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beneficii
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19 Dec 2013, 6:50 pm

There's a local retail store that's hiring and provides transition-related coverage as its benefits, though likely only to full-time permanent employees; the position that's being hired for is temporary, part-time. I've talked with a lot of neurotypical trans people and they're all like, yeah yeah! Go for every opportunity! I'm sure they'd advise either of the benefits of working two jobs in saving money and would tell me to be competitive and fight for those benefits, with the savings the consolation prize if I don't get a full-time permanent position. I might protest, saying I've tried retail multiple times in the past and have done poorly whereas my current kind of job call center work I've always done quite well. But then they'd just villify me for having a bad attitude, they would question if I really wanted those benefits, and they would just see me as a party pooper.

My main issue is the fact that retail is just something I don't do well in, as well as restaurant work. I remember working bussing at a local restaurant and I struggled at it. I was slow and had difficulty performing a lot of the tasks. I remember trying to take out the trash and I knocked one of the trash cans over while trying to do it, and after that the manager came in and let me go. I didn't have a job at that point. I then worked at a retail job, the cash register, and I did somewhat better, though largely because I had a supportive manager. Nevertheless, I was slow at working the cash register, despite being good at math, and the job was very frustrating at times. I then tried the Air Force, but did poorly in Basic. I noticed I had the biggest problems with keeping my area clean, though I did other stuff like marching and PC well. Nevertheless, my unit noted I had problems with social skills and attention (and at the time I thought I was past all that), and when the Air Force found out I had an Asperger's diagnosis, they kicked me out--this was back in 2003 when Asperger syndrome was a disqualifying condition. During my time in Basic, lots of people, both training instructors and flightmates, called me names like "stupid" and "ret*d."

Since then, I've worked at a restaruant as a server, and I had difficulty there, as well. I would often get confused because of all the things going on, and on one busy day, when I mixed up tables' checks, and got in big trouble for it, I quit. It had gotten to the point where co-workers were calling me "stupid" and the like.

At other retail jobs, I would have trouble and like in the Air Force my co-workers would often call me things "stupid" after a few weeks in or so.

Other than call center work, the only other job I've done well in is canvassing.


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purplefeet
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19 Dec 2013, 7:01 pm

You should make your own decisions for yourself. No one else will know what you find difficult/impossible, only you. If you feel you can give it a go then do, with an eye on seeing it as an experiment, maybe? It won't necessarily be a job for life.

On the other hand, if you already know it's going to make you miserable then don't do it just to please other people. There is no point in that. It will be bad for your health.

It may depend on the type of shop as well. I worked in a DIY store when I was in my late teens and it was fine, I was mainly on the cash register and it was easy. To do that same job *on paper* but in a clothes shop or shoe shop, somewhere that's busy all the time, etc, would make it a job I would dread. Have you been in the shop so you know if it's something you could deal with or not?

Also, to get fired for knocking a bin over is completely harsh. What is wrong with people?


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beneficii
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19 Dec 2013, 7:07 pm

purplefeet wrote:
You should make your own decisions for yourself. No one else will know what you find difficult/impossible, only you. If you feel you can give it a go then do, with an eye on seeing it as an experiment, maybe? It won't necessarily be a job for life.

On the other hand, if you already know it's going to make you miserable then don't do it just to please other people. There is no point in that. It will be bad for your health.

It may depend on the type of shop as well. I worked in a DIY store when I was in my late teens and it was fine, I was mainly on the cash register and it was easy. To do that same job *on paper* but in a clothes shop or shoe shop, somewhere that's busy all the time, etc, would make it a job I would dread. Have you been in the shop so you know if it's something you could deal with or not?

Also, to get fired for knocking a bin over is completely harsh. What is wrong with people?


Yes. By retail, I meant working in a store. I had a hard time with the cash register. I remember, too, working as an assistant precinct registrar in one election and they put me in the line that would get the fewest people and I was still slow in processing their stuff--I had to check for their name in the book, make sure they hadn't already voted, and then initial their sheet so they can go vote.


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chris5000
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19 Dec 2013, 7:19 pm

I know I could never do retail or food service jobs. I do well with physical labor though I spent a whole summer carrying 5/8 drywall sheets up 5 flights of really tight stairs. I felt great after a day of hard work, when I started I could barely carry one sheet without being completely out of breath by mid summer I was carrying 2 sheets at a time with no problem and at the end I was starting to handle 3 sheets at a time
I liked it because I did not have to really deal with people
I just grabbed a sheet off the truck and took it to where it was supposed to go that day then repeat for 6-8 hours



pete1061
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19 Dec 2013, 7:30 pm

I don't do well in retail either. I just can't fake the kind of attitude required for dealing with the general public.
It's not just unpleasant for me but can negatively effect the business of any employer.
Can't do restaurants either. For one the constant intense food smells would be nausiating, and the fast paced pressure of food service would bring on too much anxiety.


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loner1984
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19 Dec 2013, 9:52 pm

chris5000 wrote:
I know I could never do retail or food service jobs. I do well with physical labor though I spent a whole summer carrying 5/8 drywall sheets up 5 flights of really tight stairs. I felt great after a day of hard work, when I started I could barely carry one sheet without being completely out of breath by mid summer I was carrying 2 sheets at a time with no problem and at the end I was starting to handle 3 sheets at a time
I liked it because I did not have to really deal with people
I just grabbed a sheet off the truck and took it to where it was supposed to go that day then repeat for 6-8 hours


Now to be this sounds like an amazing job. If only there were more of these. Then I might be able to work. No dealing with people no talking no bosses. Simple repeatable task



conundrum
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20 Dec 2013, 5:40 pm

@beneficii:

I have done fast food (Taco Bell). One word: DON'T. The smells, the noise, the constant rushing pace...aagh. Plus, near the end, they had me in drive-through all the time, and trying to hear the orders while dealing with the noise from the kitchen, keying in the orders, taking the payments, AND washing dishes (!)--no, just no.

I am currently an online instructor at my university but, since that paycheck isn't enough, I also work at Walmart as a cashier, part-time (about 29 hours a week). Even that is getting exhausting, especially at this time of year. Everyone is really nice (thankfully), but it is getting to be too much...I definitely need something else, not sure what, though.

Point is: do NOT take something that's going to make you miserable and/or physically ill. You know yourself, and what you can handle, far better than anyone else. They really don't "get it", so what they're saying is irrelevant.

If your call center job is still working for you, keep it.


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