Today is Wednesday, November 18, 2009. Only 27 days ago, I was broke and practically living in my mom's basement. Well, I am still living in my mom's basement but I am broke no more.
I currently hold two jobs, one as a seasonal worker at Yankee Candle and I am working a ridiculous number of hours, which is just fine with me. The job originally called for me to work 2-10pm but ever since I started working, they've been mandating people to stay one extra hour everyday for overtime to catch up on work. I asked if I could stay until midnight because if I'm going to work 2-11pm, I might as well put in another hour, right? I was granted the request. Now I find myself working 2 to midnight everyday this week with a mandatory overtime work day this Saturday. That comes down to a grand total of 58 hours for this week. 40 hours will be regular pay and 18 will be overtime pay. Not bad buddy!
Now, the second job. Remember how I missed the Old Navy call and that they said that they would "call back" the next time they are hiring. Fat chance of landing a job right? Wrong. I got a call from them last week and this time, I was home to answer the phone! They said they were ready to hire again and asked if I might come in the following Tuesday for NEO (New Employee Orientation). Without really thinking, I said yes and hung up. I then realized the situation I put myself in. With the overbearing number of hours Yankee Candle was giving me, could I handle a part time job with Old Navy?
I pondered it for awhile and seriously considered calling Old Navy to rescind my commitment to working for them but I decided to give it a go. I would only work Tuesdays and Thursdays (Wednesdays also if they are busy) from 8 to 12 at 8 dollars per hour. That's about $60 extra per week if you take away taxes. I know that's meager but eh, money is money and time is what I have.
Here's a bad day of the week for me.
Mon 12:25am - arrive home from Yankee Candle
12:45am - completely asleep
7:30am - wake up (roughly 7 hours of sleep)
8:00am to 12:00pm - Old Navy
12:10pm - arrive home for lunch, rest
1:25pm - drive to Yankee Candle (rested for 1 hour)
2:00pm to Tues 12:00am - Yankee Candle
12:25am - arrive home from Yankee Candle
12:45am - completely asleep
SLEEP IN!
With this schedule in mind, I thought I would have to rough it out for the next few months. However, after attending NEO at Old Navy yesterday, it is going to be a breeze. You see, Old Navy is really, contrary to what people might think, a fun place to work at. I thought working as a shipper would be rather similar to Yankee Candle in the job duties I have to do but there is so much more personal interaction and because of that, the atmosphere that Old Navy stresses is a fun atmosphere. At the risk of sounding corny, they go by the core values of EASE, (Efficiency, Accountable, Simple, Energetic) that allow you to have fun while at work. The dress code is very flexible and you ought to wear what you like to wear. My supervisor was extremely upbeat and at times, I forgot I was actually at work. Granted it was orientation and all we did was sit in a group and discuss what a work environment should look like but it felt like I was at a social setting with a bunch of friends.
The litmus test of how fun the people are at a workplace is the break room. At Yankee Candle, there are tables, chairs, a million microwaves, refrigerators, and signs all over the room that promotes Yankee Candle and safety. "Why is there not enough time to double check but all the time in the world to do it again?" That kinda crap. At Old Navy, there is a couch, a TV with several DVDs (Spiderman, Mr. and Mrs. Smith), magazines, Dunkin Donuts boxes for all, and best of all, friendly faces.
I have to admit, I bought into their concept because if you're going to have a positive attitude towards work, it's going to be fun and easy. Old Navy promotes that to a tee. It was so influential that I actually went into Yankee Candle later that day upbeat and ready to work! Right now, they are figuring out the schedule for all the workers and I'm calling back on Friday to get my schedule for next week.
Well Alex, that's grand you got the temporary jobs all squared away but what about the big turkey, the piece de resistance, the Holy Grail, the environmental engineering job? Good news on many fronts. I have a phone interview tomorrow with a rather big firm. The DC job fair was a raging success as I have contacts of several government agencies and am expecting to hear from them soon.
Unfortunately, I will not be divulging much information about these job possibilities since I should respect the privacy of each company and agency. However, if you are interested in seeing if I will ever launch myself from my mother's basement, you still should check back in. All I can say right now is, I'm feeling hopeful!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Crazy Overtime
After working 8am to 6pm today, I will have worked a grand total of 66 hours since last Monday.
Whew. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't get the Old Navy job. Remember how I got the interview last week to work as a shipper? The guy said that I was good to go and that a woman would call me shortly to set up an appointment for the New Employment Orientation (NEO) that would take place the following week. The interview was on Friday, she called me back on Saturday. Problem was, I was away at work and when I got home, my mom said that Old Navy called. I went downstairs to check the videophone but I saw no missed calls and no received calls from Old Navy. I asked my mom if she was talking about the call the previous week (she did call me to set up the interview with the guy on Friday) and she said she didn't remember. I assumed it was the week before and left it at that.
On Monday, I decided to call Old Navy back since I thought the woman was going to call back shortly. Before I made the call though, I decided to check out the new video option on the videophone and there was her message. My mom saw the video so it wasn't "new" anymore, which is why I must have overlooked it. I watched the message and DANG IT, she was trying to reach me. And I could've called her back later that Saturday.
So I made the call on Monday but she was out of the office until Thursday. Not good. I waited till Thursday and called again. Sure enough, I missed the NEO and they are not going to do an orientation just for one person. I'm guessing they hired a bunch of people at the same time as me and had everybody to go to one session. She said that she would reconsider me the next time they were hiring. In other words, sod off.
I was bummed but maybe it turned out for the best. I'm working so much overtime that maybe it's a good idea to relax?
Actually I've got to get going to work.
Whew. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't get the Old Navy job. Remember how I got the interview last week to work as a shipper? The guy said that I was good to go and that a woman would call me shortly to set up an appointment for the New Employment Orientation (NEO) that would take place the following week. The interview was on Friday, she called me back on Saturday. Problem was, I was away at work and when I got home, my mom said that Old Navy called. I went downstairs to check the videophone but I saw no missed calls and no received calls from Old Navy. I asked my mom if she was talking about the call the previous week (she did call me to set up the interview with the guy on Friday) and she said she didn't remember. I assumed it was the week before and left it at that.
On Monday, I decided to call Old Navy back since I thought the woman was going to call back shortly. Before I made the call though, I decided to check out the new video option on the videophone and there was her message. My mom saw the video so it wasn't "new" anymore, which is why I must have overlooked it. I watched the message and DANG IT, she was trying to reach me. And I could've called her back later that Saturday.
So I made the call on Monday but she was out of the office until Thursday. Not good. I waited till Thursday and called again. Sure enough, I missed the NEO and they are not going to do an orientation just for one person. I'm guessing they hired a bunch of people at the same time as me and had everybody to go to one session. She said that she would reconsider me the next time they were hiring. In other words, sod off.
I was bummed but maybe it turned out for the best. I'm working so much overtime that maybe it's a good idea to relax?
Actually I've got to get going to work.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Payday
Today I remembered why I was doing warehouse work 40 hours a week plus an absurd amount of overtime. One word: MONEY. Checking my bank account online and finding a bigger dollar amount next to my name was worth getting through my first week and a half at work.
I won't bore you with the details of the daily grind since Alex has already done so but here's a few things I have to say. My hands are sore, and I have a bone to pick with Yankee Candle and their extremely short breaks. If I work overtime, my shift gets extended to 9 hours (10 if your name is Alex B) but I get a grand total of 32 minutes of break time. Sure, Yankee Candle will argue that they give you a total of 40 minutes for break (2-20 minute sit downs). I disagree with them and here's why...
4:30pm - Bell rings for break time. Run!
4:32pm - Sitting down in the break room.
4:48pm - Warning bell rings. Run back to work!
4:50pm - We have to be working or we'll be frowned upon.
That leaves Alex and I a grand total of 16 minutes to sit back and talk about our co-workers while shoving food down our throats. We'll repeat that same cycle at 7:30pm and hustle back out to the floor to do the group exercise (we'll save that story for another day). 32 minutes out of 9 or 10 hours of work? That doesn't really sit well with me! Does anybody know if this is against labor laws or anything?
Lastly, I'm tired of my bosses telling me to break down boxes when at any moment, I might need to re-make those same boxes to stuff candles and other products in. Talk about being inefficient!
I won't bore you with the details of the daily grind since Alex has already done so but here's a few things I have to say. My hands are sore, and I have a bone to pick with Yankee Candle and their extremely short breaks. If I work overtime, my shift gets extended to 9 hours (10 if your name is Alex B) but I get a grand total of 32 minutes of break time. Sure, Yankee Candle will argue that they give you a total of 40 minutes for break (2-20 minute sit downs). I disagree with them and here's why...
4:30pm - Bell rings for break time. Run!
4:32pm - Sitting down in the break room.
4:48pm - Warning bell rings. Run back to work!
4:50pm - We have to be working or we'll be frowned upon.
That leaves Alex and I a grand total of 16 minutes to sit back and talk about our co-workers while shoving food down our throats. We'll repeat that same cycle at 7:30pm and hustle back out to the floor to do the group exercise (we'll save that story for another day). 32 minutes out of 9 or 10 hours of work? That doesn't really sit well with me! Does anybody know if this is against labor laws or anything?
Lastly, I'm tired of my bosses telling me to break down boxes when at any moment, I might need to re-make those same boxes to stuff candles and other products in. Talk about being inefficient!
Monday, November 2, 2009
First Week, Check
I'm on my second week of work. It's been an interesting first week to say at the least. I worked 9 hours of overtime on top of 40 hours, packed a kajillion boxes of Yankee Candle products, broke down a million cardboard boxes, assembled billions of boxes, used 1.4 miles of tape, and almost got fired.
Well I might be exaggerating on the last one (and everything else) but a most interesting issue came up last Wednesday in the morning. I was packing boxes with cardboard paper and closing them before sending them off to the shipping department when my supervisor came up to me with these following words. "Hi Alex. An issue has been brought to my attention just now. It appears that it is a requirement for all employees in this facility to be able to respond to pages. Since you are (points to ears), we might have to transfer you over to another facility down the road where it is not a requirement for employees to respond or make a page. I am meeting with my supervisor this morning and we will discuss this. I will keep you posted."
Alright. I didn't say anything after that and as she walked away, I told Steve what she just told me and continued working. A little while later, I realized that I was definitely being discriminated at the workplace. Sweet! I knew that there was no way I would ever transfer over to the other facility, which is where they make the actual candles because of the following reasons,
1. The reason for having me transferred was BS. I can't respond to a page? Well maybe one of the 5 people that I always find myself surrounded with can let me know that someone at the other end of the factory needs help with counting candles. Reasonable adjustments can be made for this "issue."
2. I interviewed for the job, I'm on my 3rd day of training, I'm in a routine, and I requested this position. A few days later, they realize I'm not allowed to work there?
3. I'm going to stand up for myself. If I'm transferred, then it is essentially agreeing with them that deaf people are incapable of doing this kind of work.
I was going to have to be fired before I get transferred. I thought of reasons why they would make this paging issue such a big deal and came up with a few. Maybe they need more workers in the other facility but didn't want to "offend" me by taking away my preferred position and relocating me. That actually would have been okay with me. If they needed extra workers in the other place then sure, relocate me. Not because I can't answer a page.
Steve and I discussed the various ways we would bring up this issue and how we would address it (we hoped to whip out this statement, "the problem is not us, it's YOU!") but the entire thing was resolved in a couple days. My supervisor came up to me and told me that if I needed to page someone, I'd ask someone. And if I got paged, someone would let me know. Ah brilliant idea. However, I have to give them credit. They did resolve this issue within themselves and made the smart decision.
Other than that, everyday has been the same. I worked about 9 hours of overtime, one hour extra three times a week and 6 hours on Saturday. I can't complain, the money is rolling in! I'm scheduled to work 13 hours of overtime this week on top of 40 hours AND I got a call back from Old Navy about working as a shipper. Basically I would be responsible for unloading boxes from delivery trucks into the store and possibly some stocking in the backroom. It's a great second job- I work 4 hours in the morning from 8 to 12 three times a week. I had an interview last Friday with my potential supervisor and it all worked out great. They did ask me why I wanted to work at Old Navy. The honest response would be "Well bub, I just need some frigging money eh?" But of course I gave them the "oh I've come here since I was a Clearasil-using teenager and it was a dream of mine to hold a job here."
I'm expecting a call back soon this week about the training start date. It's all happening, except for that famed desk job I am seeking in DC! The job fair is only 10 days away, better start looking for the proper suit!
I now bid you adieu for I must travel to Yankee Candle to provide exceptional fragrances to people of all around the world.
Well I might be exaggerating on the last one (and everything else) but a most interesting issue came up last Wednesday in the morning. I was packing boxes with cardboard paper and closing them before sending them off to the shipping department when my supervisor came up to me with these following words. "Hi Alex. An issue has been brought to my attention just now. It appears that it is a requirement for all employees in this facility to be able to respond to pages. Since you are (points to ears), we might have to transfer you over to another facility down the road where it is not a requirement for employees to respond or make a page. I am meeting with my supervisor this morning and we will discuss this. I will keep you posted."
Alright. I didn't say anything after that and as she walked away, I told Steve what she just told me and continued working. A little while later, I realized that I was definitely being discriminated at the workplace. Sweet! I knew that there was no way I would ever transfer over to the other facility, which is where they make the actual candles because of the following reasons,
1. The reason for having me transferred was BS. I can't respond to a page? Well maybe one of the 5 people that I always find myself surrounded with can let me know that someone at the other end of the factory needs help with counting candles. Reasonable adjustments can be made for this "issue."
2. I interviewed for the job, I'm on my 3rd day of training, I'm in a routine, and I requested this position. A few days later, they realize I'm not allowed to work there?
3. I'm going to stand up for myself. If I'm transferred, then it is essentially agreeing with them that deaf people are incapable of doing this kind of work.
I was going to have to be fired before I get transferred. I thought of reasons why they would make this paging issue such a big deal and came up with a few. Maybe they need more workers in the other facility but didn't want to "offend" me by taking away my preferred position and relocating me. That actually would have been okay with me. If they needed extra workers in the other place then sure, relocate me. Not because I can't answer a page.
Steve and I discussed the various ways we would bring up this issue and how we would address it (we hoped to whip out this statement, "the problem is not us, it's YOU!") but the entire thing was resolved in a couple days. My supervisor came up to me and told me that if I needed to page someone, I'd ask someone. And if I got paged, someone would let me know. Ah brilliant idea. However, I have to give them credit. They did resolve this issue within themselves and made the smart decision.
Other than that, everyday has been the same. I worked about 9 hours of overtime, one hour extra three times a week and 6 hours on Saturday. I can't complain, the money is rolling in! I'm scheduled to work 13 hours of overtime this week on top of 40 hours AND I got a call back from Old Navy about working as a shipper. Basically I would be responsible for unloading boxes from delivery trucks into the store and possibly some stocking in the backroom. It's a great second job- I work 4 hours in the morning from 8 to 12 three times a week. I had an interview last Friday with my potential supervisor and it all worked out great. They did ask me why I wanted to work at Old Navy. The honest response would be "Well bub, I just need some frigging money eh?" But of course I gave them the "oh I've come here since I was a Clearasil-using teenager and it was a dream of mine to hold a job here."
I'm expecting a call back soon this week about the training start date. It's all happening, except for that famed desk job I am seeking in DC! The job fair is only 10 days away, better start looking for the proper suit!
I now bid you adieu for I must travel to Yankee Candle to provide exceptional fragrances to people of all around the world.
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