THIS POST IS LONG, BUT WORTH THE READ IF YOU CAN RELATE TO THE TITLE
I quit my job in March that I had for the last 3 years, with no job lined up. I worked at a grocery store. I climbed my way to from a bagger, to a stock clerk, to the dairy department, the most profitable department in the store. They put only there best, most trusted stock clerks to run that department. I am naturally an introvert, so I thought this is what I wanted to do for a paycheck and I made it there.
Almost 2 years of working in dairy, I realized this job made me miserable. I felt isolated doing a portion of the work alone in a 40 degree cooler, and the other portion stocking the same yogurts, cottage cheese, eggs, milk, box milk, butters, jello, cookie dough, cream cheese, sour cream, etc.
It was me and usually 2 other people that ran the department. I was good at what I did, so was my coworker until he got fired. They failed or did not try to find a replacement for 3 months, leaving me to close 4 out of 5 days a week. I worked alone with huge trucks, while the other co-worker only opened and called out a lot. He would clock out and not touch the truck. After months of me submitting to this schedule, they did not care what this stress was doing to me.
I'm a college student who has to help support my family, so working is a must, my bills added up to $800-$900 a month, and I made only $900-$1100 at the job depending on hours I got. I felt like a slave with a limited social life because I always come home physically and mentally exhausted, breaking my back at age 21 for a measly $11 an hour for a job that should pay close to $20 an hour, due to the workload and work environment, which most employees there do not touch because it's too cold and too much to keep up with. This company considered the department part of stock clerks, which made the pay scale non existent for me. I had health insurance and dental/vision, 401k, etc, but I felt so underpayed.
I ended up withdrawaling from all my classes that semester because I fell so behind on school after losing my skilled co-worker due to a minor incident. I stopped caring about work, school, and myself. I showed up to work 30 minutes up to 1-2 hours after I was suppose to clock in, because I knew they needed me and could not afford to fire me, but they let me work. I would also leave to go home and take 2-3 hour breaks, and come back and leave an hour early. It got to the point where I would just bullshit my way through my shift.
Every time I walked in the store, a sense of dread, loneliness, and failure would be on my mind. I felt hopeless, and that this was the best thing I could do as a student, and I should not take the risk of quitting due to my bills I helped pay for myself and my mother who has lots of health issues and my disabled dad.
I was scared life would pass me by and I would still be working there in my 30s. After 3 years of consistent 1000+ hours a year, I was vested and eligible to keep my stock if I quit. I asked my managers about it and they withheld the information from me for months, until I called corporate and they said it was officially mine if I left. That day, I had this overwhelming feeling to quit, and I did, no 2 week notice because they never gave me a notice for the info I have asked about.
I knew that the only way to find happiness was to leave that place. I did not have a job lined up, but I quit anyway, and planned to sell my $3k-$4k stock. I did not work for 2 months so I could finish my semester I was falling behind in, and I did just that.
Now, I got hired 3 weeks ago at a new place, at a restaurant as a server. My sister tells me how they can make $500-$1000 a week. My mom confirmed this, she was a server her whole life. Remember, I'm naturally an introvert, so people aren't my favorite to deal with. I've also never been a server, so all this was new to me. I stepped out of my comfort zone for the first time in 3 years. And I was hired on the spot.
To wrap things up, my first day off of training, I had two tables who were absolutely rude to me for being inexperienced and claimed that was the worst service they ever had. They got their $75 check paid by management, I got cut early and sent home after being threatened to be moved to another position. I pleaded with them, and promised I would get the menu down and learn by my mistakes. I could not let that opportunity to make real money slip away.
The days after the incident were all very successful for me. Each day I became more and more comfortable greeting tables, talking with guests, and taking care of them during their meal, as well as knowing the menu. As a quiet guy, I never saw myself doing this. The great thing is, I absolutely love going to work now. And I'm making double the money I made at my last job, averaging $18-$22 an hour depending on tips. And I walk with cash every night, and no longer work by the hour for my money or count on a paycheck. I get paid by the amount of work and effort I put in, and make more in a 4 hour shift than a 9 hour shift at my old job.
I walked home today with $130 in tips, not counting hourly pay. The day before that, i made $65 in 3-4 hours. Its the end of the first week off training and I worked two shifts and already have enough money for bills this week, with under 20 hours worked. My last job, it would take 30-35 hours to make $250.
Happiness and success can be achieved if you force yourself to leave a toxic work environment and try something you never tried before. I am able to help support my parents and I'm excited to start saving with the extra income.
I am happy to say, I love my job and I have no regrets leaving that prior job. If you have a similar feeling I felt, DO NOT IGNORE IT.
Edit: I wanted to add, it is much easier to make friends and hang out after work in the resteraunt business. Everybody is very friendly and easy to talk to!
Submitted May 12, 2018 at 02:08PM by Mattt029 https://ift.tt/2rC8wK5
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