First to anyone who is still following me and doesn't know about it yet I'd like to draw your attention to this blog http://booksellerswithoutborders.blogspot.com/. It's the bookselling blog that my friends (former co-workers) and I have to share our love of books with others.
I am currently unemployed and have been since Sept 15th. I have gone on several interviews with no luck. in about 2 months my unemployment benefits run out.
Some happy news though making this transition a bit stressful is that shortly after I lost my job I discovered I'm expecting. My husband and I are happy, but nervous at the aspect of becoming new parents and my finding a job since apparently nobody wants to hire a 20 week pregnant lady, no matter how good her resume is, or how hard she will work!
So that is all with me....remember follow http://booksellerswithoutborders.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Friday, September 16, 2011
It is finished....
It's been a long time, a very long time since I blogged. I do not wish liquidation on anyone. Once the discount minimum was 50% people went nuts!!! We closed on Wednesday and our vacate day was yesterday. It was fun but sad. The easiest thing I could relate this to is a death, with a 1.5 month longer wake and the funeral was yesterday.
One of the most emotional times was near the end. Our consultant knew we had former employees come to the store so he said to us "I'm going to take my time going to Dunkin Donuts, do what you need to do."
We had a toast to our futures and the store, then we went outside to wait for him to come back. Then he took my management team and I back into the store. We all walked to info and then he said "You come with me while I turn off the lights." we walked a bit further in and he turned to me and said "Im going to let you turn off the lights." I had tears in my eyes while I continued on to the back of the store. I turned the lights off in the stock room, then I turned them off in the break room and offices. I walked up to the cafe and turned those lights off. I followed the management team and consultant out of the store and made sure the door was locked.....
Such and emotional moment, but I wanted to be the last one out of the building and I was....I love my staff so much. Today has been unreal, I've been texting with my staff but it's over. I am relieved it's done but so so sad.
One of the most emotional times was near the end. Our consultant knew we had former employees come to the store so he said to us "I'm going to take my time going to Dunkin Donuts, do what you need to do."
We had a toast to our futures and the store, then we went outside to wait for him to come back. Then he took my management team and I back into the store. We all walked to info and then he said "You come with me while I turn off the lights." we walked a bit further in and he turned to me and said "Im going to let you turn off the lights." I had tears in my eyes while I continued on to the back of the store. I turned the lights off in the stock room, then I turned them off in the break room and offices. I walked up to the cafe and turned those lights off. I followed the management team and consultant out of the store and made sure the door was locked.....
Such and emotional moment, but I wanted to be the last one out of the building and I was....I love my staff so much. Today has been unreal, I've been texting with my staff but it's over. I am relieved it's done but so so sad.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Saying Goodbye
This is something I can't figure out how to say at this point. Today marked my boss's last day. I am now the GM of the store.I must admit at one point I really did want to be a GM for Borders, but I really didn't want it in this way. I am thanking God right now that I have a very supportive team behind me. My liquidating consultant has been phenominal, I have heard so many horror stories about how evil some have been. Thankfully mine is not, he buys us food and coffee and respects how hard we work.
I also have wonderful staff members who have my back (you guys know who you are). But for right now I don't know how to say good-bye to this place. This place that I have grown to love through thick and thin over the past 8 years.....The best way I can express how I feel are through lyrics from the Muppets of all things!
The song Saying Goodbye takes place during Muppets take Manhattan when they say good-bye to each other when their plans do not go the way they wanted to.
So for now I leave you with the song...Maybe within the next 6 weeks I will find the words to be able to say what I want to say...
Saying goodbye, going away
Seems like goodbye's such a hard thing to say
Touching our hands, wondering why
It's time for saying goodbye.
Saying goodbye, why is it sad?
Makes us remember the good times we've had
Much more to say, foolish to try
It's time for saying goodbye.
Don't want to leave, but we both know
Sometimes its better to go
Somehow I know, we'll meet again
Not sure quite where and I don't know just when
You're in my heart, so until then
It's time for saying goodbye.
Somehow I know, we'll meet again
Not sure quite where and I don't know just when
You're in my heart so until then
Wanna smile
Wanna cry
Saying goodbye
La la la la, la la la la
It's time for saying goodbye
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la-la la la.
Seems like goodbye's such a hard thing to say
Touching our hands, wondering why
It's time for saying goodbye.
Saying goodbye, why is it sad?
Makes us remember the good times we've had
Much more to say, foolish to try
It's time for saying goodbye.
Don't want to leave, but we both know
Sometimes its better to go
Somehow I know, we'll meet again
Not sure quite where and I don't know just when
You're in my heart, so until then
It's time for saying goodbye.
Somehow I know, we'll meet again
Not sure quite where and I don't know just when
You're in my heart so until then
Wanna smile
Wanna cry
Saying goodbye
La la la la, la la la la
It's time for saying goodbye
La la la la, la la la la
La la la la-la la la.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Hitting Rock Bottom
Around this time 8 years ago I hit rock bottom in a job search. I had been out of work since February and couldn't find anything. I thought I could work in a bank but they wanted cash handling experience, which I thought I had none. In reality I did, I was cookie manager for the Girl Scout troop I was leading for about 2 years at that time. I was in bed looking at the classifieds when I saw an ad for a hiring open house. It was for Borders.
8 years later I find myself in a similar place. I have put out at least 20+ applications and have had no call backs, until yesterday. I received a call from one place, but they are asking me to give up Tuesday nights which I refuse to so. Chorus was there when I didn't have a job, I will do my best to keep it in my life.
Today I received another call from a potential employer, this time I was pre-screened and then asked to take a short assessment online. I did and now I actually have an interview somewhere. Will I get a job there, I don't know. But it gives me hope that I am not a lost cause.
I never really mentioned this before, but the day of the open house, I almost didn't go. I was so upset about not finding anything that I was thinking what the point was. But I did go and I did end up getting the job.
What would have happened to me if I didn't go, well I'm grateful I don't know the answer to that. Instead I have a large amount of friends who I happen to work with. Borders has been one of the best things that has happened to me. I got to share my love of reading (which by the way I have been doing for almost 30 years now), and make a living doing it. I am so sad that I won't have that joy anymore, but I am glad that another door is starting to open.
I guess what I'm trying to say, is that sometimes you have to hit rock bottom, to fully enjoy what you have and what you are striving to get back.
8 years later I find myself in a similar place. I have put out at least 20+ applications and have had no call backs, until yesterday. I received a call from one place, but they are asking me to give up Tuesday nights which I refuse to so. Chorus was there when I didn't have a job, I will do my best to keep it in my life.
Today I received another call from a potential employer, this time I was pre-screened and then asked to take a short assessment online. I did and now I actually have an interview somewhere. Will I get a job there, I don't know. But it gives me hope that I am not a lost cause.
I never really mentioned this before, but the day of the open house, I almost didn't go. I was so upset about not finding anything that I was thinking what the point was. But I did go and I did end up getting the job.
What would have happened to me if I didn't go, well I'm grateful I don't know the answer to that. Instead I have a large amount of friends who I happen to work with. Borders has been one of the best things that has happened to me. I got to share my love of reading (which by the way I have been doing for almost 30 years now), and make a living doing it. I am so sad that I won't have that joy anymore, but I am glad that another door is starting to open.
I guess what I'm trying to say, is that sometimes you have to hit rock bottom, to fully enjoy what you have and what you are striving to get back.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Ugh list of the nasty customers I've met
I haven't posted in a bit, mostly because I've been so busy but also because some of the stuff I've encountered is disturbing.....
In the past week I've had customers complain about not being able to do returns. Best story by far happened Thursday. I'm called to the register for a customer concern. Customer purchased an umbrella the day before because it was pouring. The umbrella apparently was broken and the customer wanted to return it. I politely tell her no because of the liquidation. She asks about an exchange. I then state that we cannot accept any exchanges as well (per the same reason). She asks to speak to a manager, I say that I am one. She gets snippy saying that she got soaked because she purchased this faulty umbrella. My hands are tied I say. She again tries to exchange and again I say no.
She knows she's not getting anywhere with me so she asks to speak to my manager, who of course is on break and not in the building (along with our liquidating consultant). She then states that this is why we are bankrupt (yes truly because we are following the rules of the liquidation company THAT is why we are bankrupt), and that my entire staff deserves to lose their jobs. She must have seen a spark in my eye because I'm sorry you do not have a problem with my staff you have a problem with me enforcing a rule which is printed behind the cashwrap on black and yellow signs as well as on the bottom of her receipt which she didn't have! I wanted to scream at her until she said that I deserved to lose my job....ok thank you for not stating my staff deserved to lose their jobs, just me. She walks away and I go to leave the register area when I hear her yell for me again. She wants my managers name, I give it to her shove the piece of paper I wrote it on in her hand, smile and say "Have a nice day."
As she is going out the door, the associate who called me up in the first place calls out "Well it's obvious she has never purchased an umbrella in the city, by the time you go into the first store it's broken!"
sigh, I've had another customer tell me it's not fair that we have certain books of a series in bargain and others are not, I said to him "Well it's not fair that 30 people in this store are losing their jobs but I can't do anything about that either!"
Love liquidation......This week is spirit week, there's been minimal participation but the fun days are coming....Tomorrow Pajama day, Wednesday Halloween in August, Thursday Storybook Character day, Friday Sports Team pride day and last but not least Christmas in August complete with Holiday music whoooot!
It's the little things that I like to make it fun for them all...I love my staff as if they were my blood family....
In the past week I've had customers complain about not being able to do returns. Best story by far happened Thursday. I'm called to the register for a customer concern. Customer purchased an umbrella the day before because it was pouring. The umbrella apparently was broken and the customer wanted to return it. I politely tell her no because of the liquidation. She asks about an exchange. I then state that we cannot accept any exchanges as well (per the same reason). She asks to speak to a manager, I say that I am one. She gets snippy saying that she got soaked because she purchased this faulty umbrella. My hands are tied I say. She again tries to exchange and again I say no.
She knows she's not getting anywhere with me so she asks to speak to my manager, who of course is on break and not in the building (along with our liquidating consultant). She then states that this is why we are bankrupt (yes truly because we are following the rules of the liquidation company THAT is why we are bankrupt), and that my entire staff deserves to lose their jobs. She must have seen a spark in my eye because I'm sorry you do not have a problem with my staff you have a problem with me enforcing a rule which is printed behind the cashwrap on black and yellow signs as well as on the bottom of her receipt which she didn't have! I wanted to scream at her until she said that I deserved to lose my job....ok thank you for not stating my staff deserved to lose their jobs, just me. She walks away and I go to leave the register area when I hear her yell for me again. She wants my managers name, I give it to her shove the piece of paper I wrote it on in her hand, smile and say "Have a nice day."
As she is going out the door, the associate who called me up in the first place calls out "Well it's obvious she has never purchased an umbrella in the city, by the time you go into the first store it's broken!"
sigh, I've had another customer tell me it's not fair that we have certain books of a series in bargain and others are not, I said to him "Well it's not fair that 30 people in this store are losing their jobs but I can't do anything about that either!"
Love liquidation......This week is spirit week, there's been minimal participation but the fun days are coming....Tomorrow Pajama day, Wednesday Halloween in August, Thursday Storybook Character day, Friday Sports Team pride day and last but not least Christmas in August complete with Holiday music whoooot!
It's the little things that I like to make it fun for them all...I love my staff as if they were my blood family....
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Day off
I haven't posted in 2 days, 1 because I didn't get home from the Titanic (as we like to call the store) until after midnight on Saturday, and then I had a day off.
Friday was ehh, I took a video of the place, but it's apparently too big to email from my phone....
Yesterday I had a chorus coaching session and then picnic afterwards. It was nice to get away from the store and the situation, but it kept coming up. I love my chorus family dearly, and they have the same concerns as many of the customers we have. But instead of concern for the store, they have direct concern for me.
Today I leave in an hour to go get my store ready for RGIS...UGH UGH UGH. I hate RGIS, I hate the whole process. And what's worse is that we have limited people this time...
Well That's all I got for now....off again tomorrow, maybe I'll post, maybe I won't...
Friday was ehh, I took a video of the place, but it's apparently too big to email from my phone....
Yesterday I had a chorus coaching session and then picnic afterwards. It was nice to get away from the store and the situation, but it kept coming up. I love my chorus family dearly, and they have the same concerns as many of the customers we have. But instead of concern for the store, they have direct concern for me.
Today I leave in an hour to go get my store ready for RGIS...UGH UGH UGH. I hate RGIS, I hate the whole process. And what's worse is that we have limited people this time...
Well That's all I got for now....off again tomorrow, maybe I'll post, maybe I won't...
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