Unemployed

Matt

By Matt,
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Matt

Matt

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So yesterday I finally put in my two-weeks notice at the local ColdStone Creamery. I have worked there for almost three years (been a shift manager for two and a half), and I've finally had enough. It was hard leaving that place, I've made so many great friends and it's not the greatest time to quit a job, but I had to.

ColdStone is a franchise, so my employer and the owner of my store isn't the same person who's involved with the ColdStone Corporation.

For the past six months our pay checks have been consistently late. It wasn't that big of a deal, really. We'd usually just get them the next day. But then things were getting worse. Almost every paycheck I got would bounce. Every two weeks I would receive a check that was worth nothing more than the paper it was printed on. On top of that, I would get slapped with a $15 fine from my bank. Granted, they would always reimburse me in cash, but this was becoming unethical business practices.

A high up official within the company starting making many cuts around the place. Rather than getting a weekly order of supplies, we got cut down to monthly order. He said that it would reduce costs and start fixing the payroll issue. The problem was that the issues weren't completely fixed. Yes, this incidents became fewer, but they still happened. On top of that, we would get lectures on how we needed to bring up sales.

I'm sorry, but I don't see how I can do that. Do they want us to go out and rally customers to come in? Should we convince customers to buy more even though our order hasn't come in and our products are low (or empty)?

Still, I stayed. Then one day my manager called me and told me he was quitting. He had more information on what was going on with the company and it was absolutely revolting. Our owner is not only unethical, but some of the things he does is simply illegal. I won't go into details though.

My manager is a really great friend of mine. We're even signing a lease together (with a couple other people) for next school year. He's also the only employee at the store who had worked there longer than me. I've said that when he left, I would too. With his news, I began my job hunt.

A few days ago, I had an issue with a crew member. She would come in and do terrible work. I decided to call her on it and we got into a big argument and she decided to quit, citing me as a reason. Even though she was in the wrong (and all of my bosses agree with me), they convince her to stay, and they give her a raise on top of it. That's what finally did it. Not only can they not afford to hand out raises, but she's done nothing to deserve it! After I found that out, I put in my two weeks.

I don't have another job lined up, but I knew that now was the time to leave. I decided that it would be better to quit when I was ready, rather than being forced out later on. I don't even know if the store will be open in six months.

So that's my rant. I'm trying to get a job at the local computer shop, so hopefully that works out.

P.s. if anyone is looking to buy a microbiology textbook, let me know ;)

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Honda_Boy

Honda_Boy

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Ahhh, that sucks man. I quit once from my job but wound up coming back. Now it's better but the job security is a little lower.

We got a new owner back in June changing us from a chain to an independent restaurant (we got a new name too). The new owner is infinitely cooler (he also owns the lawn mower store next door so we've known him and been friends with him for ages) and has no qualms with us working an hour or 2 past closing and paying us the full amount. He also got rid of the stupid collared shirt khaki pants dress code. We now have T-shirts with the logo and what not on them plus we can wear more durable and less crap showing jeans again. He felt that collared shirts and khaki's had no place in a BBQ place. Our old owner felt we needed to look professional while the new owner felt blue jeans and t-shirts worked better for a small local friendly place that's hardly professional. He wants his employees to be individuals hence why he's never told me to shave my beard or cut my hair (oh I have the geek/gamer/otaku look going strong).

Problem is the economy right now. We were averaging $900+ days ($1300+ on good nights) before he bought the place and for a while after he bought it but recently everywhere in town has been seeing less business including us knocking us down to $450-650 nights on average. So that's knocking us down to only running with 2 people most nights making it hard to leave at 8:15. I'm no stranger to leaving at 10:00 (we close at 8). About 2 years ago we had 9 or so employees with at least 3, often 4 people working at a time. Now it's 6 employees (and that's including the manager who does much of the same work the rest of us do). I'm scared that business will die down so much that our new owner will be forced to either sell business to someone else (possibility of new owner firing current crew and hiring new crew) or just close the place down and sell the land and building.

I've been working there for over 3 years and have tried in the past to get other jobs and failed miserably and that's when the job market was better. Now would be a horrible time to lose my job particularly where I live.

I wish you the best of luck finding a new job dude. Hope you live in a bigger, more job plentiful town than I do.

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Pete_C

Pete_C

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Sounds similar to what happened with Steak and Ale , and Bennigans restaurant chains here in Dallas (and elsewhere). They had been experiencing the impact of the recession and were trying to cut operating costs and then found their line of credit (which most businesses use to cover buying supplies and paying employees while waiting for checks and credit card payments from customers to clear and be credited and reimbursments from corporate for promotions , advertising, and the like).

They had a couple months of revolving bounced payroll checks and suppliers demanding cash before delivering their supplies and then they just closed the doors and declared bankruptcy.

Most people do not realize how much all business relies on credit; both lines of credit to carry them through until they get paid for their service and credit extended to customers.

I have seen a huge increase in the number of gas stations who no longer accept credit or debit cards or checks; cash only. A number of liquor stores around here no longer accept checks and whether you want to call it a cash discount or credit/ debit card usage fee they charge more if you buy with credit or debit than if you pay cash. I recall two restaurants too in recent weeks where I saw a "cash only " sign on the door.

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mikex

mikex

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Congrats Matt, It is a bit scary to quit before having another. I recently left a job. It was a good job but after a while I was getting all the support calls. It was a small IP shop so I knew I would be carrying a good bit of the load but no one else could do basic troubleshooting or take messages. Then when the economy came up in the media the owner was nearly in a panic, wekk I was the next highest on payrol aside from the owner and I felt I had better set myself up somewhere else before I got paycuts. I found a job with people I have been knowing, doing the same theing, and they opened an office 10 miles from my house for me to work from. They have 2 other locations but with VOIP phones we are all at the end of the same phone number.

Good luck with the job hunt.

Mike

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martymas

martymas

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good luck matt

i know what it is like to be in your position

it makes it harder for a population

when youve had full employment for several years

and could go from job to job

but the

reccession has bitten into your country

weve had it like that for 2-3 years

so ime posting from experienced

at times like this it isnt good for billinaires to

control your economy

as whe do they safe guard

yes then selves

do they want to be bailed out

and when does it stop

come on americans take your country bacxk

i feel so sad for you matt

and ime sure their are many more

i have a friend in baltimore

who has had the same thing happed to him

and he is in trouble as the company

has no provisions

for his retirement

package and has declared bankruptsy

weve been through all this here

so i sympathise with you all

good luck to any one in this position

marty

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Matt

Matt

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Thanks again to everyone with their wishes of good fortune. :)

I justed wanted to let you all know that I got a new job today working for my university's IT support desk. I'll be starting when the new semester begins in January. I'm pretty excited. It is somewhat of a pay cut from the job I just left, but I think I will enjoy the work a lot more. If nothing else, it will be good experience in the IT field.

Matt

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irregularjoe

irregularjoe

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That's great new Matt. Hope it works out. Even though it's hard at first, especially with a pay cut, it's always better to do what your heart tells you. I've been in that situation more than a few times in my life.

Food service is always hard in the best of times. In THIS economy it's almost impossible. I have a feeling that you'll enjoy IT a lot better. And that in itself is a pay raise.

Joe

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