire me or anything but still I dont' want to look bad when I'm busting my ass off giving my best. I have just been lucky that I haven't had to deal with her for the past few days at work. I just don't know what to expect with her anymore cause clearly she dislikes me.

Besides B, I'm still finding this job super frustrating. I don't want to quit and give up cause it took me so long to find a job. I just come home every day that I work there so pissed off at everyone and everything. I hate when my parents talk to me when I get home and ask me a million and ten questions. I just go off on them cause I'm just so freakin stressed from this. Like sometimes enough to just start crying. Idk if its the control freak in me or what but I just feel like I'm not good enough. Like I know I'm giving this job my all but I just keep thinking that I'm not doing well enough in it. It just drives me nuts.

Ugh, I just feel like crying right now.

 

[ClaireAvril]

most jobs are not satisfying and we can't always work with the friendliest people. I can't say anything else but just dealing with it. Your family and close friends are the ones you should go home to to talk about what you're stressed about. Thats what I do and it usually makes me feel better. Alienating them doesn't give you much of an outlet to go to.

Sorry to tell you but most of the time jobs don't get any better.. most jobs come with a mixture of personalities.. you have people you work well with and people you just can't stand. You just learn how to deal with them. Parents have usually been through this and they can give really good advice on how to deal with different personalities.

Also.. look outside of your situation.. there are people out there losing their jobs. People with families and bills and mortgages to pay. There are also people who do are scrubbing toilets and doing things we wouldn't even dream of doing for just pennies. So consider yourself lucky. Not everything comes easy.

So.. every problem has a solution. you can quit, keep your job and find another one in the meantime, or stick with this one and adapt to the situation.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

^^ Thank you.

I think the worst thing I'm feeling is that yeah I do agree that jobs don't get any better. On my end it just seems as if it's getting worse an worse. I know jobs aren't fun and something you look forward to but I just feel so damn miserable like all the time. I know I shouldn't make work my life and take home work problems. But it just keeps spilling over. I just keep getting this feeling like I'm not good enough. Like I'm not doing good enough at my job when I know deep down I'm trying my best.

I have spoken to my parents about this and yeah I do agree maybe I should talk to them more about it. They keep telling me to stay positive and to not give a shit about what B says or does cause she's just quite frankly going to be a bitch to me no matter what. I just don't want her to do anything to try to screw me over at work though. There is constructive criticism which I have no issue with and then there is nit picking every single little thing I do in order to find something wrong and get completely worked up over it and go off on me. I keep feeling as if I am treading on very thin ice when it comes to her. Cause I have no clue how she thinks (I'm not a mind reader surprise surprise to her!), what she doesn't like, and what will make her go completely crazy. It's like idk what the right thing to do is anymore. I keep making sure I ask my managers if I should do this or that not only because I wanna learn how to do certain things but to get approval from them (like it even matters with B) to do those things. My one manager is awesome and told me that if I did something incorrectly he's not gonna yell at me but tell me about it and how to do it properly. I'm glad to hear that from him.

I understand that in a job your going to work with different people who are well different from each other. Some are pleasant while others are a monster to deal with. I had a coworker at my last job too that not too many people liked and I had a few run-ins with. But everything was cool, I really didn't care about what she said or did. It's just with B I feel as if I gotta watch my back at all times.


I'm going to hold out as long as I can and want to make it to at least 5 months before trying to look for a job elsewhere. I don't want to quit now cause I don't want to give up and plus it wouldn't look good either. I need money to pay off my credit cards too.

 

[user79]

Look for a new job while working at your current one. A job shouldn't be causing you this much stress, just look for something now and then quit once you have a new offer.

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Wow, it's been a while since I've been on here!

Here's a little update if anyone is interested:
I haven't had any more issues with my Senior Beauty Adviser though *knocks on wood*. We've actually joked around a bit and helped each other out with some things. There is a new girl, well 2 actually in the beauty department. The first girl and I are getting along very well and have a lot of things in common. I just met the other girl today and she's okay too. BUT I'm still finding myself stressing over the normal amount when it comes to this job. I know that jobs are sucky. But this just wayyy beyond that point. I have heard that they have a high turn over rate there. I won't rant on to why cause it's a lot. I find myself DREADING going to work to the point where I'll start getting panic attacks and the other night when I was severly overwhelmed I started getting tightness in my chest which lasted even after I left for home. I hate to admit failure or even feel like I am one, I am going to be looking for another job in the meantime and keep this one until I find another one. My job coach (work agency) isn't sure what the best route to go is and wants to check with her superviser before giving me any final advice. I'm ready to just call it quits though. Meh I'm a failure.

My mom is still going to China and is leaving on the 28th. We've all decided that it would be best for me to just stay at home and watch over my little brother instead of going with her. I'm already starting to experience a little grown-up parental seperation anxiety if that's even normal? Sounds crazy I know I know. I just haven't been this far away from her ever before. I'm starting to realize more and more how she's practically my best friend and shoulder to lean on no matter what. Her not being her even if it's just going to be a few months is going to feel different in a weird way. I keep question who I'll be able to go to when she's not here for support and whatnot. My dad's not a very emotional man or a talker. Not really close with any of my friends these days enough to really talk to them about any problems I'm having. Plus we've all got our own agenda these days now that we are all "adults" with jobs, school or whatever.

 

[ambicion6]

I just read thru all your troubles, Anyone who works retail is a saint, not only to deal with the customers, but the coworkers too!!!! I wouldnt consider yourself a failure if you left the job, if a job is causing you crazy undue stress and panic attacks, then its not worth it IMO. I hope you can find another job soon and hopefully you're a better fit with that company/people.

As for your mom, and not having anyone to talk to, will she have internet access? you can always do that, or use this:

Cheap international calls to China - Rebtel.com

I use this service to call my boyfriend in the UK. its pretty simple and easy to use. you use your cell phone to make the calls and it charges you a really really low rate (seems to be 2 cents a minute to china). its great if you have an unlimited cell phone plan, or an unlimited nights plan since you'd probably be calling at night time with the time difference in China.

and if that doesnt work out, you can always come here and vent and/or get advice!

 

[X4biddenxLustX]

Thanks hun!

I just got an offer sort of from aerie by american eagle at the mall by where I live. I think I'm going to meet up tomorrow with my job coach and talk about filling that application out and turning it in and looking for other places. I have a friend who works for american eagle part time and I want to talk to her and get her input on how it's like to work for their company also. And if all else fails, I can just start school.

As I was saying, they hired another new girl recently and I think they may be even having another girl come in to work in the beauty department, not sure though. But I'm still getting stuck at night by myself ugh. And I just happen to be SOL and working mainly all nights for some reason. It's not so bad working during the day really even during shipment day. I was told tonight to try to get sales up to $500 at our cosmetic registers which I already know didn't happen cause I was busy putting crap away and having to go the stock room a few times. It's also kind of unrealistic IMO and a few of my co-workers believe so too some of the expectations. We try as hard as we can to get customers who buy beauty related items to pay at our register but like over half of them just don't care and will go ring up at front. That hurts our sales and in return we get bitched at. It would be easier if there were 2 people working the floor in our department for sales goals to be accomplished I think. I'm only one person and I don't have eyes everywhere and can't be in more than 1 place at a time!

I really can't deal with it anymore unless they let someone else work together with me during nights. Doesn't have to be every night. I agree that this much stress physically or mentally is NOT worth the $6.29 ish I make an hour or any amount of money. I wish I accepted a regular sales clerk position which made a quarter less an hour. They still have to stock items but its a bit more register work though. Right now I just need money to pay off my credit card debt thats the only reason why I'm still working there. I still can't shake that "I'm a failure" feeling inside of me. Like how can everyone else work there for so long but yet I have only worked there 2 months so far and can't stand it anymore?

My mom is leaving on the 28th which is 2 weeks away and I'm trying to deal with it as best as I can. Kind of in denial still, hasn't really fully hit me yet since she's still here. This is going to be the most awkward situation ever for me, I'll be ......alone. My brother and dad will still be here. But my brother and I aren't close, and my dad is not home most of the time due to work.

Lol, I wish my mom was tech savvy! She had a cell phone that she's going to leave at home for my brother to use when she leaves. She only knows how to make calls and answer calls on it, it's cute I think lol. She tells me that if I want to talk on the phone she'll buy a cheap international phone card and I can talk to her anytime I want.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambicion6 I just read thru all your troubles, Anyone who works retail is a saint, not only to deal with the customers, but the coworkers too!!!! I wouldnt consider yourself a failure if you left the job, if a job is causing you crazy undue stress and panic attacks, then its not worth it IMO. I hope you can find another job soon and hopefully you're a better fit with that company/people. As for your mom, and not having anyone to talk to, will she have internet access? you can always do that, or use this: Cheap international calls to China - Rebtel.com I use this service to call my boyfriend in the UK. its pretty simple and easy to use. you use your cell phone to make the calls and it charges you a really really low rate (seems to be 2 cents a minute to china). its great if you have an unlimited cell phone plan, or an unlimited nights plan since you'd probably be calling at night time with the time difference in China. and if that doesnt work out, you can always come here and vent and/or get advice!