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

[Weston14]

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.

Worked in a ski resort, a job as a chalet hostess or whatever they're called. The manager gave me a t-shirt with a bleach stain on it to wear for that evening. I didn't go back. I just couldn't!

I left a bar job after one shift. I'd done bar work in a few nightclubs by then, so thought it would be much of a muchness. Nothing really bad happened, it was just a shit bar set up and an unfriendly team. Couldn't be arsed with that as I knew I could get another job at a better bar or club - so just called the next day and said I wouldn't be coming back.

In my older years, I realised pretty quickly I'd made a bad career move into a new job. I had more responsibilities by then, so couldn't just walk out. I was on the job hunt within a few weeks though and started a new role in under three months. The new job was better than the one I'd left the shit job for so it all worked out in the end.

That would bug me too, starts you off on a bad note.

Almost a year ago, and I lasted just 2 days. It was a place local to me, and the first week was part training, part learning on the job. The trainer was terrifying and I ended up being unable to concentrate on the tests due to starting at 5am and not having had anything to eat (no break, and left work at 4am to get there on time) until the lunch break at 1 or 2pm...

It became very clear, very fast, they have a whopping high staff turnover. Can't for the life of me think why! There was definitely a culture of 'fear'. Fear over not working fast enough, not making ANY mistakes for fear of awful repercussions, and the expectation that YOU WILL work overtime as and when THEY require. Lack of breaks, everyone was miserable and looked knackered.

Dismal, to say the least.

I emailed the HR department at 2am after my 2nd shift and said I was very sorry but it just wasn't a good fit.

The relief from knowing that it was just 2 days of awfulness, and not going to be dragged out, was utterly palpable.

OP, I have worked in many jobs where the finish time is 'x', but in reality you're there for hours afterwards and too have missed the last bus home and ended up having an hour + long walk home after being on my feet dealing with assholes all day long (and not got paid for the extra time, this being on a low paid hourly-rate job!). Honestly, there are so many companies just fudging out as much free labour as possible. It's dire - I'm glad you're not there now!

I got a job as an accounts assistant in a hotel. I was working alongside the finance manager in what was a tiny store room with no windows and we had to keep the door locked. I lasted 4 hours.

When i was early in my career I was very much of the "take what you can get" attitude to jobs, as I was younger, less self-assured and didn't have much experience. Now that I have more experience, confidence (and more financial responsibilities which mean I can't just walk out at the drop of a hat), I am very careful in what I take on. I had an interview last week for a place with a substantial payrise, and the colleagues and offices seemed lovely, but I just couldn't quite nail down what my responsibilities would be. For me, that's a big red flag so I politely turned it down.

Thank you for thinking of me - thankfully this was many, many years ago!! I'm a lot older and wiser now, and crucially, not in hospitality 😂

I worked for 1 day in a school uniform shop during the summer holidays when I was 16 or 17. One of the other people who worked there - she was a bit older than me, I think she'd worked there the summer before too - was awful. She was rude, condescending and confrontational about everything. I'd started work the same day as one of my friends, who put something on the wrong hanger and this girl lost the plot over it. She shouted at my friend, humiliated her in front of the shop, went on and on and on about such a silly, simple mistake made on day 1 that my friend cried. So I never went back as I never wanted to see the nasty cow again.

Half a day. Call centre. I was assigned to be trained by a guy who stunk of BO and onions, had dirty finger nails and used to hawk up phlegm every five minutes that he'd then loudly swallow.

I did the morning. At lunchtime, I caught the bus home, called my manager and told him why I absolutely wouldn't be back

Three days in a part time waitressing job as a student. On my first day I was told “you’re new so you must not touch any money under any circumstances, we don’t know if we can trust you”. 20 minutes later the same manager yelled at me in front of other staff and customers for not taking money that had been left on a table in an area I wasn’t covering.

Fuck that.

I sent off a load of applications as soon as I got home and had a job in a shop with better hours and a friendly, supportive supervisor two days later.

That's put me right off my lunch!

Doing some temping, I got sent to do admin at the office of a small engineering firm. It was like an immersive 1970s experience, complete with girly calendars on the wall. Halfway through the first day, I had to get something from the bottom desk drawer of one of the pricks working there and he actually said the immortal words: "While you're down there, love..."

So I left and declined to go back. This was in 2003, btw.

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 spent three months doing admin as a temp, as an emergency stopgap whilst waiting to start my "proper" job. Within about twenty minutes I'd realised the atmosphere was hideous; the office manager has been given the title "because she had a degree" ; nobody was allowed to question any of the very questionable practices and they were haemorrhaging money. Bullying was rife, and when I suggested a money saving improvement I was told I was paid to do the filing, not to think..... 😂
I hung on because the money paid the bills at a very desperate time and it was convenient, but it was dreadful. Ironically, just before I left they offered me a permanent contract..... Oddly I turned it down.....

About 3 hours! Probably about 20years ago I was persuaded by a friend of mine to do door to door sales - internet as I recall. I was paired up by a dreadfully over eager young lad and when we knocked on the door of an elderly lady he more or less forced her to sign all these forms and ultimately I actually knew it would cost her more money and the poor lady would be stuck in that contract.

I walked there and then, got on a train and went home and never went back. My mum went mad but my Dad backed me and agreed on my reasoning. Morally - I couldn’t work for any company that behaved like that. I still feel dreadful for that old lady 20 years later.

I watched a documentary on the BBC about a similar thing in Wales recently, really bad. It still goes on!

Worked in a vitamin factory where my supervisor used to try to creep up behind me and grope me. I left to go on jury duty and never went back.

Worked in a pub in Covent Garden - arsehole boss, loads of people walked out, supervisor (not the boss) was arrested mid-shift for something drug-related, leaving me as the sole person in the incredibly busy pub except for the boss, who was sitting upstairs drinking. He refused to even cover me to go to the loo, so I walked out too.

Telesales selling gym membership. Did one 3 hour shift and never returned. Was hell.

One shift in a Pork Pie factory was all I needed.

Verisure were door knocking in a road near me recently, one of them even tried to engage me in a conversation even though I was just walking the dog. Any outfit that employs high-pressure door knockers can’t have a decent product imho

2 hours on a contract I did a fuck this shit nope not worth it.

Worked as a scare maze Halloween actor in a cornfield maze. Didn't last the whole 1st shift. It was raining, flooded, freezing, and I couldn't see anything through the mask I was given.

Bless you, I've always wondered how people can stand to do that! Not so bad if you're inside a house, I suppose.

24 hours after verbal acceptance of job

Job nothing like advertised

@Weston14
They really struggle to keep people working there for the whole season.
There's lots of refer a friend schemes and incentives to bring other people to work there with you.
Even inside the houses, people struggled with the strobe lighting and loud constant music.
Never again! 🤣