What should I do about my job?

Hello! I studied photography & graphic design on a foundation degree course and graduated last Summer. Since then, because i've not got a job in the area I'd like to - either photography/design/journalism... business say to me "you need experience" then when you apply for experience, no one is interested or ever gets back to you.

So I've continued working at Marks & Spencer. I started there during the course, and I like it. The people are really nice, and although i'm only contracted 8 hours a week (one Saturday), up until New Year, I managed to get around 30 hours a week. Not full time, but it's not been too bad. But since New Year, they've had to cut back a little and so there's no overtime so i'm just on 8 hours a week, except for the odd week or two where i've managed extra. Someone reckons it'll be like that until the new tax year (April) so I applied elsewhere.

The only thing near me was Sainsbury's. I went to the interview. I got a phone call saying I could work there on one condition - I leave M&S (I couldn't stay at M&S on a Saturday and then work the 3 weekdays at Sainsbury's) because I "can't have 2 jobs in food retail" (what Sainsbury's said).

So here's my choice at the moment. After speaking to my manager, they're not sure if there will be extra hours/new contracts in April - they can't say no or yes. The thing is, a lot of people have left recently and it's always understaffed so they'll have to replace people at some point.

But what would you do? Stay working at M&S and hope there is extra in a few weeks, or leave, and go to Sainsbury's which is 3 days a week.

I don't wish to stay in retail forever, but I really like my current job. Everyone is just so friendly, it's a good company, £7.10 an hour (vs Sainsburys' £6.50 something) and another thing... it's a 20 minute walk away. The nearest Sainsbury's job was a 30 minute bus journey away from me (and £6 a return trip, so £18 over 3 days). I don't have a car yet, I don't drink alcohol, and I have savings. Plus Sainsbury's isn't the only job in the World. Or do you think i'd be much better going off there incase M&S can't give me extra on a permanent basis?

Something I didn't like about Sainsbury's is their customer service. M&S has a high standard of customer service which I like, and I couldn't see that at Sainsbury's. When you ring a manager at M&S (via the store number) it's "Hello, good afternoon, M&S in *location*, *name* on *department* speaking, how can I help you?". Meanwhile at Sainsbury's, when I had to ring up, he said "Hello?", plus in the interview at Sainsbury's, he was chatting to me about the 2 day induction and paperwork and things and he kept saying "how boring is it". One of the people taking me to the office to be interviewed there was telling me she's been there too long and wants to leave to. I'd be worried i'd move there and hate it!

What do I do? Like I said, Sainsbury's isn't the only job out there, and I don't want to stay in retail.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

BANS2012

Stay with M&S and keep expressing your interests in wanting additional hours. Also, show that your willing to learn and take on more responsibility. No matter how 'small' the task may seem, it'll certainly put you in a good light. I did this and went from 7hr Saturday contract to a 37.5 hr contract in the matter of 2 months.

I left M&S to work for sainsbury(no management opportunities at M&S) and I somewhat wish I had the patience and stayed with M&S because i loved working for them.Where as at sainsbury , being a colleague is that bit more difficult than a colleague in M&S

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move to sainsbury's

I'd say stay at M&S.

Definitely stay at M&S for the time being. Try and keep nudging them to see you as a high-quality employee who wants more hours, so when they do come up, you will be first in line. Up your customer service, get noticed through your good work.

Meanwhile, though... look for more jobs! There will be more out there. Don't stop applying, new things will come up, and you have to make sure you won't miss them. Don't be too disillusioned with being out of the industry you wanted to get into, either, keep looking there (assuming you aren't).

I think you should forget Sainsbury's. It's anecdotal, but I know of people who hate working there and I do feel that, coming from a place you are comfortable in, you will regret it before too long. It's also really strange that they say you cannot have a second job, even though you aren't full-time. o.o I wouldn't stand for that. Also - the fact that you would have to pay out a large chunk of a day's work to travel is really irritating, I've had to do that but was 'hoping' they would give me enough hours to make it worthwhile. They didn't, and it was barely worth coming in at all!

Reply 5

Holby_fanatic

Go to Sainsbury's. £18 a week is like 3 hours of work. Three more than you'll have at Marks and Spencer at the minute. Do you want money or nice people? Sometimes compromises have to be made.

Reply 6

MJ1012

Stay at Marks and Spencer, decrease in pay rate, unlikely you'll enjoy it as much and more travel time at Sainsburys.
I'd wait at M and S, they seem to have been quite good to you at getting overtime and I assume will offer it if it becomes a possibility in the near future, which you say is not unlikely.

Reply 7

Rodderrrrrs

Original post by BANS2012

Original post by Guy Secretan

move to sainsbury's

Original post by katiiiiie

I'd say stay at M&S.

Original post by awe

Original post by Holby_fanatic

Go to Sainsbury's. £18 a week is like 3 hours of work. Three more than you'll have at Marks and Spencer at the minute. Do you want money or nice people? Sometimes compromises have to be made.

Original post by MJ1012

Thanks for all your answers! In reply to awe, I'm constantly going on at them, and I've been told i'll be first to know about any extra hours. I've been noticed for my customer service and got an award for it recently! Plus i've been going in when they want me to, I worked 5 nights in a row of 9pm to 6am over Christmas, and have always helped them out so hopefully they'll return the favour for me.

As for Sainsbury's... when I went in for the interview, I had to interrupt staff who were just casually chatting to sign me in. When I went for the M&S interview, it was totally different. They've got excellent customer service. For the Sainsbury's interview, I had to sit on my own in a room watching a DVD for 40 minutes which was just questions about customer service and after that, he came in and just asked me if I had my passport, if I had a bank account, and if I could definitely work those days I applied for. Whereas with M&S, it was roleplays and they were asking me much more and they seemed enthusiastic about the company. I need to be happy where I'm working and I don't think Sainsbury's is for me. If I didn't get any extra at M&S, there's plenty more jobs out there. It's not Sainsbury's vs nothing for the rest of my life.

Reply 8

awe

Original post by Rodderrrrrs

Yeah, it doesn't sound like what you want/need at all - glad you saw that. Definitely not Sainsbury's v nothing at all, of course. Hope it works out with M&S or otherwise for you.

Reply 9

Rodderrrrrs

Original post by awe

Yeah, it doesn't sound like what you want/need at all - glad you saw that. Definitely not Sainsbury's v nothing at all, of course. Hope it works out with M&S or otherwise for you.