A job for me

[mmd8x28]

I can't seem to find a job I like, and it's really pissing me off.

I was happy doing computers for the warranty computer. Replace hardware, reload OS, ship. Then I got laid off. Got a job for 7.50 hr, quit in 4 days because I didn't like the way it was going (never touched a computer, just cleaned up shit), and I was physically exhausted at the end of the day.

Got another job now, same 7.50, but this boss is walking ALL over me. I have no problem with the job, but the walking all over me is really upsetting me. I'm already to quit again, and I only had this job for a week.

Here's the thing. I do NOT like phones, I hate answering phones and calling with them. I don't know why, I just don't like them. But it seems EVERY job out there involves using the phone.

I just want a job, where I'm handed a task, and I complete it, simple as that. Not going back and forth with phone calls, getting approvals, etc.

I've thought about advanced auto parts or nappa, pay seems decent for a full time job, I don't mind cleaning up the store there, and phone should be easy "Do you have so and so part?" things like that.. Easy, got a computer right there, look up part, and say "yes" or "no".

But, I would have had 3 different jobs in the past 2 months!

What should I do? The job I have right now has left me mentally fatigued EVERY day so far.

[jaysz2893]

Fastbird may be able to fill you in on working at a parts place. Remember the general public that calls a parts store is pretty dumb. They are not going to call the part by the right name and it will be more than just looking up parts. It will be dealing with people that "think" they know what they are talking about. I see it every time i go to NAPA. My NAPA guy loves me cause i always have the right part description/number or can guide him through what I am looking for. It helps to have been building cars since i was 8.
Anyway you will always have to answer to somebody and usually there will be days it sucks. I used to supervise 3 shifts (and was a lead engineer at the same time) and I still ahd a boss that could be a Pain in the Ass, and I am sure my guys felt the same about me sometimes. i have worked very shitty jobs, and each one has gotten better over time. I have had to educate myself and work hard. I now co - own a business and i still have to sweep the floors and crap. I will tell you as a former supervisor, if i saw a person looking for a job thet was quitting them every couple months, i woul d probally pick a different canadate for the job. No Offense..

[mmd8x28]

I just don't like having a boss inferring I have no common sense, even borderline actually saying it, just because my way of repairing something is different than someone else's.

[Tarheel'Z']

im gonna play the role of the grumpy old fart and say,,man just suck it up and put up with it for now,,because jay is right to many month here month there jobs and when you apply for the one you really want you wont get it because of your work history(ask me how i know) everybody has worked those crappy ass jobs they hated and some still do..you gotta start somewhere

[mmd8x28]

But I did start somewhere, back in 04.. Surely I should be getting farther now?

[jaysz2893]

how old were you in 04? I ask because i started my first real job at a department store when i was 14 (working papers) and was building bikes. Worked at 4 different places between 16 and 22 (grounds keeping for a state park, mattress delivery, , cook at an old folks home, store security). I was 22 when i got my first job engineering. since then i had 3 jobs. 2 companies went out of business, the 3rd I quit to get my Undergrad degree. I had to work hard to build a professional resume. 2 Associates (Industrial Engineering and Business) and a Bachelors in Business plus the 11 years of engineering got me to where I am now. I am comfortable, but in no mean rich.
6 years seems like a long time, but in the working world it isnt. Hell the 5 years I had at my last job (before i got laid off) went by so quick.
Having been on both sides of hiring all i can tell you is education ad a good work ethic go a long way. Having been laid off a few times i can tell you be happy you have a job in this economy(9.7% unemployment nationally) and work hard and you will get further. All bosses will suck at one time or another, trust me. Just wiat till one day you have a business partner... ugghhh

[mmd8x28]

I was 16ish then.. I left that job for an education, landed a nice high paying job.. Laid off, and now being paid minimum wage..

My education was nothing to this new job it seemed.

[Firebat]

Look into working for a large electric power company. Its what I did. My job is very difficult though but the pay is way better than about any other employer I could work for. Plus, everyone needs electricity, its not like working at a manufacturing plant these days. Possible jobs for lineman, sub techs, radio/telecom tech, computer programming techs, mechanics, IT jobs, jobs for power plants. Its difficult to get in and usually requires at least an associates for anything.

[Fastbird]

Fastbird may be able to fill you in on working at a parts place. Remember the general public that calls a parts store is pretty dumb. They are not going to call the part by the right name and it will be more than just looking up parts. It will be dealing with people that "think" they know what they are talking about. I see it every time i go to NAPA. My NAPA guy loves me cause i always have the right part description/number or can guide him through what I am looking for. It helps to have been building cars since i was 8.

That pretty much hit the nail on the head. If you're car savvy, you can walk into a $10 an hour management position if you have a head on your shoulders. Autozone is easy like that. But. And I do mean But. The general public is impossible. You have people coming in without a clue expecting you to know what they need. You have people coming in expecting full service at a parts store. You have people who got the wrong part due to their own stupidity and then blow up at you. People will come in with a chip on their shoulder because you're working a parts counter and they don't "have" to. You get people coming in that don't speak your language and you're expected to cater to them (don't get me started on that one). Thieving little bastards coming in. Ect.

IF you can deal with that, look into it. It's a different day every day though, always something new. I didn't mind the work, I minded the people.

[mmd8x28]

I wouldn't be able to handle that.

I want more than a job though, I want a career. Something I can do for the rest of my life.

[Camaro_94]

Anywhere you work you have to take orders from people. I thought if I owned my own detailing business, I'd no longer have to answer to anyone. But I couldnt have been any more wrong.. My customers are my boss since they were the ones that pay me, and I have to deal with them. Luckily I can decide who I want to do business with, but you will always be taking orders from someone.

I worked at a performance shop for 2.5 years. I got my foot in the door by basically being an "intern". I'd go to the shop, hang out, watch the techs, and just do random work around the place... sweeping floors, cleaning the front room, and putting tools away. I made enough to pay for my expenses at the time (just gas) and had a few extra bucks to play around with, but nothing much. I was 16 and thought I had the coolest job in the world.. Being at a place that built some powerful cars (mainly GM stuff) and going to school and sharing that with my friends.. After awhile, I started getting payed minumum wage and had a semi-regular position there answering phone calls, shipping products, cleaning cars, and assisting the tech's. It was cool for the most part (until the final months when things started to go downhill... Long story which I dont feel like getting into.) but I had to work my way up to the position I had and that didnt come easy.

Theres idiot customers anywhere you work though. I became good friends with some of the people at a local autozone from working at the last shop and doing some part runs there, and they would always tell me about their customers that came in... From people wanting free shit to just bitching just for the sake of bitching. You're going to have to deal with that everywhere you go. You're going to have to deal with bosses or managers who give you orders and tell you what they want you to do.. Since you work for them.

[Fastbird]

I wouldn't be able to handle that.

I want more than a job though, I want a career. Something I can do for the rest of my life.

Not trying to be snide or anything, but have you thought about the military?

[mmd8x28]

I have asthma and autism, I'm sure they won't take me.. I remember checking, asthma was the big "no".

[mmd8x28]

Anywhere you work you have to take orders from people. I thought if I owned my own detailing business, I'd no longer have to answer to anyone. But I couldnt have been any more wrong.. My customers are my boss since they were the ones that pay me, and I have to deal with them. Luckily I can decide who I want to do business with, but you will always be taking orders from someone.

I worked at a performance shop for 2.5 years. I got my foot in the door by basically being an "intern". I'd go to the shop, hang out, watch the techs, and just do random work around the place... sweeping floors, cleaning the front room, and putting tools away. I made enough to pay for my expenses at the time (just gas) and had a few extra bucks to play around with, but nothing much. I was 16 and thought I had the coolest job in the world.. Being at a place that built some powerful cars (mainly GM stuff) and going to school and sharing that with my friends.. After awhile, I started getting payed minumum wage and had a semi-regular position there answering phone calls, shipping products, cleaning cars, and assisting the tech's. It was cool for the most part (until the final months when things started to go downhill... Long story which I dont feel like getting into.) but I had to work my way up to the position I had and that didnt come easy.

Theres idiot customers anywhere you work though. I became good friends with some of the people at a local autozone from working at the last shop and doing some part runs there, and they would always tell me about their customers that came in... From people wanting free shit to just bitching just for the sake of bitching. You're going to have to deal with that everywhere you go. You're going to have to deal with bosses or managers who give you orders and tell you what they want you to do.. Since you work for them.
I understand I have to take orders, but I just don't like being walked all over by my boss. Both my first 2 bosses were great to work with..

[Enthusiast]

You need to man up and work your job, think of all the people that cant get jobs and your crying about a mean boss.

If you stay somewhere you get some tenure, and it gets easier or more liveable, if you keep quitting after 4 days youll get nowhere.

Work isnt SUPPOSED to be fun, sure some people luck out and get a fun job but its not going to be a walk in the park every day, every job is going to have something crappy (a boss, coworkers, the work, the customers etc) otherwise they wouldnt PAY you to be there, youd just be there for fun.

We cant tell you what to do cause you keep making excuses so sit down and think about what you want to do, and then go do it. Thats what it takes, quit pitying yourself and go to work.

This just makes me furious, cause I have a good friend who has a gf and a child to support and he would take any job he could get, doing ANYTHING, so he could support his family, and for the 6 months he couldnt find anything I helped him find odd jobs, patching roofs, building fences, painting anything, he never complained just worked his ass off and was grateful he had a job since so many dont.
Im talkin he went to every fast food joint, called in all his favors, woudl take any interview he could get within an hour and a half drive. He deserves a job, If your gonna complain about YOUR BOSS telling you what to do....well THATS HIS JOB.

[Camaro_94]

I understand I have to take orders, but I just don't like being walked all over by my boss. Both my first 2 bosses were great to work with..

Its just something you're going to have to get used to man. I work at a 15 min oil change shop right now to help get me through college, and luckily my current managers are real laid back and are cool guys... But my old boss from the shop absolutely walked all over me. For the most part he treated me well and we got along, but I took a lot of crap from him at that place. I got blamed for many things I didnt have anything to do with... I just had to suck it up and move on. When I finally had enough and wanted a change, I left.... But that was after 2.5 years.

When you first start out at someplace, you are going to get the dirty work. The stuff that nobody else wants... And you're probibly going to be stuck with it since you're new. Like cleaning a bathroom, mopping the floors, working on something thats in real shitty shape, etc. If you dont complain and do everything you're supposed to do, it will look good. When I got hired at the oil change place, the first day I worked about an hour after I was scheduled to leave. Why? Because I wanted to make an impression on the person who was giving me my hours and pay. I never once complained or didnt act like I didnt want to be there, even though I wanted to go home.

I had my detailing business going strong over the summer, and this is what I gave 2 people who applied to work for me to clean.. My dirty ass trailblazer after a fun weekend in the adirondacks (there was literally mud on the roof!). Why did I give it to them to clean? BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT TO DO IT! :laugh:

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm111/Camaro9461/Mobile%20Uploads/0725090810.jpg
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm111/Camaro9461/Mobile%20Uploads/0725090810a.jpg
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm111/Camaro9461/Mobile%20Uploads/0725091134.jpg

I pay'd them both $11 an hour, which isnt bad for someone in high school to make. And my Trailblazer looked a hellova lot worse in person, and pictures do not do it justice. I didnt know either of the two who applied prior to this (Decided to let a few of my old "so called friends" go and fired their asses).

One did nothing but bitch the entire time, and the other didnt say a word and just did the job. after 2.5 hours of scrubbing and cleaning, I knew who I wanted to work with me. The kid who didnt say anything and just did what I had asked. Granted, I'd NEVER clean anything thats this dirty at my regular price, but that was the point. He ended up working out great for the rest of the summer... We joked about it later on, and he thought I was a dick for making him clean my truck in the beginning, but after awhile he realized I was really leanient and laid back.

[Camaro_94]

You need to man up and work your job, think of all the people that cant get jobs and your crying about a mean boss.

If you stay somewhere you get some tenure, and it gets easier or more liveable, if you keep quitting after 4 days youll get nowhere.

Work isnt SUPPOSED to be fun, sure some people luck out and get a fun job but its not going to be a walk in the park every day, every job is going to have something crappy (a boss, coworkers, the work, the customers etc) otherwise they wouldnt PAY you to be there, youd just be there for fun.

We cant tell you what to do cause you keep making excuses so sit down and think about what you want to do, and then go do it. Thats what it takes, quit pitying yourself and go to work.

This just makes me furious, cause I have a good friend who has a gf and a child to support and he would take any job he could get, doing ANYTHING, so he could support his family, and for the 6 months he couldnt find anything I helped him find odd jobs, patching roofs, building fences, painting anything, he never complained just worked his ass off and was grateful he had a job since so many dont.
Im talkin he went to every fast food joint, called in all his favors, woudl take any interview he could get within an hour and a half drive. He deserves a job, If your gonna complain about YOUR BOSS telling you what to do....well THATS HIS JOB.

I didnt see this post, but well said! I had to work my ass off to get a "fun" job at that shop. Working for $50 a week for my first year at the job... 15-20 hours per week monday - friday after school... And sometimes 30 hours a week over the summer when I was on my summer vacation in HS. I wasnt forced to do it, but liked what I was doing so I didnt mind..

Thats an extreme case on getting your foot in the door at someplace you want to work at, but I've heard of people working more and getting less for a job they wanted also. I'm not saying to go into autozone and use that... But you have to find something you dont mind doing and just stick with it. If you like working on computers... Find something in that field. You may not do what you want to at first, but it will come eventually.

[popo8]

My father always said if you ENJOY WORK , OR IF WORK IS FUN.... IT AINT WORK.....

Even with as fun as my CAREER can be, and even though I get paid pretty well..... There are still shitty people above me who make day to day work misreable.....

ONLY YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO FOR YOUR "career"

[warnerTA]

My father always said if you ENJOY WORK , OR IF WORK IS FUN.... IT AINT WORK.....

Even with as fun as my CAREER can be, and even though I get paid pretty well..... There are still shitty people above me who make day to day work misreable.....

ONLY YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO FOR YOUR "career"

well put.

[Bowtie4Life]

too bad you don't live farther south Brandon, my work is looking to hire 2 people, start at $9.50/hour.