Applying at a competitor

I'm petrified. I'm taking an application in to a new job tomorrow. For a competitor to the business I currently work at.

I got a job offer from them a couple of weeks ago, and at first, I didn't think about it much. But the more time passed, the more I considered it. One of my friends left my current job to work there five months ago, and she is so much happier there. So much more organized, active in the community, etc.

I work in a "boutique" pet supply retail/grooming salon. The management is a nightmare; very lovely people, but they are getting blatantly run over by the two managers, and will not see what they are doing no matter how many times (over 6 years!) many of us approach them about the problems. They are incredibly stressful ones, like the grooming schedule never being out, both of the managers taking items and never paying for them, neither of them putting their lunches down, not helping with basic tasks that they are supposed to, not working the hours they are supposed to, etc. They are also just not easy people to work with; the one manager becomes a fixation for me when I am hypomanic and I have to avoid her or risk screaming at her.

I am so stressed here. For 6 years I've been repeatedly ignored over people who have worked there less time, are worse with customers, and don't bother to do any cleaning or real work.

But that doesn't mean that the process isn't going to be literally the worst thing ever. I'm so scared to actually pull the plug. It's my first job out of high school. The last time someone left it was so ugly, I can't imagine it will be any better for me. I've wanted to vomit since I took the application.

I mostly just needed to word vomit this evening. I'm so nervous.

It sounds like it's a very stressful place to work, and a good idea to explore the possibility of a new work place.

I'm sure it's stressful because you've worked there 6 years so the possible change is scary. Just remember you're doing it so you might have a better working environment and less stress on the job, which is good on all fronts.

Seesaw

Yeah good for you Zuzian. You have stuck out current job long enough to learn lots, but also to be sure about what you like and don't like. I admire you taking steps for a better future. If it's ugly, then current management need to address what needs to change. And manage! I worked in day nurseries after leaving school and it took me a while to find a place where the management managed, i.e. acted in the best possible way for clients and protected their staff. In the good place they got substitutes in so that we could all attend team meeting and discuss together for example. Also they enforced minimum staffing levels no matter what the higher ups budgeted. Made me feel like the work was worth doing. You are doing the right thing, even if it feels terrible. You have thought this through in a very mature way .

just be aware that another shop may be new but be run with the same issues..if it is a smaller one the owners have the right to set things up and then ignore things as they see fit. they may feel that things are working fine so why change anything. if it's one of the big commercial stores (petstupid ) then there will be guidelines in place. leaving what is bad is always hard.....you know what you have & sometimes leaving sounds great but a new place can bring in it's own set of hell.

good luck