My youngest daughter just quit her first job today. I'm proud of her! It was a smart move and it took courage to do it. She searched high and low for a part-time job before starting her first semester of college. Which is a scary move to begin with….but going out there and asking for a job can be knee-shaking scary.
She scoured all the retail stores and finally got a call back from Kohl's. Excitedly, she jumped at the chance and began work immediately. Except, the day she started working — the store she really wanted to work for called her in for an interview. Reluctantly, she went in and met with the manager. The meeting went great! This manager was very persuasive. She felt sure that Gates (my girl) would be MUCH HAPPIER at her store and encouraged her to quit Kohl's immediately.
This really happened.
She promised her advancement. She oohed & ahhed over how trendy and stylish (my girl) was and that she had a place in cosmetics she would fit perfectly. She was friendly. She was complimentary. She even told her she could make a lot more money at her store than at Kohl's. She promised plenty of hours.
She went on….and on.
The thrill of being sought after so highly only pushed Gates to act. She went straight back to Kohl's and resigned. She explained the situation and apologized (they could only promise less than 15 hours a week) and moved forward with her "new" new job.
Pretty much from the beginning there were signs of issues. Trying not to find fault, Gates trudged on. With any job there are little moments of "that doesn't seem right". For her, she was trying to fit in and do her best. Afterall, her manager really liked her and she wanted to prove she was worthy of her hiring her in the first place. So, she kept quiet!
Soon, it was hard to hide. Incompetent managers, arguing co-workers, snide remarks from supervisors, mean-spirited acts and just out & out lack of professionalism. Some days were painful to even hear about. As a mom, I was shocked that this behavior was coming from her bosses!
Really?
Now, this store is supposed to be a higher end shopping establishment. The items sold here are a little pricey and for the most part the store is popular. However, the sales are a bit confusing and the "coupons" always come with seriously ridiculous small print. In other words, this store is not worth the time & money it takes to shop there.
Knowing the behavior of the employees/managers, I would suffice it to say…this place cannot remain open forever. The poor business practices, the shoddy treatment of employees and the foolish lack of responsible leadership will eventually destroy it. I can't see how any company can hold onto good employees when as a way of encouragement they post for the world to see — the lowest performing employees on a wall!
Talk about discouraging & embarrassing!
Especially, when that performance is tied to stupid things such as how many people you tricked into signing up for a credit card! Really, BonTon? Really now? Come on! Our country is in such a terrible state, financially! So, pushing credit cards onto people (who do not need more credit debt) is your way of deciding if your employees are performing well?
You are kidding!
That's not my only beef with this store/company. The lack of respect shown to the employees by leadership pushes all of my buttons! Who in the world….makes hateful comments (as a manager) when an employee says, "Goodnight guys" to her co-workers as she leaves for the night — (and the manager) says (loud enough for her to hear), "It is now!"?
What? Noooooo!
Who are you people? Have you had zero people skills training? I'm embarrassed for you! How cruel and rude! I wish I could say this was a one-time experience too. But, it's not. This sort of garbage happened on more than one occasion.
So, here is my point to being proud of my girl for quitting. While life is full of hardships and frustrating situations. Working for someone who is out & out unprofessional in just about every way is not the only way to make money! The world is full of good jobs & great companies who want to encourage their employees to thrive and excel! Go find a better place to put down your roots! Give your all….to employers who want it! Don't be knocked around by some pathetic boss who has no idea how to manage people or pull out the best in workers!
Be brave enough to quit when the job or company sucks!
NOTE:
I would love to place all the blame on the manager or managers of Carson's in Columbus Indiana who have exhibited very unprofessional behavior. But I just can't. Mainly, because…these people are employees too. Just like my girl, they work for BON-TON. Someone….is their boss too. And, if those bosses don't know of the mistreatment, the changing of employees time cards, the discouraging posters and on & on. Then, they fail! They are as much to blame for employees leaving as anyone being ugly face to face!
Dear BonTon,
I am sad to say that I personally know how crummy working for your company is "behind the scenes". While my girl may have just been a lowly store clerk, she worked hard and tried to represent your name with honor and pride. She wasn't shown the same from you. Let it be known, I will tell whoever will listen…..your company is not worth the money.
Signed
Proud Mom
Tags: bad bosses, BonTon, Carsons, mean employers, poor business