I’m Quitting My Job

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I’ve been working on the register at a fast food restaurant for the last 3 weeks. I have been short many times and my boss told me he only hasn’t written me up out of mercy. He said one more time and it is a write up. I believe my problems working stem from working memory issues/executive function. Socializing probably doesn’t help, considering someone filed a complaint about my being rude.

I’ve been really depressed and decided to quit. I’m 17 so I don’t need this.

But this has me worried about my future. If I can’t handle working in fast food, what can I handle?

I wouldn't worry about it too much, there's plenty of jobs that involve minimal interaction with people, I work in a warehouse, pretty much all I have to deal with is stock inventory (making sure it's in the right place etc.) I work alone pretty much all of the time. Look into those kind of jobs.

I highly doubt I'd be able to work in fast food either.

Last i worked retail I had the chance to show what I could do but after 2 weeks of unpaid work (if it was paid I would give it back as I was so bad at the job) I couldn't do it, let alone a restaurant and am not cut out for sales, customer service or anything customer related even though feedback suggests I perform well in those situations, clearly I wasn't.

Its a difficult one. In a customer facing role, your 'rudeness' would be considered unacceptable. To neurotpyical people, they automatically assume your a person with an attitude problem and doesn't want to be there. From our point of view, we understand some of the anxieties and issues you may face. Not sure what the employment laws are like in the Us but in the UK, employers have to make reasonable adjustments to people who have a condition in employment and there are numbers and information you can access to advocate these rights and put them in place. If they don't they are discriminating against you and this is Illegal. If you don't have this set up. I honestly would move on and find something more suited your needs.

Customer service jobs bite.

Different jobs use different abilities and sometimes you won't know which ones are needed until you have a go. One of my first jobs was in a factory, my Dad had told me factory jobs are boring, and a monkey could do my job. I was making up star shaped boxes and couldn't get my corners pointy enough. I kept getting told off, it wasn't boring it was terrifying. In my head I kept thinking, 'this was supposed to be boring, I'm stupider than a monkey'. I lasted 2 weeks

But I've been much better, even very good at other jobs. I was a great barmaid (good maths and high focus per customer) and a terrible waitress (no ability to multi-task and too careful and therefor slow carrying full plates) I've had jobs for 1 day up to 7 years and a lot in between.

Have a go, learn what you can do, but move on if it doesn't go ok. I wish I'd worried less and left some of my jobs earlier, if it makes you unhappy, it's not worth it. Good luck.

I think you shouldn't worry too much about it. Think of it as a learning experience, and move on to try something else. Eventually you'll find jobs you're really good at, and understand which ones aren't going to work for you.
I know that if I'm working in a kitchen, I can do the dishes really well, and depending on the place I may be able to do prep work. I know that trying to do both at the same time probably won't work for me. Any other part of the restaurant is probably going to be a nightmare, not good for me or the business. So I know better now what jobs to apply for and which ones to avoid.
Eventually you'll figure it out. And it's a fast food job, I think it's just expected that everyone is going to lose (or quit) a fast food job at some point.

You will be fine in time what ever path you choose. You're health is way more important so if you can afford to escape this environment, do it. Otherwise try to find a coping mechanism. Remember that most people don't get the traits and think it's something else. All experiences can be used to build a life. Good luck with every thing you do.

Even in the restaurant business, there are jobs that don't require much social interaction. Lot of cooking and cleaning jobs don't involve social interaction. I'm sure I'm not the only diner who doesn't like gristle in my meat. Someone who can remove that without fail as a pre-cooking job would find a job if I were running a high end restaurant.

Similarly, someone needs to prep cars for painting. Or houses. A really good prep job really makes a difference.

If you have upper middle class they want more than just your typical landscapers. They may want pretty flowering plants. If you have the skills I'm sure someone can use them.

Sounds like you are in the wrong place to begin with. When you are younger, you pass through a few jobs before you find one that you are good at and stay for a few years.

If you are uncertain about what you want, ask to be hired for a week on different positions and see how it feels working there. It saves precious time out of your life and is a less costly wrong hire for a company (just don't tell them that last part). If i were you, i would avoid work in positions where i'd have to deal with people.

Was the complaint from a customer or a colleague?

I failed in my first attempts at working. I was once fired after one day.

But I went on to work 37 years at the same place.

McDonald's and that ilk is not what you should aspire to.

Best thing to do is just dive into something at your age: you might stumble upon something you are good at purely by accident. For example, when I was unemployed I took a job at a tire warehouse that I was massively overqualified for. The work was easy and boring and I didn't get along with most of the guys but we found out that I was really good at giving customers drives around town. The regulars must have loved me because one of them even trusted me to drive his car and pick up his children while he sat in the passenger seat. I never would have imagined how much I enjoyed it until I reluctantly agreed to try it.

Turns out I found my current job a few weeks later so it didn't matter in the end but I could have easily applied to be a courtesy driver for any of the local dealerships.

I'm I'm a similar situation to you, except I can't decide whether to quit or not. I am a little older than you and I really could do with a recent job on my CV that I stuck at for a decent amount of time. I have the same concerns, if I can't do this simple job, am I going to fail at every job? I'm hoping not though. Have you thought about further study to follow a career that would suit you? This is what I am trying to do with my life so far.