Still no real answer

Thursday 26 January 2012

I finally managed to collar the manager today and ask outright whether or not I was being kept on.  Considering, as previously mentioned, I do have shifts throughout February, surely I should have been informed of what the situation is?

Alas, I still have not been offered a permanent position.  It's an extension but with no clear end.  They still need me around, thus I'm still here, but there is no security as yet.  I can't allow myself to get complacent of course and I am continuing to look for other work - it just would be such a relief not to have the nagging worry in the back of my mind that I'm still not in permanent employment.

I had been hopeful of a more positive answer but that's the situation as it stands.
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The Little Things #12

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Life is short.

Dye your hair purple.

Not me: I'm not that gorgeous. And my purple came out quite dark ...

Seriously?

Thursday 19 January 2012

Sometimes I despair at the lack of intelligence in some people.

A group of women come to my till and as I'm scanning one lot through, the next woman in line is whinging about a bottle of conditioner she's picked up.  She's at the end of my till and complaining that it won't stand upright.

"Look!  It don't stand up!" she screeches to her friends (not to me).  "Look!!"

She sets it on the counter, lets go of it and it falls over - thud.  She snatches it up, sets it up, lets go, thud.  She repeats this several times quite rapidly. Thud - thud - thud - thud.  All the time bemoaning "It's no good ain't it!?  What goods dat?  It'd fall over in me shower!  No good is it?  No good!"

I finish with the woman ahead of her and reach for her shopping.

I pick up the bottle of conditioner, scan it and set it back down on the counter.

It stands upright and stays there.


May have something to do with my putting it the right way up i.e. the flat end and not the rounded top end.

The woman snatches it off the counter and throws it into her shopping bag without even noticing the difference.
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Am I missing something?

Tuesday 17 January 2012

For someone who doesn't know whether she has a job after the end of January, I sure do have a number of shifts for February down on the rota ...

Either the manager hasn't had a chance to say anything (possible given he's just got back from holiday) or someone has made a mistake and just included me in the rota, unaware that I've not been informed of anything official.

I guess as long as I'm down on the rota and no one says otherwise I can just keep turning up!!  ^_^

Seriously though, if I see the manager in the next few days I'll have to try and ask about it.  I'd much rather know for certain than just assume it's all fine and dandy.  For all I know it could just be another extension, instead of a permanent contract.
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Oooo

Monday 16 January 2012

I heard some good news today.  Well, it's sad in one respect.

A member of staff is leaving.  She's moving to be with family and transferring to another branch.  So it's wonderful news for her although I'm sorry to see her leave as we seemed to get on quite well.  I know we've not worked together very long but she was always there in a flash if I needed to know something or fetch me something I was missing from my till.

She's happy to be going but no doubt will be sad to leave us as she's been here ever since this branch opened!   Naturally I wish her all the best and hope she enjoys her last two weeks with us.

Now, my ears didn't half prick up when she told me she was leaving, especially when she's leaving before the end of the month.

I'm still only contracted until the end of January.  So this is welcome news for me as it might lead to me staying on, or at least another extension.   She's leaving, someone retired just as I arrived, and I've noticed a young lady who is undeniably pregnant who will no doubt be leaving shortly.

Of course, I was told a while ago about two women coming back from maternity leave but I've heard no more about them.

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that when the manager returns from holiday that he'll be able to have a look at things and let me know one way or the other.

Will be quite upset if I don't get offered a longer contract, I've come to quite like it here.  As always, fingers crossed.
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Discount Card

Saturday 14 January 2012

Hooray!  I finally have my staff discount card!  ^_^

I was meant to have received one about two weeks prior to Christmas so I was a bit concerned when it didn't materialise.  Since I'd been told I was being kept on for January I didn't push the issue and was assured it would get sorted.  Admittedly I did have to chase it up several times but never mind, I have it now.

It's 13% off which isn't bad at all.

At the dreaded Shop with Nora, I was granted a very generous 30% staff discount.  Seriously though, what good is a discount on jewellery?  It's a luxury item, not an essential.  My income was meagre enough without splashing out on pretty baubles when they're not even needed!

Thus my first purchase with my discount card consisted of:
  1. Toothbrushes - pack of 2, my current brush needs replacing
  2. Shampoo - just ran out
  3. Cleanser - ran out a week ago and wanted one for under a pound
  4. Pick n Mix cherries - little present for my boyfriend who adores these (so one non-essentials)
Total spend - just under a fiver.  Thank you very much.


Now need a new umbrella - my current one is becoming pretty manky!  And a new hairbrush as mine is starting to fall to bits.

I only replace once something is used up, broken or else no longer in a suitable condition for its use.
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Are things improving?

Tuesday 10 January 2012

It's been a few years since the "Crunch" began.  I was still employed full time in an office - hating it and had been looking to leave for a while.  I'd always peruse the local newspaper for jobs just to keep an eye on what was around.  Typically there would be around four pages worth, including the same adverts for cleaners week in week out.

The Crunch hit and all those adverts pretty much vanished.  Whether they were simply withdrawn or people suddenly losing their jobs snapped up whatever was available, it's hard to know for sure.  But for the first year at least there were practically no jobs advertised in my local paper, maybe an eighth of a page with three or four offerings.

In the past year, I have noticed a distinct increase.  Not necessarily every week, but most weeks there is at least a page of job adverts, often two.

Same with job websites.  The one I frequent most used to maybe only have a dozen at the very most each day (and that was within a 15 mile radius of my home) yet more recently there are in the region of 150 job adverts going up every weekday.

Lets face it, the recession / crunch / bad economic situation we're in is not going to last forever. I think this is a sign that things are gradually getting better.  Some companies are doing really well and expanding, and as always there will be retirements, people moving away (and even the sad event of deaths) and it's not feasible not to replace them.  We keep hearing in the news about companies closing and the number of job loses but there are jobs springing up more and more, certainly in my area.

Granted, there are still many individuals applying for these jobs, making it hard to even reach the interview stage, but as more jobs become available and get filled, the number of applicants per job should in theory decrease over time.

Even just looking at the jobs that have been advertised today - a number of apprentice positions (ideal for teenagers no doubt), receptionist, bar staff, bookkeeper, childcare assistant, bricklayer, drivers, electrician, car sales, kitchen assistant, market research, project manager, registered nurse, shop assistant, chef, security guard, warehouse assistant, telemarketing - and that's just a quick browse of titles!  There's all sorts of work becoming available in my region so I'm taking this a positive sign that things are improving.

I know we'd all like our dream job but anyone looking to take whatever is available in order to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, then I'm seeing a lot more options out there for them.

I'm still no wiser as to whether my current job is going to continue beyond the next three weeks, but if it doesn't, then I too am finding cause for optimism at the increase in opportunities.
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Do you take plastic?

Monday 9 January 2012

I had the most adorable little boy come to my till on Saturday.

His parents came up with their shopping, I scanned it all through and just as I told them the total amount to pay their little boy (maybe about five or six years old) comes up to me and holds out his clenched fist.

I hold my own hand out, and into my palm he drops a few plastic toy coins.

"I pay," he chirps. 

With a little smile, he then walks off to sit by the windows.

So adorable!!  My mouth dropped open in a huge smile.  Most children I see are just poised like vipers about to strike and snatch their sweets out of my hand almost before I've finished scanning them!

The parents looked pleasantly surprised and I sneeked the plastic coins back to them without their son noticing.  It's such a pleasure when I see the beautifully behaved children helping with the shopping but this is the first one to pay for the shopping with his own money.

He can come by my till any day of the week.
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New Year

Tuesday 3 January 2012

2012 is officially under way.  Once more I'm in a position of not knowing whether my employment will continue beyond the end of the month.

Luckily the manager is pretty on the ball and I do trust that he'll give an answer as soon as he is able to provide me with one.  Doesn't make it any less of a concern however.

Whilst I don't have any plans to stay at this shop forever more, just having the security of permanent employment would be a weight off my mind.  I knew this was a risk but it was a calculated one nonetheless.  Part of my continued employment does depend on how busy the business is - I overheard one of the supervisors say that on Monday we took about 18k when we'd usually take 10k on a bank holiday - that's great news, people are obviously out the bargains.  Today, in comparison, was pretty quiet.  The weather is awful which no doubt has kept some people away, but that doesn't stop that nagging feeling of 'what if the manager can't justify keeping another cashier when it's not very busy?'

I can't assume I'll still have job at the end of January, so I'm still looking for other work - focusing on my chosen career.  I don't want to keep going from job to job with the intention of leaving for something else.  I'm getting ever closer to thirty (and it's scary how fast time seems to go by) and I feel annoyed with myself that I'm not in a good career with prospects.  Or at least have a job that I love and pays enough to support myself.

What a way to start the year - full of job worries once more.  Still, I know there's plenty of others in the same boat - I'm lucky to at least have some guaranteed work for the month.
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