Thursday, July 14, 2011

What just happened?

Last night I ran for 20 minutes doing a 3/1 run walk 5 times.... blah, blah, blah. Lets get on to the real news of the day.

Today, I may have been fired... or did I quit?

As you know, if you've been fallowing for very long, I started a job out here selling carpet and carpet installation. You may also know that it has been quite a roller coaster. I was given few tools, and very little training. My paychecks were inconsistent, and I wasn't ever sure, of all the expenses I was turning in, which ones I would be paid for. I blame myself for almost all of this. Before coming back to Charlotte, I should have set clear cut parameters for all of these issues.

So, today, when talking to one of my superiors he asked what could be done to help me along in my business. I went ahead and opened up about how I would like the pay to be more consistent and how I really needed to be paid for mileage and time in my car. Sometime I would drive more than an hour just to sit with someone for 30 minutes. Without drive time and mileage that trip just isn't worth it. I said that not knowing when and how much I would be paid for was bringing down my moral and preventing me from doing my job. No money, no sitter. Also, my work email had stopped working on Monday and today it still not been fixed. He agreed with what I was saying and seemed to understand where I was coming from. He said he would contact the owners and try to get the issue resolved.

The next call I got was from one of the owners. The one that I report to and send in my weekly hours. Yeah, he seemed a little pissed. He took what I had said as an insult, like I was accusing the company of being broke. He claimed he had sent all of my paychecks (2) out on time. I didn't argue. I didn't want to throw any gasoline on what was now, just a small, candle light of a flame. He kept talking, I kept agreeing and then he threw out "What are you saying, that this just isn't the right opportunity for you (for the record, I never even implied, or hinted at anything like that)?" With that, I could have started kissing a little ass and trying to further explain myself, but the truth is, I'm just not a salesperson. That's not totally true. Ask me about IKEA's kitchens and I guarantee I'll have you wanting one. But I want an IKEA kitchen. I think the product and the company that makes the product is absolutely fantastic! With my own payment issues, and lack of knowledge it was really hard for me to get behind this brand. So I gracefully bowed out... or I got canned. I don't know, but I'm not bitter about it. I'm not hurting for money (I wasn't getting any anyway, remember?), and it will be one less thing to stress out about. I'm not even mad at my boss who fired me... or didn't. I knew going in that he and his family were a cast of odd characters and it was fun to work with them while I did.


**UPDATE** Run For Your Life just contacted me and they want me to come in for an interview! When one door shuts, just kick down another one!


4 comments:

  1. I'm feeling really good about it right now.

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  2. Many bosses can't take criticisms, even when it's related to blatant shortcomings of the company. If you have to spend every minute on the job wondering whether or not you're doing things right, whether your decisions fall within vague parameters that are kept a secret from you, and wondering when/if you will be paid for your time, then it is clear that there are issues at the leadership level. And if your boss can't see that his ineffective leadership is what caused these issues, maybe he was right - perhaps this job wasn't a good fit for you. Some people can work for incompetent bosses, some cannot.

    Seems like this new opportunity might be a better fit.

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  3. Yea for you! Im glad it worked out the way it did. I think the running store will be more your speed. I think you will really enjoy that job. Plus, you have the SHOE STORE EXPERIENCE :) and now the running experience. and that job probably means A DISCOUNT!!!!! soo....when im looking for shoes, im gonna holla at you.

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