Job interview...

So I have been working for a big box company for a little over 3 years now. I had to take the job I had been unemployed for over a year and was desperate to get a job. I kept in the industry I had been working in for the previous 9 years but big box was never for me. It turned out to be everything I knew it would be and worse. I really had no choice though with my age and having no skills and the desperation of about to lose my apartment I needed to work.

My brother worked for the same big box and I found out this weekend he has been working for a new company for about 2 months now and runs his own store, closer to where he now lives. He texted me the other day asking if I wanted a job. Now I have an opportunity to leave the mess I am in and work for a new company not as big as as the one I work at.

The interview is going to be horrible. I also feel bad that if by some miracle I get the job I will be abandoning my current boss and I am the only other person in the place that is able to do the work that needs to be done. Not that there is a large crew and the rest are part time anyway.

As I have been told by a few people, I shouldn't care or worry, it's really no longer my business. And it's not like the company doesn't have someone they can move to the store, but still.

In the end, it seems to me, you have to do what you think is best for you. The big box retailer would cut you loose without a second thought if it suited them. If you get the new job, try to give your current employer an appropriate amount of notice & leave on a positive note. That's really all anyone can expect, in my opinion.

I recall, years ago, I had worked for a big box retailer for just a short time when another much better opportunity popped up unexpectedly. I felt kind-of sheepish bailing out after such a short run there. But then it wasn't perhaps more than a year later, they closed the store. Isn't that just the way it goes...

Again it's all if I get the job. If I do I plan on giving two weeks notice. You are right this company has been nothing but bad for me. Especially our district manager and the general manager I worked for before moving to the store I am at now.

Yep, don't feel badly. Other than the 2wks notice, you don't owe your current employer anything. Still, I would do what you can not to burn any bridges on your way out.

I see it has been near a week since you posted about this and I am sure I am not alone in being eager to learn how things have gone. We hope for the best for you.

I want to point out though that just applying is a battle won.

I had my interview monday. I got a call about the job but I've been playing phone tag with the hr girl.

I finally got in touch with the hr lady. I was offered a dollar less an hour than I asked for. I turned down the job and was called back and was offered the amount I asked for. I accepted the job. I am now awaiting the background check, results for a mental health test they had me fill out online. And tomorrow I am going to try and get my drug test done.

I think I should have asked for a little more and I am not happy with the mental health test thing I had to fill out. I am used to the tests asking if you would steal and how you handle different situations but literally being asked "do you hate yourself" and picking a level of accuracy or inaccuracy just seemed wrong. I am now trying to find out if this is legal and what my rights are in my state.

I was relieved when I was offered a low ball wage and I turned down the job. Then I went out of my mind and accepted after the pay increase. I had all these voices in my head telling me to accept so I could finally get out of the situation and company I am in and can't stand. Now I am sick to my stomach worried about what I did.

I'm not going to be able to keep up with the level of business this new store has. Also with the deteriorating car I have not sure how much longer it will hold up and I only just got done paying it off a month or so ago. I will also be traveling like 10 times the distance I do now so I will be spending more on fuel. This is going to be a mess, I already feel I am not going to show up the first day and I don't even have a first day set yet.

I am so very proud of you! You stuck to your guns and stood up for yourself. You even are embracing change. Good job!

Transition is scary sometimes. You're familiar with the old routine and at least you know what happens, even it's bad.

Instead of thinking of the negatives, how about the positives?

Thanks, I just feel like I stuck it to myself not asking for more money. I have no confidence in myself.

Honestly I have no idea of the positives. I think it will be the same just a different building and co-workers. I am just sick of how the company I am working for treats people and myself.

I really wish I didn't have to work, having to go to work is becoming such a chore.

Well maybe there is a chance for you to be more content at the new place. That could be worth a lot. If you go into it expecting the same old same old that's exactly what you'll find.

For me it's just work in general. I just don't have the energy or drive to go. I only go because it's better to sleep under a roof than under the sky. I can't stand dealing with people, especially on the retail side. 90% of them have no clue what they are doing or what they need.

I can't get into warehouse work or anything like that because of all my health issues.

This has turned into a bit of rant and got a bit longer than I intended...

Now the company I currently work for doesn't want to lose me. I have to call the district manager tomorrow and talk to him. It seems he is going to offer me the same money the new company offered me. If they wanted to keep me they should have given me the promotion and raise I believe I should have gotten. They should have been given raises at least once a year.

To put it into some perspective, I have made my sales goals 80% of the time I have been there and made A-Team status (30% over sales goal) about 70% of the time. I have worked here for just over 3 years and the only times I did not make my sales goals was when I was a driver (they are not given sales goals) I was making sales and good numbers but they didn't count. The other time was when I switched stores (I caused some problems after not getting promoted and was moved to another store not another district like I asked) to a dead store, there was a "glitch" and it took nearly 4 periods for them to change my sales goals to fit the new store. Just to prove my worth I did make my goal one of those months, it ended up being a third of the store's sales that period.

There are so many reasons to leave this company I can't even count them. I do like most of the people I currently work with but I don't work to make friends I work to pay my bills. It's not enough to stay with a company that doesn't appreciate it's employees.

I was happy after hearing a few of the good employees and a handful of customers left the first store I worked at, left. It had created a mess where there was a big drop off in sales as they tried to stabilize the store. They still haven't recovered fully, they are about $750 a day since the other commercial guy and myself left. One of the shop owners was in the store and had congratulated me on getting the new position and when I told him I wasn't given the position said in a very loud voice "who's the dumbass that didn't promote you, this will be the last time I come here" while the district manager and manager were standing nearby. It literally was the last time his shop used us, they were good for about $2000 a week average.

I will miss the few regular customers we still get, some of which I have known for 10 years or so. I have developed a lot of good customer relationships, most of which are somewhat abusive, it seems people enjoy it when you slightly abuse them. Don't worry it was never personal or hate filled.

In the case at hand you are terribly anxious about the new job - new role, change - and second guessing whether you are up to the challenge. You ARE by the way. I think you are perhaps subconsciously trying to pop the balloon. This is why you are concentrating on reasons to stay.

By this time I assume a decision has been made and I am quite curious to see what that will have been.

If you did in fact choose to stay, there are some positives in that. What we know is safe to us and thus I guess your anxiety might have eased. And, by them resisting your leaving, you will have garnered some of that authentication you so badly wanted and needed.

Still, if your decision was to move on pat yourself on the back because it was a tough one. You recognised in yourself that you have a great deal of worth and have stepped up to a challenge. I - we - am very proud of you.

Let us know how things are proceeding. Good luck either way you choose.

I accepted the job and today was the first day, it was all computer training stuff. Tomorrow I of course go in for the night shift but first I have to do some more computer training.

After my experience today I am giving it one last go tomorrow. After I got done training I decided to go over to the store I will be working at (the offices, store and warehouse are all in the same building). First impressions were bad. The store even being small was destroyed there was stuff everywhere and most of it wasn't anywhere it belonged. Not to mention shelves had product scattered everywhere. The store is actually about the same size as my small apartment, this is mostly due to the warehouse being connected. I estimate at least two weeks if not more to get the store straightened out.

So I walked the store floor and even with 6 people working not one person greeted me. I could have literally grabbed stuff off a shelf and walked out and no one would have noticed. I then walked up to one of the people behind the counter, introduced myself and asked if the manager (who I know from the previous job) was around. I was just told "no". No hello nice to meet you or anything.

Then there is the commute, the one highway I have to take to get there is notorious for people driving terrible. I would say on average there is at least 2-3 major accidents on this highway every day. It is scattered but it causes a huge backup when they happen. I was almost in about 12 minor accidents because these people lose their minds when they get on this particular highway.

If tomorrow night doesn't go well, I will be abandoning ship and finding something else.