Hi all,
I know I haven't been around very much, but it has been because I've been busy... I plan to come around more in the summer.
So the reason why I am making this new thread is because I started a new job today, and it's not going that great... I need your advice specifically because you all likely have experience with this difficulty.
I started my job today at a brand new amusement park (specifically a water park), working as a cook in a fast food cafeteria setting. Here, I'm to work the vats as well as possibly the grill. I began working a little before 11, and it immediately started off with disorganization and miscommunication. I was told that I was to go to the staff room when I first got there, and wait for one of the managers to come give me a company shirt and an ID card (I already had one). I stuck around there for about ten minutes, and when I realized she was not coming, I went to the cafeteria and explained to her what had happened. She told me that I was actually supposed to meet her in the cafeteria, which I did not know. No big deal. So I get my shirt, punch in with the card, and she calls everyone over.
She asks us all if we know what we're doing, and I say that I'm a cook in the cafeteria. Keep in mind that we had NO PRIOR training as you read this post... they left it all to the last minute. This was a brand new water park, nobody had worked there before. So she lets me know that the building we were in was where I was going to be working, and then asks us all to go with her. So I follow a group of people into another building, with her guiding us, where she announces that I am to go to the cafeteria. They didn't tell me what I was supposed to start doing or who I was to report to.
So, I ask her, who do I go and see? She says that I need to see Francis. And I'm like, who's Francis? Then she said, "He's the tall guy." So I go around the whole freaking cafeteria asking a bunch of tall people if they're Francis when I finally find him.
After I find Francis, he tells me to clean the counters from top to bottom and to go into the fridge and freezer to organize the food. I did it all, and it was very simple instruction. As soon as I finish doing these things, I come out with some empty boxes I find, put them away, and then my manager comes over. She asked me (or yelled, whatever you prefer) what I was doing cleaning, and that since things were busy, I should be over working the vats (as if I'm supposed to know when there was NO prior training, or specified placements). So I tell her, "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be doing this, and I don't know how to work the vats." OK, she says, go and ask this guy to help you. So I go over, he helps me, and then this is where you guys come in for the advice:
I'm putting some food in the fryer, and my manager comes and tells me I'm doing it wrong and shows me how to do it properly. No issues there... it's my first day. But here's where things get complicated: I was unaware that, when you're cooking something, you need to be able to **LISTEN** to the people putting the food out onto the display, and be aware of what they need. I did not know this, and was being told (or yelled at, whatever you prefer) that we needed this stuff. The manager, getting frustrated, singled me out in front of everybody and told (or yelled at, whatever you prefer) me I, "needed to LISTEN and pay ATTENTION so to know what food was to be cooked in the vat" and that we needed to talk to each other. The thing is, the cafeteria was packed with lots of chatty people, then the kitchens had running ovens, grills, vats, etc... and on top of that, my back, cooking at the vat, was to the rest of the people... and as you all know very well, people with hearing aids have a lot of trouble hearing people talking behind them... so my manager's "request" would be more than a little bit difficult.
After she did this once, she actually decided to single me out several other times for "listening" and "paying attention". I almost wanted to pull her aside and say, "Look, that's kind of difficult for me." Then, at one point, she chastised me for not shaking the chicken burgers long enough. No issue... I can take constructive criticism. But then, after I had finished doing it, someone else made more, and put them out (they didn't shake it long enough). I got in trouble for that...
The thing is, aside from the fact that they were a TOTALLY DISORGANIZED brand new business that gave their employees NO PRIOR TRAINING before the first, opening weekend... and aside from the fact that they seemed to expect us to know EXACTLY what we were supposed to do (when I arrived about 3 hours later in the day than the majority of the people in my area)... they singled me out about how I was unable to hear what people were wanting me to do, and their motivation was "listen" and "pay attention".
Needless to say, I am not very pleased. I am going in for my shift tomorrow, but am going to ask that they switch me to a job that is a LOT less hearing-required, because obviously they were blind when they decided to assign me to that particular job. When I told my mom about their system, she questioned as to why they didn't have little TV screens or monitors saying what they needed. It was far too disorganized. My mom thought maybe I should go in and ask for certain accomodations... but the thing is, if hearing is required throughout the majority of the job's duties, then I shouldn't be in that position at all. I also don't like drawing attention to myself.
I'm here asking, what should I do? Is what I'm doing tomorrow right? Should I be getting out of that area? What if they can't find me a better position in the park? I'm just so confused right now. I've never come to experience anything like this... I wasn't a huge fan of my old job, but to be honest, they were a lot more accomodating and preferred to choose a job to suit my needs.
I know I haven't been around very much, but it has been because I've been busy... I plan to come around more in the summer.
So the reason why I am making this new thread is because I started a new job today, and it's not going that great... I need your advice specifically because you all likely have experience with this difficulty.
I started my job today at a brand new amusement park (specifically a water park), working as a cook in a fast food cafeteria setting. Here, I'm to work the vats as well as possibly the grill. I began working a little before 11, and it immediately started off with disorganization and miscommunication. I was told that I was to go to the staff room when I first got there, and wait for one of the managers to come give me a company shirt and an ID card (I already had one). I stuck around there for about ten minutes, and when I realized she was not coming, I went to the cafeteria and explained to her what had happened. She told me that I was actually supposed to meet her in the cafeteria, which I did not know. No big deal. So I get my shirt, punch in with the card, and she calls everyone over.
She asks us all if we know what we're doing, and I say that I'm a cook in the cafeteria. Keep in mind that we had NO PRIOR training as you read this post... they left it all to the last minute. This was a brand new water park, nobody had worked there before. So she lets me know that the building we were in was where I was going to be working, and then asks us all to go with her. So I follow a group of people into another building, with her guiding us, where she announces that I am to go to the cafeteria. They didn't tell me what I was supposed to start doing or who I was to report to.
So, I ask her, who do I go and see? She says that I need to see Francis. And I'm like, who's Francis? Then she said, "He's the tall guy." So I go around the whole freaking cafeteria asking a bunch of tall people if they're Francis when I finally find him.After I find Francis, he tells me to clean the counters from top to bottom and to go into the fridge and freezer to organize the food. I did it all, and it was very simple instruction. As soon as I finish doing these things, I come out with some empty boxes I find, put them away, and then my manager comes over. She asked me (or yelled, whatever you prefer) what I was doing cleaning, and that since things were busy, I should be over working the vats (as if I'm supposed to know when there was NO prior training, or specified placements). So I tell her, "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be doing this, and I don't know how to work the vats." OK, she says, go and ask this guy to help you. So I go over, he helps me, and then this is where you guys come in for the advice:
I'm putting some food in the fryer, and my manager comes and tells me I'm doing it wrong and shows me how to do it properly. No issues there... it's my first day. But here's where things get complicated: I was unaware that, when you're cooking something, you need to be able to **LISTEN** to the people putting the food out onto the display, and be aware of what they need. I did not know this, and was being told (or yelled at, whatever you prefer) that we needed this stuff. The manager, getting frustrated, singled me out in front of everybody and told (or yelled at, whatever you prefer) me I, "needed to LISTEN and pay ATTENTION so to know what food was to be cooked in the vat" and that we needed to talk to each other. The thing is, the cafeteria was packed with lots of chatty people, then the kitchens had running ovens, grills, vats, etc... and on top of that, my back, cooking at the vat, was to the rest of the people... and as you all know very well, people with hearing aids have a lot of trouble hearing people talking behind them... so my manager's "request" would be more than a little bit difficult.
After she did this once, she actually decided to single me out several other times for "listening" and "paying attention". I almost wanted to pull her aside and say, "Look, that's kind of difficult for me." Then, at one point, she chastised me for not shaking the chicken burgers long enough. No issue... I can take constructive criticism. But then, after I had finished doing it, someone else made more, and put them out (they didn't shake it long enough). I got in trouble for that...
The thing is, aside from the fact that they were a TOTALLY DISORGANIZED brand new business that gave their employees NO PRIOR TRAINING before the first, opening weekend... and aside from the fact that they seemed to expect us to know EXACTLY what we were supposed to do (when I arrived about 3 hours later in the day than the majority of the people in my area)... they singled me out about how I was unable to hear what people were wanting me to do, and their motivation was "listen" and "pay attention".
Needless to say, I am not very pleased. I am going in for my shift tomorrow, but am going to ask that they switch me to a job that is a LOT less hearing-required, because obviously they were blind when they decided to assign me to that particular job. When I told my mom about their system, she questioned as to why they didn't have little TV screens or monitors saying what they needed. It was far too disorganized. My mom thought maybe I should go in and ask for certain accomodations... but the thing is, if hearing is required throughout the majority of the job's duties, then I shouldn't be in that position at all. I also don't like drawing attention to myself.
I'm here asking, what should I do? Is what I'm doing tomorrow right? Should I be getting out of that area? What if they can't find me a better position in the park? I'm just so confused right now. I've never come to experience anything like this... I wasn't a huge fan of my old job, but to be honest, they were a lot more accomodating and preferred to choose a job to suit my needs.
Or, if she continues, then I will go nuts. I will not be working there period if she continues, and instead I might attempt at making my summer pay via lawsuit. 