a little back story... some of you may remember when i posted about getting a job at lane bryant. well, turns out they only hired me because my friend who worked there said great things about me (which is perfectly fine buuuuttt...) i apparently couldn't live up to all the great things (actually... the MAIN thing was i was energetic and talkative). EVERYTIME i finished a day there (interview, job walk through, training) i got "you need to open up more" well, ok. understandable... to an extent. it takes me some time become as "out there" as they all are (and when i say "out there" i mean it. lol)
which leads to me and said friend were walking through the mall and decided to stop at lane to say hi to our favorite manager. talk goes great blah blah blah... then as we go to leave he says "if you don't open up more, we're going to have to let you go." ..... whoa... ok? i haven't even had a REAL DAY on the job and they're already letting me know my time is most likely limited. now, when i was doing training there was another girl there who was "out there". when the HEAD manager was talking to us, she would just leave -- mid sentence -- and go talk to a customer. i thought this was rude. i'm one who wants/needs to listen and absorb anything and everything that someone of authority has to say to me. but she just LEFT! i don't know if this is what they WANTED us to do, or what, but it kind of took me aback to see her do this.
so, fast forward about a day. i'd thought about it long and hard (since over analyzing is what i do) and decided to just quit. i never got a great vibe off of them and i felt like i was always being watched and was just never good enough for them. when i decided to talk to the manager, i called that morning to see if she would be in. she answered and i said i wanted to talk about my job and should i come in or should i just talk now... the response i get: "well... what?!" ummmm... okay. so i explain it's probably not going to work for me. as soon as i get that out she cuts in with "okay, i'll take you out of the system. bye." me: "well, WAIT. i want to explain myself to you." 
i try to explain as best and professionally as i could and all i get was "i wish you would have said something before i wasted three hours training you" 
ooooookay. (and btw, training was only supposed to be 2 hours, and i stayed 3 AND A HALF willingly, and happily, with out one complaint.) so, needless to say, i wasn't exactly sad to be leaving them (plus, with only about 14 hours a week... it was not justifiable to travel 30+ minutes one way).
moving on to my reason behind "so bummed" title. the same day i turned in an application at lane (i only turned one in because my friend worked there... said they were hiring... okay... i don't really shop there, but okay) i turned one in at my FAVORITE store torrid. i love the clothes, i love the store, i love the girls that work there. just LOVE! haha. well, the didn't get back to me, so i took the lane job. now, i went in today to shop and the manager pulled me aside and said she was going to call me later today to talk about a group interview for friday. YAY!!! a way in!!! but then i think "uh oh... what are the hours?" so, i come home and wait and wait and wait for the phone call. FINALLY! after i get out of the shower they call. i was all stoked, talked to the nice lady on the phone and then i asked "is it okay if i ask about the hours?" 
5-14 PER WEEK i tell her as professionally as possible "i'm sorry, i'm coming from 30+ minutes away, and that small amount of hours isn't justifiable for me. i DO plan on moving there in the spring and, honestly, working there is one of my dream jobs right now. would it be okay if i reapplied then?" to my surprise and -- let's face it -- glee, she was totally understanding and said that was perfectly fine.
so i guess it's bittersweet. so close, yet so far?
Adree, I get use to get that all the time when I was working. They'd say, 'You're too quiet'. I guess I'm just a shy person and I'm perfectly fine with that. I've even had someone come up to me and say that I'm unapproachable They say I always have a mean look on my face. But I try to tell people that I don't try to look mean maybe its just the way my face is I guess. I went home and asked my family and they all agreed that I look very "mean" 
and that people are probably afraid to approach me because of that. So everyday I use to practice, yes practice on how to relax my face more lol.
At all the jobs I've worked, people would say, 'You know at first you look like you are not a very friendly person but once I get to know you, you are a really nice, kind-hearted person' 
Hopefully you'll find something that is good for you...Good luck 
Sorry, but you won't travel half an hour to work? That would suggest to me that you're not really interested in having the job. If you're going to be moving there in a few months, and really want to work there, why not suck it up now and you'd be well-positioned for more hours when they become available? A half hour journey is really not that far, is it?
As for the other job, that happens sometimes. Not everyone is right for every job. Try not to worry too much about it.
You might ask how the hours would be split up...if it was a 5 hour shift and a 9 hour shift, that wouldn't be too terrible. My sister used to get 3 hours shifts at her first job and that was really lousy...it took almost as long to get there and back as she worked.
About being more outgoing, if that's not how you're comfortable being, then a job at a store in the mall may not be a good fit, because they really want salespeople...someone who will walk away from the manager to wait on a customer is not really a bad thing in retail. It helps to be able to talk about things you don't care about (outside of work that is) with people you don't know. I wasn't like that when I was your age, sometimes it takes a few years to develop that kind of confidence.
There are plenty of stores where you don't have to be a salesperson...grocery stores, craft store, etc...so you might try one, just to gain experience and get comfortable working. And personally I wouldn't put the Lane Bryant job down on any future applications...no one is going to know you worked there a couple of days, and only being there a couple of days wouldn't look good on an application.
They should pay you for the time that you have worked, even though you've already quit. So be sure to ask them for your check 
Sorry, but you won't travel half an hour to work? That would suggest to me that you're not really interested in having the job. If you're going to be moving there in a few months, and really want to work there, why not suck it up now and you'd be well-positioned for more hours when they become available? A half hour journey is really not that far, is it?
As for the other job, that happens sometimes. Not everyone is right for every job. Try not to worry too much about it.
it's half an hour on a good travel day, which is rare. plus, the snow is coming soon and i've lived in california, next to the beach, my entire life. i haven't driven in snow for even a second. which is why i said i'd rather wait till i move there, so when i do have to venture the snow drive (next year) it wouldn't be nearly as far.
and it's not just that it's half an hour. it's 30 miles one way. the cost of gas for that little pay/hours (min. wage)... just not justifiable. maybe if it was more money, then yes.
idk, maybe it's just me. i DO want the job, a lot, but it would cost too much to get there, for not enough pay.
...are you being serious?? You might ask how the hours would be split up...if it was a 5 hour shift and a 9 hour shift, that wouldn't be too terrible. My sister used to get 3 hours shifts at her first job and that was really lousy...it took almost as long to get there and back as she worked.
About being more outgoing, if that's not how you're comfortable being, then a job at a store in the mall may not be a good fit, because they really want salespeople...someone who will walk away from the manager to wait on a customer is not really a bad thing in retail. It helps to be able to talk about things you don't care about (outside of work that is) with people you don't know. I wasn't like that when I was your age, sometimes it takes a few years to develop that kind of confidence.
There are plenty of stores where you don't have to be a salesperson...grocery stores, craft store, etc...so you might try one, just to gain experience and get comfortable working. And personally I wouldn't put the Lane Bryant job down on any future applications...no one is going to know you worked there a couple of days, and only being there a couple of days wouldn't look good on an application.
They should pay you for the time that you have worked, even though you've already quit. So be sure to ask them for your check
yeah, i was given the advice of starting at maybe a "simpler" job (when it came to working with the public) for a first go around. i won't be putting lane bryant on any future applications. they don't give checks anymore, but load it onto a debit card (which they have yet to do ). i don't know how to go about asking about it since it seems to be well over do.
and as for not being able to stand my typing... sorry! i just don't have the patience to hit the shift button. i do, however, try to incorporate proper grammar and punctuation, so go figure
thanks for all the kind words everyone.
i just don't have the patience to hit the shift button.
lol
i don't know how to go about asking about it since it seems to be well over do.
Just call them up and ask, or ask your friend who works there how long it takes to get paid. Sometimes when you start somewhere it can take three weeks to get into their system and start getting paid.
And I didn't mean a simpler job like you couldn't handle it and needed an easier one...definitely not trying to insult you! I just meant when you're on a cash register and you've got people coming through your line it's good practice for talking to people you don't know, without you having to be the one to walk up to them.
You could always look into Hobby Lobby or something similar. Then you could benefit from discounts off of caking stuff.
This is retail. If your quite, how do you suggest to sell to customers. If I was a manager and training, I would be ok with someone going to help a customer in the middle of our conversation. Thats were the money is. If you call to quit, I don't need an explanation why, cause I don't care. Your quitting without a 2 week notice. I've been a retail manager and I didn't mind a lot of things, as long as you were customer oriented and didn't waist my time.
i guess i didn't realize it was okay to cut off a manager and just walk away while she was speaking to us about how to fit jeans. i guess next time i'll ask what they want us to do right off the bat in a situation like that. the thing is, i never got a real chance to interact with customers. they never let me go off on my own to work with customers. the only time i was really on the floor was when they were teaching me something. which goes back to just leaving a manager hanging mid sentence. (oh, and btw, it wasn't like we were the only three people in there. there were about 4 other associates in there helping customers. we weren't just ignoring them.) so in reality, they never really knew how i was with a customer. just how i was with them (the managers). to tell you the truth, the one time i got to work with a customer, i thought i did pretty well. i gathered her clothers, chatted her up, and started her room.
what really irritated me most, is i felt like they kind of set me up to fail to reach their expectations. the manager who hired me off my interview TOLD me i was too quite DURING the interview. well, if you didn't like me then, why waste time and hire me?
as for working at hobby lobby, i'd love to, but ours isn't built yet! 
and michaels... you have to have at least 2 years experience to work there. i don't 
oh, and texas_rose, i didn't think you were trying to insult me at all! i knew what you meant, and i was agreeing. i think i jumped in too far over my head with this job, and i fully admit that. it was definitely not even my first choice (like i said, i mainly applied just because a friend worked there and kind of pressured me into it... i really didn't think i'd even get it). i would have liked to start somewhere like you said: maybe without having the be the very first person to approach a customer, just to kind of get a feel for it.
let's see...
Sorry It's just a habit. I always type properly when it's an important document (unless I'm using Word when it'll capitalize words on it's own ), but it's just faster for me to not use the shift key. It'll probably never change, so I guess I'll practice more on not being so long winded rather than learning to use the shift key more.
Ok, I did not read all of the replies but I am going to give you my $.02 and I want you to know that I have been a retail District Manager, Store Manager, Assistant Manager, Sales Associate, Cashier, and even a Human resources Manager so I am comming at this with plenty of experience to offer you.
First of all, never apply for a postition that you are not willing to accept under any resonable circumstances. If you were not willing to travel to the store you should never have applied.
Retail is a very up and down type of business. Stores are given payroll hours based on the volume of sales they are projected to produce. Managers give out those hours based on the productivity of each sales associate in the store. So were they watching you? YES! That is what they are supposed to do so that they can coach you and see where you need to improve.
The majority of sales people in retail are told that they will recieve between 4 and 20 hours a week. That is because unless and untill you produce they are not going to give you more hours. If you go in there and sell your butt off, you WILL be given more hours than the person who does not produce.
As for the girl just walking away to speak to a customer, I would expect any lf my associates to do the same. Should she have excused herself? Yes but the customer ALLWAYS comes first. Anything the manager had to say is secondary to the customer. A customer should allways be greeted within 30 seconds of entering a store. NO MATTER WHAT>.
In regards to your training, I would never have allowed an associate onto my sales floor with our at least 4 hours of training and then they would have a "buddy" trainer to be on the floor with them ensuring they knew what to do and how to treat customers.
In the end I think there were errors on your behalf and that of the managment staff. It shounds like you are more of an introvert and that is great but maybe not for retail.
Now if you LOVE Torid and think you would do better there then call the manager, tell her that you love the store and that since 4 hours is not as many as you need you are going to work you tush off to sell and that you are confident she will give you more hours based on your results. Approach her with confidence and professionalism and she will be impressed. Approach her with the personality and behavior of the typical teen and she will not.
By the way come Octber all retail stores will be hiring for the Holiday season and every one they hire will be considered "temporary" so this is your chance. I allways thought of the Holiday season as my chance to pick and choose who would have a job after the first of the year.
GO Gettem Tiger!
Deanna
thank you for all the advice deanna. i didn't know what the hours were when they hired me, and that was through fault of my own -- i should have asked. i do know, though, that even the greatest sellers there don't get that many hours. my friend that works there is one of THE top sellers and only gets about 10-14 hours a week.
overall, i think this was a learning experience. as i have said before, i don't have experience in the "real job world", so, yes i've made mistakes with this experience, but i'll for sure not make the same ones again.
I am so glad to hear you learned from your mistakes. Rest assured that you have many more to make as we all do. It is comming to the end of the fiscal year and the economy is really slow right now so you will find retailers holding on to thier payroll hours till the Holiday rush hits. I still think you should be working in a bakery. Even a Panera Bread is better suited to you than a retail clothing store. Just some thoughts. 
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