Week 1 EOC: Best and Worst Jobs

Worst Job

The worst job I have ever had was as a sales associate at a very popular clothing retailer for bridge level men and women's clothing and business apparel. I was hired and very excited to work for the company because I had a friend who referred me and told me it was a fantastic place to work. Well to say it wasn't was an understatement. I never received any training and was essentially "thrown in" and told I would learn as I go. The location I was at could be very slow at times so instead of management pulling me aside and "showing me the ropes", I was told to fold clothing that, by the way, was already very neatly presented and perfect. I was also not allowed to enter other rooms and had to stay in my section and I could not talk to other associates. It became clear to me management took no interest in their new hires and was merely going through the motions. Felix, a character from a case study in Human Resources Management in the Hospitality Industry, sums up perfectly what I thought to myself on many occasions during my shifts, “A lot of our supervisors have been there for a long time and really don't care about the organization or their staff members. They sure don't treat staff the way they would want to be treated themselves.” (Dr. Hayes and Dr. Ninemeier 25). It was apparent there was little respect given to the employees, especially those that were new, in getting them acclimated to the company culture. This is a shame because I was excited to work for a respected brand but after my time there ended (within a month), I left there not speaking very good things about the company, at least at a store level.

Best Job

The best job I have held is the job I currently hold. I work for a small company in which we work very closely with the owner. Never have I had a job with so much responsibility and accountability in which I felt like I was truly making a difference. Everyone on the team treats each other with a high level of respect and it is great to say that I truly enjoy the people surrounding me. We do not bring new people on often, but we do bring on interns every quarter and we are tasked with helping to educate them alongside the owner herself. The responsibilities we are tasked with give me a sense of purpose and placement within the company which is why I feel natural putting all my effort into my work.

Dr. Hayes, David and Dr. Jack Ninemeier. Human Resources Management in the Hospitality Industry.        2009. John Willey and Sons, Inc: Hoboken, New Jersey. 25.