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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask you - what's the fastest you've gone "f*** this" to a job

220 replies

Weston14 · 23/08/2023 12:56

Inspired by some chat in my office today.

Worked in one of those horrible, sickly, neon-lit dessert type places as a sixth former. Did one shift where I came straight from sixth form and was rota'd until 10pm, didn't end up getting out til about half midnight at which point I'd missed the last bus, I was covered in batter and chocolate, it was roasting, they had Capital on which just played the same three songs over and over again, and I ended up spending half the shift hidden in the fridge in the stock room. Ended up getting paid for a full week's work and blocked the recruiter's number and the manager's number in case they came asking for it.

OP posts:
PeachF · 24/08/2023 16:57

4 weeks at 111...awful!! Worst place and management I've ever seen.

CornishBarbie · 24/08/2023 16:43

Working in Boots when I was in sight form. All of the older women were so unbelievably nasty to me. I was shocked, was a dream job for someone like me at that age. I loved beauty, hair and makeup. I was so timid and they were so confrontational, always arguing with each other then when I didn't get involved with the bitching nasty to me too. I just left one day when I realised I shouldn't be crying before work, not at that age anyway. Que 15 phone calls from the manager on my landline leaving angry messages. She didn't realise I lived with my parents who heard them and were horrified. Popped in there for makeup a month after as a last resort and one of the girls on the til apologised saying it was normal to be bullied there by the older lot. Really awful, knocked my confidence for ages but luckily had nothing but lovely colleagues ever since.

ClemmyTine · 24/08/2023 16:38

Haretest · 23/08/2023 17:46

Am I the only one wondering what's so awful about a bleach stain?!

No.

I can think of worse stains.

Greatty · 24/08/2023 16:12

2 hours.

I actually refused the job when it was offered to me but they talked me into accepting. I felt I didn't have the skills for the role, or the right experience, as the information about the role at the interview was different to the application information.

They promised training and shadowing. I turned up and they dropped me right in the shit, no training or support.

I walked out!

Poppy160 · 24/08/2023 16:06

Got made redundant during the first covid lockdown, so was applying for anything. Got a interview with a well known small supermarket/ convenience store, for a team leader role, in the interview I told them I had retail experience but no experience with being a team leader, they said “thats fine we will teach you”.

First shift was 2pm- 10pm, all was fine except the other team leader training me micromanaged everything I did and decided I had messed something up (even though he had watched everything I done for 8 hours) didn’t finish my shift until 1am! Was told by a colleague he did this all the time and nothing went wrong!

My next shift I was handed my keys by the store manager and told “Id had enough training” and I was on my own to close the store, which I hadn’t been shown how to do or how to cash the tills ect, I told him I had only 8 hours training and wasn’t shown these things, he huffed and said one of my colleagues who wasn’t a team leader will show me. Well obviously they didn’t know how to do it either.

Luckily one of my friends mums who worked their as a team leader came to the store at 10pm and did it with me, on her day off! The next day I called the store manger, gave him a earful and told him to stick the job up his arse.

dontforgettithespaghetti · 24/08/2023 13:10

I got an interview for a marketing role but didn't really know much else about the company or the job I'd be doing. Same as a PP, I dressed smartly, thinking it would be a sitting down interview. It wasn't an interview at all but 'experience'. We got taken to a housing estate more than an hour away and I realised with a sinking feeling we were going to do door knocking for charities. The girl in charge was only about 18 and was on a huge power trip, ordering us to do silly dances in the car for her entertainment and making fun of us. Most people didn't even answer the door but if they did, I was told I had to be forceful and refuse to take no for an answer or they would give a really bad report to the manager and I would be in trouble. I was cold, bored rigid and miles from home. I told her I didn't think the job was for me and she told me in that case she couldn't take me back to the centre and I would have to make my own way back. It took three buses and more than three hours but it was a relief to escape that horrendous job.

EnragedCatOwner · 24/08/2023 12:46

Not me but a colleague in a temping job - I wish I’d had the guts but was just out of uni and desperate to please.

it was in the HR dept of an insurance company, we worked in the same section as the finance team who were the biggest bunch of cunts I’ve yet encountered in a work environment. They took It upon themselves to relentlessly bully all the temps - the filing cabinets were next to their desks and when any of us went over to file our stuff at the end of the day they’d make really unpleasant comments about us - I remember once one girls attempting hair being commented on as age was wearing a vest too, intentionally within her earshot. There was a lot more that I’ve blocked out.

the people managing us in the HR dept weren’t much better, I remember one horrible woman completely fixating on my handwriting being too messy - it was totally irrelevant to my job but she kept mentioning it in a really unpleasant way.

one day she was talking to one of the other temps and the temp just stood up, shouted ‘why don’t you just fuck yourselves’ and walked out. I so wish I’d done that.

Pebblesflintstoneandbambamrubble · 24/08/2023 11:30

I qualified as a hairdresser and out in the big bad world,I needed some experience

I was put in touch with a lady who would take me on

I rocked up-and was sent home to change as my long dress was 'too sexy'

She then refused to allow me to cut hair,touch anything,sit/stand anywhere and I was to sit around and listen to her personal problems and offer advice

I lasted a day-she then refused to pay me as 'I don't have the hours' and 'you where employed on a self employed basis' (first I knew of it)

I should have been paid for the 8 hours of free therapy I bloody gave her!

Weston14 · 24/08/2023 09:35

MrsMoastyToasty · 23/08/2023 17:41

After about 2 hours.

I was sent by a recruitment agency to a call centre place where the callers were ringing in response to helpline numbers published on TV (think BBC Actionline, but not them). The training was done during normal office hours but we (there was about 20 of us) weren't told that the work was 6pm until 2am. In a dodgy area with no parking , no public transport and too far for me to walk or cycle in.

Wouldn't you think an organisation dedicated to caring would care a bit about their staff?

OP posts:
Soubriquet · 24/08/2023 08:36

Urm….7 hours I think it was.

I went to work at a meat processing plant. I had no training. Was told to just do this and that was it.

I walked out after I nearly badly injured myself getting a crate down. It was a lot heavier than I thought it was and I only managed to avoid the injury when someone saw me and rushed over to help.

Then on top, the manager said everyone needs to do 6 hours over time. Nope. I went home and quit

randomchap · 24/08/2023 08:28

Lasted a week in a fruit packing factory. Hours on a production line filling up the 4 apple trays before they got wrapped.

£3 an hour but we had to pay for the minibus to and from the factory. The journey was 2 hours each way. Out of the house for 14 hours only to get £20.

Thepossibility · 24/08/2023 06:52

After one shift. The whole shift they were listing endless things that were my responsibility. Hundreds of things. I just saw endless misery of running around and endless fuckups in front of me. Went back to my old job after that shift!

BeggyMitchell · 24/08/2023 06:32

elm26 · 23/08/2023 20:55

I had an evening job cleaning a dentist to get some extra money in, on day 5 I snapped and asked the dentist (owner) to please put his dirty tissues in the bin instead of chucking them next to it. He said "my wife would do it, in my country, women wouldn't be saying what you're saying right now" and walked off out to his car to leave.

I put the cleaning stuff away and locked up, got in my car and never went back. I had 3 missed calls and a flurry of panicked text messages the next morning when his wife (also dentist) turned up to see a dirty clinic waiting for patients. I text her back "ask your husband how he spoke to me regarding his snotty tissues" and never heard from them again.

Well done !

MellowMelly · 24/08/2023 00:10

4 hours. I was told to come in for an interview. I walked in for the interview and got put straight to work. She barked orders at me for most of the morning. Shouted at me for taking a £50 note. Shouted at me for the clothes I was wearing. Shouted at me to go to lunch.

I went and got on the bus and went straight home and had my lunch without being shouted at.

Walesagogo · 23/08/2023 23:56

Worked for a charity for 2 weeks, had a weeks leave for a previously booked holiday and handed one weeks notice in whilst on leave. Found out that it was an unwritten rule that you were expected to work 10 hours extra a week unpaidAlso if you worked part time as I was that if your scheduled day wasn't on a bank holiday then you would be given an extra day off and still get paid for a bank holiday. The main boss never worked on Mondays when most fall on so I guess that's why! A few dubious things like that were happening.
The job wasn't as described either. They were really annoyed that I left esp as they had 6 people start and leave within the 6 months. My immediate boss and colleagues were lovely but a bit trodden on.

Paulisexcluded · 23/08/2023 23:47

Supply teacher. 10 mins

Never done this before, always happy to sray with quite teicky classes.

Walked into a special school. No work or plan had been left. Kids in the corner self harming, others swinging on the doors.

Deputy head walks in and says what's your subject? I said science. He said "do something on animal.testing".

I said that I was leaving, as I was uncomfortable with all that was going on in the room and no proper lesson left.

I didn't get paid after my 2 hrs drive but I felt exhilarated to have told that arrogant shit of a deputy head to shove it.

Poor bloody kids though.

GrumpyOldCrone · 23/08/2023 23:42

In uni holidays back in the 90s I did a lot of temping, usually receptionist work. I turned up at a new job and the boss told me the potato peeling machine wasn’t working. She handed me a peeler. I’m up for most things, but I’m very dyspraxic. I can type but I can’t peel potatoes. I gave it a go, but after 10 minutes we both agreed that it wasn’t going to work out. I went back to the agency and they found me something more suited to my lack of skills.

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 23/08/2023 23:25

When backpacking in Australia, quite a few totally dismal ones.

courgette harvesting - running after a tractor and dumping courgette in it - I couldn't keep up - quit after a day.

strawberry picking - piece work and I was incredibly slow. Quit after earning £5 for eight hours work

Door to door sales - after trying and failing to secure any sales after an hour I gave up and dumped a large handful of flyers in the bin, sat on a bench and smoked a cigarette. Then my mentor walked past and asked how I was doing😑

SandyY2K · 23/08/2023 23:17

1 hour.

I was told it was a market research job, but it was cold calling sales appointments.

I just got up and said it wasn't for me.

Paternosta · 23/08/2023 23:15

About 3 hours into a shift at a pepper and spice factory I was coughing my guts up from all the dust/spices in the air. A woman told that I'd get used to it. I thought 'fuck that' and walked out. I got a better paid data entry job soon after so it was a good decision!

ginghamstarfish · 23/08/2023 23:09

Many years ago, summer holiday job in a pie factory. One day was enough.

Mercedes45 · 23/08/2023 23:01

Tothemoonandbackx · 23/08/2023 13:24

Mine wasn't on the job, but in the middle of the interview process. Applied for a job when I was 18, way more money than what I was on and it said flexible hours but you could work up to 40+, I didn't even really understand what the job was actually about, as they used quite a bit of jargon and it said no experience necessary, training on the job, so I thought f*k it, I'll apply and learn on the job (if i get it). Got an email to say could I come for the interview!!!!!!! Brilliant!!! That's the first step......this was during the Winter, must add this. I turned up into the city centre, dressed as smart as I could, standard white top, black trousers, and some black comfy ballet like shoes (no grip) no socks. Waited around with another group of people then we all got called into a room. They asked us all to join into groups of four with another member of staff......they were going to 'take us out onto the field to give us first hand experience of the job' drove us to a village on the outskirts of the city and it was f**ing door to door 'would you like to switch your broadband' people. I was fuming, absolutely freezing as this village was covered in snow and I'd got these stupid non grip ballet pumps on, after about 2 houses, they asked us if we were still interested in the job, ibtold them flatly NO, I need to get back to the city so I can get back home, they told me they were actually out on a job and I'd have to get the bus, I asked them where the bus stop was and they said they hadn't got a clue. I eventually found it after asking random people walking round where I could get one into the city. I had just about enough money to get me there too, as I only had a return ticket. WORST INTERVIEW EVER!!!!!!

I could see EXACTLY where this was going as I was reading it. Same thing happened to me, only I was wearing heels and they brought me to a hilly town in winter. I was supposed to be shadowing an account manager at a marketing firm for the day.

thinkkook · 23/08/2023 22:59

Homeless drop-in place. They made me cook bacon and I'm vegan.

Staff were stood around slagging off the service users then being all pally to their faces.

Walked out at lunch time and never went back.

SweetLorele · 23/08/2023 22:54

An Oxfam Originals shop when I was a teenager. I loved vintage clothes and thought it would be a cool place to volunteer. On my first shift I was told how to spot shoplifters, and then how to sort the clothes. In a bag of clothes was a beautiful, designer cashmere coat in camel. Even at age 18 I knew that was a classic piece. I was told no one would buy such a thing and to put it in the bag that went "for rags." I couldn't believe a charity could be so wasteful so off I went.

Sickofchangingmyfuckingusername · 23/08/2023 22:50

Back, back in the day. Off from uni for summer holidays and got a temporary job in a casino as a cleaner 5am-7am. It all sounded fine, posh city address and allowed me to waitress later in the day. There for 10 mins- never been in a casino, but they look grotty in the dawn light.

First job was clean the big ashtrays, hoover carpet and them do the toilets. Go to first ashtray to discover cigar butts and phlegm gobs. That, and the thoughts of what I might find in the loos was enough to send me out of the door. ‘I knew you wouldn’t last long’ said the manager. Too right mate. Back in bed 20 mins later!

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