so i got an ultimatum at my job today...

[edgecrusher]

i work for a major video rental chain. most can probably guess which one that is. anyway, due to the economy they have been changing a lot as a company. i have been there for just over 9 years now. i was not hired under the pretense of being a "salesman" but they are literally approaching a "sell candy or your fired" situation. its other stuff too but they are mainky pushing junk food "bundles" on people. im not a salesman, i dont want to be a salesman. if i did i would have a job selling houses, cars, or insurance. you know... a job where i got commission because that was my main source of my paycheck.

today i was told that by next tuesday i have to either give them a letter saying my committment to contribute to the sales of the store or give them my 2 weeks notice. i have no idea what to do. im not really happy there anymore because of this selling thing anyway. i just dont know where else id work. i dont ever want to go back to food. because of the economy right now any retail job will probably be the same. i could most likely have no problem getting a job for this security company doing unarmed security. i kind of dont like the idea of that because i am a non confrontational person. on top of that your pay and hours varies on the site and some sites are in bad parts of town which i wont be too happy with being put there.

i was already feeling down now i feel straight up depressed. i am to the point where i feel like everything in my life is falling apart.

 

[Badjedidude]

i could most likely have no problem getting a job for this security company doing unarmed security

Just for the record, unarmed security is mostly things like sitting in booths at toll roads or large corporate buildings....or gated communities. Or maybe walking around hospitals; things like that. You don't really have to be confrontational for things like that. Sure, you have to be ready for it...but mostly the job would be marking entrance and exit times on a piece of paper and watching video monitors...things like that.

Well, I'd say that it's a matter of how much you're willing to sacrifice in order to keep the job. If the job right now gives you good hours and a decent pay, I'd say just try to keep going with it. Like you said, this is a bad economy right now...and lots of people would love to have your job.

But if for some reason you just can't cope with the selling candy thing, then I'd say drop the job and move on. There's no point in giving yourself stomach ulcers by working at a job that you hate. *shrug* You should probably at least try selling the candy. If you really hate it after a week or two, then see what other jobs are available, I suppose.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

**** it...just sell candy. Just humble yourself for a moment and don't take it so personally.

I'm in a simular situation at the moment right now. The economy totally sucks ass in all sector.
I used to make 3 times the money I'm making now....

It's not going to last forever. it really has nothing with the actaul job itself.
There's a lot of things I dislike about my current job...but I can't or chose to not have a negative attitude.
It has everything to do with me...My own personal growth as a person.
I know in time things will change. It will get better becuase I've got better or grown.

Move on to what??? The unemployment line and the hassel of trying to find another job when there's no jobs.
When looking for work...Guess what??? You become a fucken salesman..You're trying to sale yourself of
your whatever talent, skills, knowlege.

When you want to meet a woman...guess what?...your a freaken saleman too.
When you're a preacher...guess what??? you're a saleman too...you're selling an idea or belief.

There's alot of people standing in line looking for work and that had great jobs just like I did.
The employer knows this. I don't trip out on that either. I don't trip on that bussiness suit mentallity
anymore either...been there and done that.

I'm focusing on me...on what i need to do.

 

[edgecrusher]

i have honestly not liked working there like i used to for like a year or so now. its just that when youve been there that long, you know the people that come in. we have so many regulars. i hate bothiering them with crap they dont want or care about. it wouldnt be so bad but they set these unrealistic goals for us to sell and no store ever meets them. i think its a scare tactic, that way we will freak out about such a large goal. i dont get as many hours there as id like.

the other issue is, all i do is watch movies and play video games aside from what im doing here right now on the computer. it would kill me to lose the 10 free movie or game rentals a week i get. i would have to make quite a little bit more than i do now to support paying for movie and game rentals or buying movies and games. without having my entertainment i would go insane, especially considering ive been able to basically rent whatever movie or game i want for the last 9 years without even having to think about it.

one thing that really bothers me though is this. i have known the one manager above me for the whole 9 years, she has been there longer than me. and the store manager has been there for over 5 years. i know they are just doing their job but it kind of hurts that they are doing this to me. i cant help but feel somewhat betrayed... maybe that word is too much to describe it but you know what i mean. my job was the one constant in my life even though i ddint really like it. it was my source of entertainment and when hours were short i would always still make atleast just enough money to get by. it just sucks and i really dont want to deal with crap like this right now. my mind wont shut up about other crap, i dont need this on top of it.

 

[bbm662]

I'm probably thinking of the right video rental store, and if I am then they are likely to go the same route as circuit city did not too long ago, unless they have a big turn around. It is probably a blessing in disguise. You said its unarmed security so I doubt you are going to be expected to confront people that much. You are most likely just going to have to be alert, talk to people, ask questions of suspicious activity, and if something is out of the ordinary you will call the police and they do the confronting.

Almost forgot to mention the free movies deal. I have a netflix subscription and its pretty awesome. The shipping is fast and they also have a pretty large selection of movies you can stream over the internet. 2 dvds at once is $14 and 3 is $17. I think 3 is all you will ever need to keep cycling through a bunch of movies. It takes 1 day to ship one way so if I put one in the mail on monday I have a new one in on wednesday.

 

[sadface]

i think if they are giving you that ultimatum now then theres not much chance for you in the long haul anyway. personally, i would give them the damned two weeks notice and find another job.

idk i deal with this stuff differently than most people do - i dont think of a job as what i like to do. i think of a job as what i have to do in order to get money, and make sure i can keep doing what i like to do in my spare time.

 

[IVIZ]

I'm sorry if I'm to harsh to the OP but, Dude sounds like you need a lot of growing up to do.

You sound like your crying that your nice confy job for your most recent life is going down the crapper. You're upset that the special treatment is gone, and now you actually have to "work" a day in your life. LIFE IS A TOUGH PLACE, You either suck it up or move on to something else. Take the security job and make a man out of you, or at least it will build up some character, plus its a layed back job from the looks of it so your already familiar with that.

Excuse my rudeness but really!

 

[sadface]

just saw this article:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ent...dbuzz+(News+&+Buzz)&utm_content=Google+Reader

 

[csmswhs]

i think its great that you don't want to push sales on people. i've never understood why stores do that. its downright annoying & rude to the point you don't want to come back again. and i know everyone knows its not the salespersons fault because their forced so its just an unconfortable situation and waste of time for everyone.

i get so tired of walking into a store, and not being able to leave without being hassled. its getting worse and worse.

i'm not happy with my job either, although i recently made some changes within the company and it is better than before and that has lifted my spirits.

what i'm doing is trying to get myself in a position where i won't need a job. or at least will have some independence and any money i make will go towards things other than bills.

so i'm sucking it up all i can because i have no choice (blek blek blek blekity blek), and what helps is the fact that if i wasn't doing it i would be there forever. so would you be able to maybe find a way to make what your doing a way to get out of it eventually?

and i'm worried for you also because all the video stores have been closing down. so maybe it would help to prepare?

do you own your own home? that might help you alot. if you don't, maybe trying to purchase your own small inexpensive place would help. once it is paid for, there is no more rent/mortgage. and if your single, your utility bills should be close to zero if your careful.

stuff like that.

the alternative is worse i think...

anyways, good luck. i hope it turns out ok. maybe keep the sales job and work towards getting out of it? and kind of let people know in some way or another as your doing it that you don't really want to but have no choice. were all used to it and should understand. if it wasn't you, it would be the next person, who might even be more rude about it. so your politeness might be a nice part of their day?

well, sorry to hear of your troubles and good luck

 

[Nina]

(((Edge))) Go with you're gut instincts on this. I think I'd try to hang with the sales for awhile and keep my eye's open for other job opportunities. There might be something available that doesn't deal with sales or potential confontational situations. Check local newspapers, local internet listings and put feelers out for jobs with friends and family. Look around your area and if you see a place you think you'd like to work at, stop in and inquire about the possibilities of working there. Right now some employers are hesitating to advertise for help, because of costs. The most important thing is to try and stay calm about it. Keep a focused and level head and maybe it will end up being a blessing in disguise. Maybe you'll end up finding something you really like. Good luck....Chin up...

 

[JamaisVu]

It sounds like a tough situation and I don't blame you for hating to pester customers to buy candy.

BJD is right about the nature of security. For what it's worth, I actually did unarmed security for awhile, graveyard shift. The location varied often.

Alot of it was spent as a sort of night receptionist at a hospital, in the main lobbies and the ER. Doing walking security checks and monitoring cameras, sometimes escorting a doctor and patient to the psych ward. Telling people they can't just park in the ER lot unless they're actually using the ER. Two hospitals were open all night, one was closed (more of a large clinic).

Sometimes it would be locking up empty buildings, sitting in the lobby alone all night, then opening the building in the morning. Some buildings will do maintenance in the middle of the night, and have a work crew in there that you generally monitor and assist with building matters. If you're in a corporate lobby, you have guests sign in if they do not work in the building.

If anything major happens, you notify the real police. Minor things like telling bums/crazies to leave you just have to accept as part of the hazards, but somebody's got to do it. Same with monitoring parking and asking to see IDs of people you do not recognize. I feel that if you hate selling candy, you may find some aspects of this unpleasant. It's kind of your job to inconvenience people, depending on the assignment.

Go for night shift if you want a quieter setting, but be aware that you will be dealing with a very random assortment of people sometimes. I worked in San Francisco, so maybe I just met more eclectic folks than average.

 

[Electric_Fusilier]

Edgecrusher - I'm with you mate. I worked for YEARS as a photoprocessor, and the number of memos we got on the shop floor from the clueless shinyarse dingbats telling us to SELL, SELL, SELL - well, put it this way, we were never short of toilet paper.

I simply PRETENDED that I was committed to their frequent sales drives...and if sales weren't up, then I could always figure out an excuse. What got me the most was how STOOOOOOPID NYEEERRRRRR DUMB DUMB DUMB these dingbats up top were. You see, it was simple: customers cannot easily be talked into buying picture frames which they can get from at less than a third of the price from the Poundshop (99 cent store) down the road. No, what customers wanted was a free film with their order (this was back in the days when most people did not use digital cameras) - this was what would keep bringing them back to spend money in the store.

Would the poltroons above actually read the frequent questionnaires they'd issue on what the shop staff recommended they should do to improve revenue? Like FUCKITTY-****-**** they did! You know, they never really told us why they wouldn't go for the free film deal (which plenty of rival chains did). They did a trial once...sales went up...and then they stopped it!!!!????? :O I know...go figure.

I gave up on the twats in the end. Fine, **** 'em if they want to shell out hundreds of thousands on charlatan management consultants who remain, as ever, supremely oblivious to what constitutes the frickin' obvious. 'Yeah, yeah, yeah,' I'd say, when they'd ask us to be more 'proactive' sellers. 'No prob.' In the end, I stuck with doing what the customers actually WANTED - develop their films on time, offer photography tips, have a bit of a laugh and a banter, and be ready with plenty of excuses when a customer might ask why they won't be getting a free film with their order.

If you're okay with the job Edgecrusher, then just make the right noises for the time being. Tell them that yeah, you're committed to the company blah, blah, blah. Maybe make a little more effort at selling, but don't kill yourself over it. You never know, sales might pick up naturally anyway - remember, autumn (fall) is coming, it's getting colder outside, and people might be more inclined to stay in the warm with a Bluray rather than go out for a BBQ. Oh, and dream of how many companies you could seriously **** over by pretending to be a management consultant (which is all what management consultants do anyway - I do not believe, for one second, that there is actually such a thing as a 'genuine' management consultant) to get you through the day, which is what I did, hence my reputation for being the guy with the evil grin at the processing shop.

Oh, the chain I used to work for has long since been liquidated - YEEE-HA-HA-HAAAAA! okay, so that probably does not inspire you with confidence...

I have had a bad headache today, by the way...

 

[nerdygirl]

Is this a situation where they're expecting you to sell x amount of candy a week? Or is it more like, "Ask them if they want fries with that!" I mean, if it's the first one, get outta there if you have a good opportunity elsewhere. If it's the latter, though... just ask if they want the fries. Err... licorice. Whatever.

 

[Badjedidude]

@Electric_Fusilier: Damn... that was... what an amazing post! I'm not being sarcastic, either. lol I loved the humor in it. ^_^

 

[lomojojo]

I'm sorry to hear about your ultimatum edgecrusher. I agree with one of the posts above, you know, things are changing a lot and movie rental places are disappearing it's only a matter of time b4 they're all gone. So hang on if you like but keep your eyes open for something else. Gooooood luck!

 

[Electric_Fusilier]

@Badjedidude - glad you liked, lol. I do tend to get a bit ballistic when it comes to bosses and upper management and half-baked directives, and all that sort of *****. Never had a boss who wasn't either utterly stupid or a downright evil little turd. They all just got lucky, as far as I'm concerned. I work for myself now - **** money, one short step away from homelessness (gawd bless me muvver and farvur) but at least I don't have some squat little knob-end telling me what to do.

 

[Sean]

Edge, I have been in the same situation.
Well sort of.

When I used to work at wendy's, the manager took me off the front cash position because I wasn't getting enough customers to buy larger sized combos.
I was instructed to ask every customer, 'what size combo, small medium or large.' And I did ask every customer.
I mean, how is it my fault that they don't want the upsized combos! (un)

Then I quit (flip).

Edit: Oh, the front cash position was the only decent position. My only other choice was grill, and it was terrible cleaning all the grill ****.
Edit2: Oh . . . and I wasn't lazy! You would only understand if you worked there (no).