It's only been about a week and I already hate my job

[FONT=""][COLOR=""][SIZE=""]So I decided to get a part time job this summer to save up, and ended up getting a job at a pretty popular fast food restaurant. The pay is pretty good, but tomorrow marks a full week for me before my two days off and I'm already stressed, anxious, and have almost cried at work. I know that I'm new and it's going to be stressful or a bit, but I genuinely cant do the drive thru durinf a rush by myself or I get overwhelmed. And I know that sounds pathetic and i probably sound so whiny. My managers are pretty nice even if one of them is kind of intimidating, and my coworkers are nice for the most part too, but i can tell when they're annoyed with me. I've messed up a few orders and i feel awful about it, which just adds to the stress- Again, I'm probably just being whiny, but the idea of working until august just makes a pit in my stomach- is it normal to kind of want to quit a job before you've even got your first paycheck? Or is this just a me thing? I'm just not sure if the fast food industry is really my thing[/size][/color][/font]

[FONT=""][COLOR=""][SIZE=""]Also, I've talked to my parents about it but their only response is that I'll get used to it, and when I talk about how overwhelmed i get sometime my mom said I needed to get over it, but it's not like that's something I can control[/size][/color][/font]

[Kate*]

I'm sorry you're going through this, I know it's awful. But, it is absolutely normal. I was at my previous job almost 5 years, then started a new one in October and felt the EXACT same way, despite having 5 years of experience in retail. Thank God I hit the management lottery, but yes at least one manager intimidated me, and communicating effectively has taken some work. No one should be expecting you to handle anything by yourself or without mistakes yet. If they are, then bad managers. Every single one of them has been there, screwed up, and has had to learn just like you are. You should become more comfortable over time as you start to catch on to things. And if that doesn't happen, that's okay too. At least you'll know that fast food isn't your thing, and specifically what about it you don't like and can apply that going forward and try something else.

[Everglow.]

Hey

Thanks for reaching out! You don't sound whiny at all - new jobs are really stressful and it's especially difficult in a fast paced (let alone customer facing) environment. The more stressed you are the easier it is to make mistakes, and the fact you're still learning to begin with will always mean the first few weeks are tricky to navigate. It's definitely not unusual to feel like running away. Trust me, I've definitely been there!

It's great that your managers seem to be okay. I've worked with intimidating managers before too. I think some managers just are, and it makes it worse, but I'd definitely advise trying to find a good working relationship with them where possible. If you're struggling, let them know. They might be able to offer you more training, or little tips and hacks for how to manage based on their experiences. Your colleagues may also be able to do this, so as much as it might feel awkward now, the more you get to know them the easier the social aspect will become.

Parents sometimes don't get it. I've worked in a job before that was damaging my mental health, and my mum had the same response as your parents. Sometimes it's generational - jobs are different now to what they were in our parents day. There are more workers rights, more freedom to choose what you want to do. I'm sorry that the response was unhelpful - I can completely understand that.

I hope you are doing okay, but please do let us know if you need anything else. You can get through this.

[Moxie.]

Hey there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at TeenHelp.

You definitely don't sound whiny! First jobs can be stressful and can sometimes come with a bigger-than-anticipated learning curve. I also know from personal experience that customer service jobs, such as retail and fast food, can feel even more stressful to learn because of how fast-paced the environment is. You're essentially learning as you're doing, rather than learning and having the opportunity to go back and fix your mistakes.

You mentioned that at least one of your managers and several of your coworkers are nice. Would it be possible for you to talk to one of them about some of the struggles that you're having? Perhaps a manager can schedule additional training opportunities for you. Or, a coworker might be able to give you some tips and insight into things that have helped them be better at their job, both in the drive-thru and in other areas throughout the restaurant.

I'm sorry to hear that your parents didn't offer much support when you told them how you were feeling about the job. As Hollie said, it may very well be a generational thing. I know my father has very similar views to those that your parents expressed. Just about every time I've complained about a job (no matter how big or small the complaint), he has told me to just "suck it up and do my job". It can be discouraging to hear, but it really is just a sign of the times.

Above all else, please give yourself grace as you learn this new job! You've only been there for a week and mistakes are part of the learning process. Continue to ask questions, give your best effort, and seek clarification on anything that you're unsure about. I'm sure you'll get the hang of things soon!

Take care,
Sam

[Dawn.]

Hi there,

I'm so sorry to hear what happened. I know this may not be of great comfort to you, but I have been in a similar situation as well. When I started a new job, I thought I was way in over my head and questioned myself as to why I even applied for the role in the first place. But overtime, I learned how to find my feet and now I absolutely love my job. I worked in a fast food restaurant for just over 3 years so I know how daunting it can be to do drive thru by yourself and even serving customers when you don't have your mentor/trainer there with you. Certain customers can be awful to deal with but I learnt quickly to let it roll my head if I made a mistake and learnt from it. That is easier said than done as I can be quite a sensitive person but I realized that there are customers out there that are understanding if you are new. I feel like people are more patient if you explain to them that you are still learning the ropes. I hope that helped!