ASK MISSBEHAVE
April 30th, 2008 by admin
I’m a barista at Starbucks now (past 3 wks) so it requires me to be perky/happy-go-lucky 115% of the time. At first the self induced cheese was fine but now I can’t stand it, some of my co-workers are complete assholes since I am the titled “newbie” and it seems as if I ask a question its,”Throw stones at the token black girl! She has created the utmost sin!” or just some smug-frustrated response and my schedule is actually a contract to sign my life away to the job.
I’m on the verge of wanting to quit, esp, with this being my senior year in high school, graduation is around the corner (28 days), etc., and going on in my life.
If I quit, I want it to be on a validated note,note just me copping out like a little bitch.
So Missbehave, what would you do in this situation, my parents can only give me so much PBS advice…
Working in the service industry sucks. You have to smile when you feel like shit and people treat you like “the help”. Plus you’re always working while other people are socializing, eating, shopping, having drinks. But there are some benefits…decent to good money with tips, camaraderie with all the other blue collar service industry folk, and lessons on humanity that will last a lifetime…like how to tip and how not to treat people trying to help you.
You’ve already put in the work of 3 weeks of training, I would stick it out as long as I could handle it. It takes time to make allies with coworkers, just do your thang and ignore the haters! If the schedule is intense, ask your boss for fewer days…plus asking your boss for advice and feedback makes it look like you give a shit. Think about ways to treat yourself for your hard work, maybe save up for a road trip this summer or for new fall clothes?
Which is worse, being broke or working all the time and getting crapped on? If you’re bummed out all the time and you leave work feeling like shit, quit! Sometimes it’s not a good fit. Once I worked at Whole Foods for like 8 days. But, you should only use jobs on your resume that you worked at for atleast 6 months—it shows that you don’t bail when things get rough and always put in your two weeks notice-it shows respect and will automatically get you a better recommendation.
Screw that my dear i used to have the same problem not wanting to leave a job i was unhappy at because i didn’t want to seem like i wasnt this or that but get this its a JOB not a CAREER unless you plan on opening up your own overpriced (yet muy yummy) coffee chain i suggest you pull a scene right outta “half-baked” and go “Fuck you, Fuck you, you’re cool, I’m out” oh and take this advice from another token black girl who got tired of being a perky book sales girl my senior year of high school, and i turned out (sorta) OK
life’s too short to work somewhere you’re not happy! unless they’re paying you BIG BUCKS! or you work with a babe.
quit it.
Hm, this is tough. Unless you have something else planned out for when you quit, I wouldn’t leave just yet. You always have to have a back up plan, but then again, you are receiving advice from a girl who has had 3 jobs at once just to make money to go shopping with.
Either way, food service isn’t nearly as bad as retail, retail is painful. Also, I strongly believe in never forcing yourself to do something you don’t like, but do you want to be able to dress fly?
Been there
That corporation is gonna make you feel that way as long as you work there– but if you are just a senior, then I don’t think its gonna get much better. I mean really, you’re not there for a career– you’re there for the cashhhhh
Find the best restaurant (highest priced) you can work at based on your experience where you think it could be fun and cool (or more fun and cool than the starbusks people you work with). You make money more money off the tips. Starbucks lost a lawsuit in which tips were given to managers. Starbucks also lost business so they recently changed to a much crazier way of doing business where everyone’s supposed to be super smiley and in love with espresso. Corporate strategy that’s bad in reality. Good luck!
coming from another token black girl/starbucks employee, stick it out, at least for a few months. If you’re afraid that slinging coffee everyday will interfere with your education, ask your manager to decrease your availability for the new school year. They are usually understanding when it comes to school. I’m sure your fellow baristas will warm up to you once they get to know you. And you will be an expert at dealing with people after working at starbucks. However, if you absolutely dread coming to work, i would quit. If you don’t mind being a coffee whore to ungrateful upperclass silicone hoarders and corporate employees, go for it.
We all love Starbucks and their perky Baristas…dont get me wrong…Buuuut f working there. My suggestion is locate the local coffee house and have fun there with the cute guy who rides a fixed gear….and get paid! You will be in a far more interesting and laid back environment and probably wont have to work with as many pricks.
OK, well i’m also a barista at starbucks.. and i’m not the happy go lucky type either butttt I LOVE IT THERE!
ha maybe its just the dick heads you work with, and i am so sorrry about that but shit (can i say that) i think starbucks is a great company to work for.
don’t quit your job hun, cause then you’ll just make yourself look like a fool.. you gotta show em that your noa punk and that you demand fucking respect or you’ll kick their ass =)
i feel your pain. i started at the bucks about a year ago and it was for-realsies bad. mostly just the other girls being bitches for no reason. is your store busy? if it is that may be one reason. after time though, i totally figured out what the deal was. you know how you were talking about how you hate being happy go lucky 115 percent of the time? well these other kids working there feel the SAME WAY. thatll put the stress on anyone, especially when those bitchy 80 pound ladies ask you twenty times if you made sure to use nonfat and no whip
stick it out, youll do fine.
hearts