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Thursday, September 10, 2009

First Job (Group Blog Thursday)

I was a junior in high school.  I was 16, bored out of my mind, and my parents wouldn't let me get my license because they were so strict.  I was constantly stuck at home, nothing to do, no money.

I convinced my mom to let me apply at McDonald's, ten miles away.  She would be the one to have to drive me and pick me up.  I thought after a while she would see how silly it was for me not to have a license.  I hoped she would get tired of having to go back and forth.  I broke before she did.

I was the cashier girl.  The only food I ever had to work with were the fries, and that was fine with me.  We had a dress code, of course- dark blue shirt and black pants, black non-slip shoes, and a blue visor.  I hated it.  I had short hair that I couldn't put in a ponytail, so it was constantly poking up and out.  I worked people I went to school with two schools before my current high school.  The people I couldn't stand and were the reason I left.  Then again, I also worked with a few of the people I really liked from my current school.

There were a couple different managers at time time, but I always had to work with the manager from hell.  She was always really bitchy, complained a lot, and NEVER got us out on time.  By law, I was supposed to be out of work by eleven, I do believe.  But it was always way after that, and my mom or stepdad were constantly having to wait. 

I hated my job.  I remember requesting homecoming weekend off, so that I could go to the game and dance, and they still scheduled me.  I was really mad, and had to have my mom tell them I was a cheerleader and had to go.  No matter that there WERE no cheerleaders for the soccer team (we didn't have football at the time). 

The worst part about the job was probably having to clean the fry and burger vats.  The grease on those things just does NOT want to come off.  I banged myself up pretty bad trying to wash those huge metal things.  I also hated filling the shake machine.  Nobody seemed to understand that being 5'1" constituted as being too short to lift a bag ten inches in the air to pour.  For some reason, they got a kick out of not helping me though, and I was constantly spilling the mixes all over the floor and myself.  Flurries had just been introduced, too, and those were a pain in the ass, as well.  There was supposed to be a shield to stop candy pieces from flying out of the cups, but ours had broken and so we had to make due.  Orea and M&M's became lethal weapons.

I didn't quit because I didn't like the job.  My parents were always forgetting to pick me up at night, and a few times I called in because my mom didn't feel like driving in the weather or my little brother was sick.  I finally had to tell them I was leaving because I didn't have a ride anymore.  I wasn't really that sorry, but it wasn't a great first job. 

Having told you all that, I will also say, I will NEVER work in fast food again.  Not in the most desperate times.  I can't remember one good thing coming out of working there.  I didn't have fun, I didn't work with people I liked, and some of the customers were atrocious.  And there ya have it.

So that was my first job. 

7 ghetto sass:

Stephanie Faris said...

What is it with fast food jobs and complete disregard for your wishes when it comes to scheduling? They did the same stuff to me. In fact, I put my two weeks' notice in and asked off for a Saturday. They scheduled me anyway. So I called in sick. They fired me for calling in sick.

Susan R. Mills said...

My first job was at a pie pantry. It wasn't quite fast food, but it was a similar experience as you had.

Amy said...

I like this post...brings back memories of my first job! Even though they weren't the best of memories, it's still fun to think about. My first job was at Chick-fil-A. I was also the cashier girl, and I didn't have to work with the food, which was really awesome. We were trained to always be happy and cheerful, even though inside we were really miserable. It wasn't the greatest, but I don't know anyone who really loved their very first job. :]

Lothiriel said...

wow...I take it you didn't get your license.


I've never worked fast food, but I worked retail, call center, hotel, and restaurant, and can tell you that I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THOSE AGAIN.

Karilynnlove said...

My first "real" job, was a consultant/salesperson/slave at a tanning salon (big franchise not a little hometown dump!). I pretty much did anything and everything, including repairing ceiling tiles, plumbing, repairing tanning beds and sucking up to customers! While I was there I had a blast, but it wore off. I am grateful for the sales skills I developed though! I can sell a bottle of $100 tanning lotion like it's nobody's business!!

Alicia2121 said...

Sadly, there are a lot of managers that do not care about their employees, just having a warm body there. You have to be firm without being too firm. When I want a day off from work, I let my boss know in a firm, but nice manner. He knows that I deserve it as hard as I work and he knows I will say something if I don't get it off. So, I definitely know how you feel. Never let them run over you.

Nicolette said...

GOD I couldn't believe how much shit we got for requesting days off. If you want an employee that is always going to be available, DON'T hire high school students. Most of them are busy with school activities and building their personal lives and require certain days off!

I have worked at several hotels and I've loved them all. The only reasons I've left is because I moved both times. :( I would love to go back again.

NOPE, didn't get my license until I turned 17! It sucked so bad. Then my mom never let me drive, anyway, so it was pointless. The same year my brother turned 16, and she let HIM get his license, and a car! ...Double standards suck. That's a whole blog right there.

I'm always the employee that gets taken advantage of because I like to work hard, so that everyone respects me and sees that I'm reliable, but it gets old after a while...I'm in that place right now and it is really rough. :-/