Should I feel bad?
by So, remember me freaking out about the conversation I was going to have with my boss, explaining that I needed to stop working at that store at the end of June? Well, I had that conversation today......and it did not go so well. Here is the brief rundown:
Me: So, Ana, you know how I'm leaving for Arizona at the end of July..
Ana: Yeah?
Me: Well, in trying to figure out my schedule over the next month, there's a lot that I've got to do and...
Ana: Are you leaving earlier than you said? Is that what you're trying to tell me?
Me: Well, yeah.
Ana: Ok, so when are you leaving?
Me: Well, as it stands, the 28th needs to be my last day.
Ana: OF JUNE?????
Me: Well, yeah. I mean, if you absolutely need me for a shift here and there before I go, I can try to come in.
Ana: You know that's less than 2 weeks, right? And it's right in the middle of Semi-Annual sale.
Me: Well, it's two weeks from yesterday, and you were off yesterday, so I decided I'd tell you as soon as I could today. I've just got so much going on, and it's too hard to get everything done and work a full schedule.
Ana: Fine. (She walks off)
So, about 5 minutes later, she comes back and says to me:
Ana: So, Mary (the other higher-up manager)and I both have weddings that weekend, so we're gonna be gone. Can you at least stay till July 3rd?
Me: Well, that weekend I need to go get Tyler in PA, and it's the last weekend I'll get to see my famlily before I go to AZ.
Ana: Can't you go the next weekend?
Me: No, because I have my District Convention that weekend.
Ana: Ok, fine. I guess if I can't pull anyone from other stores, I'll just have to cancel my plans that weekend. (She said this with MUCH irritation in her voice) Had I known you were leaving earlier, I would have planned to hire someone else.
Me: Well, I just kinda found out this is when I needed to stop working, otherwise I would have told you sooner. I'm sorry.
(And she walks away at this point.)
There was SO much tension in the room at that point.....and I feel bad about the whole thing, but hey, I gave them 2 weeks....most people in retail don't even do that....and THIS is the woman that's supposed to tell the store I want to transfer to, good things about me. Riiiiiiiiight.
So my question is......should I feel as bad as I do about it? Because I'm getting sick to my stomach about how fun work is gonna be the next 2 weeks.
AI Summary
62 Comments
dude... tell the lady... listen up. You are lucky i told you at all. Keep the attitude up and ill walk out now.
Nobody in the world does the whole 2 week notice thing anymore... i tried giving 2 weeks at a job and they sent me home that day...
do your thing and forget her... thats why she gets paid the big bucks, to deal with those problems... its HER job.
Wow.....I didn't really think about it that way....it IS her job.
Well said, my good man!!!!!
I hate when managers pull that crap... THATS WHY THEY ARE MANAGERS!!!! thats why you get the job... to MANAGE your employees. Shes gonna ahve to MANAGE and hire somebody else. Its not like you are a rocket scientist... its a job that im sure she can find someone else to start training pretty quickly for.
Yeah, I gues she's stressed because my job was a management position too.....apparently they are hard to come by in retail Whatever......I was working just as much as them, only I was still considered part time, AND I got no benefits......Ugh.
well, mike, they fired you, because you suck. They probably hated you, and you did them a favor-made the whole job easier. In fact, they probably had been hinting that you should be packing your things soon. Did you notice the nearest watercooler was unusually dry? Did you notice they would only let you take 1 pen at a time? Did they stop paying you, and move you to the basement...alone? These are signs that you won't have a job for much longer...
Which is totally the same at our job, except everyone loves you. Mostly to rag on you, but also because you're great for target practice. Oh, and you do good work.
HAHAHAAHAHAHHA... i cracked up at the watercooler part. hahaha.
:D
just jokin around, bro! I'm serious about the part where we love having you around.
Well... business is business, you were a conscientious trustworthy worker, if you were a slacker, say spending all you waking day surfing the web, I'm just saying, they would have no problem with losing you. SO no regrets. They are mad, cuz your good.
BTW isn't this the same people that shifted delayed a trip to Florida for some training thing... if so SAY-HAY-ONARA!
After your bosses little fit, It's time for you to put your business face on. Don't be swayed by her whining or disappointment. Two weeks is adequate. Be sensetive and accomadating out of your own kindness, not because you think you owe her something. It's not like you're going to a wig & toupee show or the county fair. You're moving and don't need added stress and drama.
boss: wahh wahhh wahhhh
k: this is how it is and this is what i'm going to do
boss: wahh wahhh wahhh
k: i realize that
boss: wahh wahhh wahhhhh *snort*
k: i'll do what i can
boss: wah wah wahhhh
k: well, i've handled this the best way possible given circumstantial devolopments and i'd appreciate your understanding and cooperation
boss: *cough*
k: here's a hanky. kthxbyebye
um, she is ridiculous, and totally immature
in 2 weeks, she doen'st think she can find someone maybe from another store to cover your shift for ONE weekend.. come on..
in the long run, like, a year from now, even six months from now, this is going to be just a distant memory, so yeah, totally don't waste time thinking about it
My boss is also the type to hold grudges. She says it's not personal when work stuff comes up, but she totally acts snotty for a while. I'm worried she's gonna totally be rude to me the next 2 weeks, or put off calling those other store I'm trying to transfer to. And if she won't call the other stores, I've decided I'll just hand her my keys to the store then, instead of waiting 2 weeks. Take THAT, lady!!!!!
I totally understand how you feel. But remember 2 things: 1) You represent Jehovah to those people at your store. 2) Whether she calls for you or not is irrelevant. Jehovah will help you, especially since you are moving for your spiritual benefit (amongst other things). Trust in him.
Though, it never hurts to have some good scriptural advice to recall, should the situation that you described should present itself:
(Romans 12:17-21) 17 Return evil for evil to no one. Provide fine things in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, as far as it depends upon YOU, be peaceable with all men. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah.” 20 But, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head.” 21 Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.
HEAP COALS, HEAP COALS!!!!!
haha, that scripture was recently explained in a talk i heard and the point isn't kill them with kindness. it actually means something else. i was surprised and i still like to kill people with kindness now and again. because i am a killer.
lol, brian "Killer via Kindness" valentine.
usually i'm brian "kill 'em with throwing knives" valentine, but hey, we all change . . .
while i agree with you normally toddles, im gonna have to say no on this one. Shes not being rude OR unchristian in just leaving. She gave 2 weeks, the lady didnt do what she had to do. Why worry about it anymore. shes got her family to worry about. The manager brought it upon herself. I say leave and give her a piece of your mind on the way out....
and you'd be wrong, t00lius caeser
We always try to leave things on a good note! What if our example should sway somebody's opinion of the truth, either yay or nay?
true.. but what if her giving into them leaves that same impression. Im pretty opinioated about this cause i had a boss like this. i was working at this dumpy ISP in like 98 for around 2 years. getting like 9 bucks an hour. I worked there day and night and never got a raise never any appriciation. Finally i found a job at Verizon Wireless.. I gave the guy 3 weeks notice.. he didnt do a thing till the day i was going to leave... told me I couldnt leave... so i pushed back my start date another 3 weeks to accomidate him. Then like a week or so later he told me he found someone and let me go.
Managers just try to suck what they can outta you. They will take and take what they can. and by giving into them and lettting them throw their tantrums you just hurt yourself.
WOW, that is horrid Mikey!
Ok I gues I have never had it bad, so my perspective is all peaches & yearbook.
I bow out gracefully, I don't know anything.
yeah, but you should have just left when you said you were going to leave. You needed to be nice, yet, firm. *shrug*. Still need to be that way at our job, too, or you'll get walked all over. Every job is like that. 3 weeks is 3 weeks. 2 weeks is 2 weeks. Let your yes mean yes, your no, no.
I'm definitely not promoting being a sucker, and giving in. Be kindly, but firm.
you also have to remember that this lady does not give two cents about you. she is just trying to get as much out of you before you leave. she wouldn't lose any sleep over firing you. she is totaly just trying to guilt trip you...do not let it work!!!
Would you feel bad about punching a midget in the fact that just kicked you in the shin?
Depends.....is it one of those midgets that dance around on Austin Powers in the retro 60's clothes? Then I would. 'Cause they kinda freak me out.
But if it's a cooler midget, like Mini-Me....I'd probably hug him.....then kick him in the shins.
Yeah, so....my boss made me cry today....a lot.
: (
hang in there, K
I'm trying.....unfortunately she's doing exactly what I thought she would, and I got chewed a new one for about 20 minutes today, with the office door open, with other associates walking by.....kind of embarrasing on top of it all.
no!!!! be strong be strong!!! the biggest satisfaction to me is when a boss is trying to make you cry and you just don't react, or even better, smile at them. BE STRONG!!!
I tried really hard to fight the tears back....but she basically ripped me a new one, in front of some of the other girls in the backroom, and so it was embarrassing on top of it.
At least everyone felt sorry for me later, hahaha.
I went through this too..... My boss (the senior partner) was SOOOO nasty when I quit. And insulted me a few days before my last day (he actually asked me if I knew how to count) and screamed at me on my last day for not doing something to make my job easier that I didnt have time to do anyway (because I was doing three people's jobs because he was too cheap to hire someone else). But your right, its retail so it matters less. Retail stores have a high turnover rate, and they should be used to that. Is there anyone else you can get a good recommendation from??
OH yeah, there's plenty of people to ask for a recommendation....and I'm sure my boss would give me a good one in the future.....but she's just so mean right now.....ugh. Hahah....I can't wait to be gone.
I say walk up to her... make a stamp that says "SpecialK PWN'D YOU", give her a nice tap on the forhead. AND THEN WALK OUT!!!!
and if you do this, PLEASE have someone tape it, cause i wanna see...
Oh man......I'm gonna save that one for my last day.....now where to get that stamp.........
So yesterday, I walk by my boss and one of the other managers, and my boss is talking about how she's working the next like, 13 days straight. The other manager tells her that she's crazy, and asks why she's working that long without a day off.
Her response?
"Well, if I had enough coverage, I could afford to take the time off....but since we're now down a manager VERY last minute, I have no other choice."
Oh, and she said this while looking right at me. Ugh......one more week, one more week,.....
i would've just winked at her and kept on walking....LOL
Hahahaha.....I almost smiled at her when she said it......but I don't want to be TOO miserable the next 2 weeks.
lol, I have that same attitude sometimes.
Like this one time: A guy yelled at me to get off his property, and to never come back, and I approached him to get his name and his address, even though I knew that'd tick him off. lol.
HAHAHAHA i love it. its just some people are jsut do lame you cant help but laugh or do something like that to annoy them. lol
i woulda just pointed at her face and started laughing so hard
Hahahah....now THAT would be funny. :)
yeah, hi, welcome to being a manager of a retail store, lol, she obviously chose this profession so she should expect the stuff that happens! I have worked in retail and people come and go all the time, whatever, this lady is annoying!
I think she deserves the old grease the car door handle prank. LOL!
Hahahah....or maybe shaving cream on her car windows.....I dunno....some sort of prank would be fun, but I could never pull anything off....I'm horrible at that, hahaha.
At my first real fulltime job, we had a water balloon fight one day. One guy who was not participating was driving his truck through the parking lot. I launched one through his open window as he was driving and hit him. It was priceless. You should do something like that.
HAHAHAHA!!! That reminds me of Napoleon Dynamite, when he threw something at uncle Rico through the car window.
an orange
Hahaha....that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure.
we've been having huge water baloon fights at work. it doesn't stop.
here's a good prank...sneak up on her, then hit her in the back of the head with an aluminum bat! then rob all of her money and credit cards, her clothes and jewlery! man, that would be a great joke...
Uh.....Ok.....
lol.. wait are you Jack Handey?
brotherman always detects sarcasm. that what i love about him; his attention to detail.
You should have come to the campout we had last night Alex. I could have thrown you in the fire...LOL!
haha, yeah, that would've been funny. too bad i wasn't there...too bad.
I understand - I have totally worked for bosses like that. I worked for a women for 5 years and decided I needed to waitress on the weekend in addition to working for her - two COMPLETELY unrelated businesses with COMPLETELY unrelated schedules; she pretty much wouldn't talk to me for a month and told me that she took that as a personal offense.
Truthfully - you quit and that is the end of it. Two weeks or not unless you have some law-binding contract you are free to leave when you'd like. Customairly 2 weeks notice is normal but 10 days is just as well if you work on the weekends.
I do NOT want to go to work today. Next Wednesday is my last day, and I have SO mentally checked out of that place.