I feel like I need to get this off my chest so sorry in advance if I sound like im ranting..
I work weekends (sat and sun) and Im also a student at uni, mon-fri but I get every second friday off. So basically Im pretty busy all the time! My dad was also recently in an accident so cant drive so I'm his "taxi driver" so to speak and help him out. Basically my problem is that whenever I go into work at the weekends, Im always asked "can you do any overtime?" by my bosses and every weekend my answer is the same, no. I work backshifts, 4-8, so if I were to do overtime after uni id be going straight from it (on days that I actually finish before 4..) and then coming home to go straight to bed, as id be up early the next day, meaning I wouldnt have any time to get any work done. I keep telling them no and they give me an attitude about it in response.. they always say things like "do you not get any days off at that college youre at?" and Im like no, my timetable is really busy. Its getting to that point where its becoming really annoying because I partly feel guilty for saying no (im a massive people pleaser) and because I know theyre going to ask and its really annoying having to say why I cant every single weekend. Its like, my situation isnt going to change, Im not going to be off uni until the summer, so why keep asking every single weekend? And apart from asking that they dont ever say anything else to me anyway. If I did do overtime theyd chat away to me and actually acknowledge my existence, whereas if you dont do it youre ignored or made to feel like youre the worse employee ever.
Ive been at this job for almost 2 years now, and the pay is amazing for the few hours I do and the staff I work with are great and make me feel better, but its coming to the point where its so repetitive (which i know I cant complain about because the majority of low-skilled jobs arent going to involve anything different) and I feel undervalued, I know this is just a job to get by and have money for uni, but whenever Ive had those meetings where they ask if youd want any new training or where you see yourself in a year, the only new training they offer me is to be doing almost the same thing as i am now but just extra things which dont appeal to me (I clean, a step 'up' would be dishing up food) and I feel like they arent prepared to acknowledge my skills and abilities and take me on to do anything else. I know there arent a lot of opportunities these days with the economy and the job situation so I am grateful for having a job, but sometimes I wonder if being unhappy is really worth it? Ill be at uni for another 3 years after this year, so if I stay at my job thatll be almost 5 years ill have been there, doing the exact same thing and being asked every weekend the exact same thing. I suppose ive deviated from my original question but Im just wondering if how pissed off they act about me saying no means that me not doing any overtime is bad and could maybe lead to them just firing me and finding someone else whos not a student who can do extra hours? I know the obvious answer might be no but just the vibe I get off them makes me nervous.