[Steiner of Thule]

I've held this job for like a month now. It's pretty much the first job I've ever held. It's going okay, this was probably the biggest week in this store's history of being a store. Anyway I am just a bit bewildered on how things are with customers.

I wonder if I am imagining things or if people are actually saying they can see right through me. Multiple customers a day will tell me they can see right through my act. It sort of sends a spark of fear up my body and then I get anxious and hot flashes. That paranoid feel. I don't know what to say to that when they tell me this. I tend to wonder if they are actually saying this to me. Are they actually saying these things to me? The idea that they aren't and it's all in my head is causing my head to spin.

Customers are telling the managers that they don't like my attitude and the managers are telling me I need to talk to them and ask them how they are. I do that and then they tell me I am fake and poke at me about how fake I am. Are they actually doing this to me I wonder. They tell me how fake my smile is even. "You're really fake." "You don't want to be here." It's a joke to them. I'm a joke to them?

It upsets me. I feel like I am close to being fired because of how I am with other people.

[IrisBloom]

Dealing with the public takes some getting used to. You will learn as you go, but in the mean time try to smile when you encounter a customer. Always be positive and offer to help them, even if that help is to get someone who knows more than you do. Also, leave your personal problems at home and your work problems at work. Strive to be the best employee they have. You are making real progress!

[Steiner of Thule]

Originally Posted by IrisBloom

Dealing with the public takes some getting used to. You will learn as you go, but in the mean time try to smile when you encounter a customer. Always be positive and offer to help them, even if that help is to get someone who knows more than you do. Also, leave your personal problems at home and your work problems at work. Strive to be the best employee they have. You are making real progress!

I'm not really bringing any problems to work. I tend to put on my work face and I do become way more open and talkative. Though I guess my idea of being chatty is much different from an extrovert's idea of chatty. I have a hard time with eye contact.

[ManOfConstantSorrow]

I find making-believe the dismal fool in front of me is an old family friend or a favourite aunt (as appropriate) and treat them as I would this well-loved friend/aunt - interest, courtesy, listen to them, sympathise. I find it helps curb my anti-social character (I am famously unable to suffer fools gladly, lack sympathy and inclined to tell people to 'bugger off' at the slightest provocation).

[hvert]

Do you have a T you talk to? This sounds like a really frustrating problem, not being sure if you are imagining what the customers are saying or if they are really saying it. I hope you can stop worrying about getting fired. It's a really distressing worry.