Hello all:
For a few weeks now, I have been a faithful reader of this rather engaging blog. I value the perspective and dialogue. Tomorrow, I begin my new job as Barista. Im thrilled. Albeit, after pouring over all myriad of posts, Im also cautious! I know my job will be far from the utopia I wish it could be.
In sum, to you readers, do you have any suggestions or pointers that you could impart to a neophyte like me?
Thanks!
For starters, don't get involved in drama. Before you unleash your personality into the workplace, watch the other co-workers first. Study them. Find out which one's the ****, which one's the cool one, which one's the lazy one. So for a few weeks just do your job and then when you feel you know the people that's when you start to joke and such. And don't talk behind their backs to them, at least for the first month or two. =D
don't freely give away details about your life.
god forbid you live a more 'blessed' life then someone there.. and they will be all over you with talking **** and trying to get you fired b/c they don't feel you need the job as much as they do.
starbucks hires a lot of underprivileged jealous losers who have no life.. whose only enjoyment out of life is to get back at customers (for them expecting to god forbid do their job) and talk **** about you for the stupidest stuff like a fork left in the sink.
don't stoop to their level.
Wow, what can I say that ExpiredCoffee and TheOne haven't already said? They have given the best advice: be chill, do your job, observe your team and their habits, and steer clear of the drama!
Well said. There's not much more to it. Stay golden, Ponyboy.
Just get used to the idea that you will have to let A LOT of things go everyday. I've bitten my tongue so much with this job it's about to fall off.
Understand that you are disposable. And that the management is almost guaranteed to be ****. Don't paint every manager with the same brush, but don't be surprised if they f you over. Also, expect your DM to be just as bad as your manager, if not worse.
Lastly, DON'T DRINK THE KOOL AID!
Stay neutral. Get there. Clock in. Kiss every customers **** relentlessly. Clock out. As long as you NEVER get involved in anyones (partners) life, you'll be fine. As soon as you give in, you might as well sign over your soul. Unless, in the rare occasion, that you've got in to a store that sees Starbucks as a job (the way it should be seen) and not a life style, just do whatever the STORE MANAGER says and smile. I've found that the stores that have older partners, tend to be the worst. The colliding of ideas and personalities is just too palpable when young work with old(er).
Essentially, realize there IS in fact, life outside of Starbucks.
I just started working too... and everyone in this forum is right. People CAN be really mean and ****, and people definitely talk behind other people's back. They make it very apparent when I frustrate or **** them off (I'm new so I'm not as fast as everyone else).
I just figured myself that I just gotta stay neutral and play the "norm" game until I know enough people to be myself!
Don't pay attention to them. In my esperience, those kinds of people are never happy. If you're not fast enough, they get grouchy. If you're faster than they are, they get grouchy. So there's no point wasting your time. Just continue being the way you always are to them (nice, in my case) and show that you are a bigger person than them.
Thanks for all the talkback!
2 days in, I cannot commend my team enough. Our store is like something out of the module photos. Either they lay it on JUST for me, or they bring their earnest respect and pride because of their notable character.
Having patronized this store for some time, Im confident that this is no trend, just a testament of the store and its ways.
Regardless, I will remain professional, do good work, and watch out for myself and others.
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