I'm so slow, and have a bad memory

These in turn make me pretty frustrating for my work mates and managers. It's taking a toll on my self esteem too as I can just sense my managers getting more annoyed with me. I've heard one imply that I'm useless, almost speaking so loudly that he wanted me to hear. Another said to me the other day 'do you find it hard to follow simple instructions' in a way that made me feel so small.

The thing is, it's totally deserved. I can't be pissed off at them as I get how I must be annoying them. I've been working here part time around college for nearly three months now and I feel worse about myself now than when I started. They expect me to know certain things and I feel like an idiot asking how, to which one guy will almost roll his eyes at, or tell me the jist of what to do and when I try, and mess things up he'll seem even more annoyed.

I suck so much, and what makes it so hard is that I'm trying my best, and still making lots of mistakes, whether it be my awful short term memory making me seen like an absolute idiot, or sheer cluelessness when it comes to most things in my job.

The positives for me are that I feel confident speaking to customers, despite having a piss poor knowledge of the general stuff/animals our shop sells, and I'm good on the till (about the most brainless part of the job). That's all I feel good at, and the first one is nearly pointless if I don't know what I'm talking about.

Wtf is wrong with me? How can I improve? My brain and thought processes just seem to fail when I'm at work. I feel like a useless peice of crap.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

musketeer

What do you work as and where? How long have you worked there for?

Reply 2

SteveBlade

Part time sales assistant in a big pet store. Nearly three months.

Reply 3

musketeer

Original post by SteveBlade

Part time sales assistant in a big pet store. Nearly three months.

I'm going to assume it's Pets at Home?

Firstly, educate yourself on the various animals in the store. There are loads of pet forums on the internet, I can recommend a very good one for you.

Write lists of things you have to do at work, take notes when someone gives you advice or when you're stuck so you don't end up making the same mistakes again. If this is your first job, you're in for a rough ride.

Animal people are b*tchy, combine that with retail and you've a whole heap of nasty. Keep your head down, your mouth shut and soak up everything you can. Ask you manager or supervisor to go through your training with you again at a time convenient to them, bring a notepad and pen and take down as much of it as possible, then commit it to memory.

Finally, as mentioned above, retail is a b*tchy place to be. Managers, supervisors and staff may take a dislike to you but unfortunately that is what work involves. Keep yourself right and let it roll off your back.