(no subject)
So orientation happened, which I have mixed feelings about. On one hand, I'm really excited to be working in an atmosphere where the other employees are more likely to, I don't know. Share some of my general ideals about life? A bookstore should be staffed by people who like to read and learn new things, as opposed to a department store which can be staffed by whoever. I was a little proud to think that I'd be able to say I was employed by this company, because it's a company with good standing and seems well thought of by its customers, of which I am one.
Then that feeling was ruined with the knowledge that the other people being hired were there to become booksellers. I was there to pour coffee. The lady that hired me had talked about having me do more than one thing, but I think now that might have just been lipservice, because all employees have to train in all sections of the store, so while I could be called upon to sell books, I'm there to pour coffee.
And I doubt the other people are going to be called upon to pour coffee.
I don't have a particular issue with pouring coffee, but it seemed like a lot of the very exciting and interesting training stuff mentioned in the manual would not apply to me. Opportunities for advancement? Only if you're there to sell books! Encouraging everyone to read the new releases? Well sure you can, but that's going to be more useful for booksellers.
Then one of the girls that walked into the breakroom mentioned that she's a published author of four books and I felt like killing myself. She's probably younger than I am.
I can console myself that she said she writes YA fiction, which to me is published fanfic. There can be exceptionally good fanfic and exceptionally good YA fiction, but in general, YA books make me feel like I've read a fanfic of a really good series that has a lot more canon somewhere that I can't access.
Fortunately I didn't say any bullshit about being a writer myself. Everyone is an aspiring writer these days, with just as many (zero) completed works to their name and god knows what chance of ever being published.
Anyway I think I'm just a little butthurt because I'm going to be working in a place that I think is very cool, because I'm very passionate and excited about books, but I am not passionate about coffee, and coffee is what I'm going to be doing instead of books.
But maybe that's not true, maybe I'll decide it doesn't matter because jobs are jobs and even awesome sounding jobs come with their own 'stop having fun, we're here to make money' things. People who love movies don't have to be excited to work at a movie theater or a rental place, because those jobs involve a lot that is not ...you know, movies. It's about pushing product and advertising and sales promotions. Maybe I'll realize that selling books can just as tedious as renting movies. The cashier part is the same thing.
Maybe it's more that I still don't have a career relating to what I went to college for, and this could've maybe been a step towards that career, but I'm there to pour coffee part-time. Maybe it's okay anyway, because it's still going to put me in contact with a lot of books, and maybe my raging jealousy will push me to waste less time on roleplay and invest more time in writing something of my own. I do think it's a good idea to read the competition, after all.
This will probably be a really good opportunity for me either way.
Then that feeling was ruined with the knowledge that the other people being hired were there to become booksellers. I was there to pour coffee. The lady that hired me had talked about having me do more than one thing, but I think now that might have just been lipservice, because all employees have to train in all sections of the store, so while I could be called upon to sell books, I'm there to pour coffee.
And I doubt the other people are going to be called upon to pour coffee.
I don't have a particular issue with pouring coffee, but it seemed like a lot of the very exciting and interesting training stuff mentioned in the manual would not apply to me. Opportunities for advancement? Only if you're there to sell books! Encouraging everyone to read the new releases? Well sure you can, but that's going to be more useful for booksellers.
Then one of the girls that walked into the breakroom mentioned that she's a published author of four books and I felt like killing myself. She's probably younger than I am.
I can console myself that she said she writes YA fiction, which to me is published fanfic. There can be exceptionally good fanfic and exceptionally good YA fiction, but in general, YA books make me feel like I've read a fanfic of a really good series that has a lot more canon somewhere that I can't access.
Fortunately I didn't say any bullshit about being a writer myself. Everyone is an aspiring writer these days, with just as many (zero) completed works to their name and god knows what chance of ever being published.
Anyway I think I'm just a little butthurt because I'm going to be working in a place that I think is very cool, because I'm very passionate and excited about books, but I am not passionate about coffee, and coffee is what I'm going to be doing instead of books.
But maybe that's not true, maybe I'll decide it doesn't matter because jobs are jobs and even awesome sounding jobs come with their own 'stop having fun, we're here to make money' things. People who love movies don't have to be excited to work at a movie theater or a rental place, because those jobs involve a lot that is not ...you know, movies. It's about pushing product and advertising and sales promotions. Maybe I'll realize that selling books can just as tedious as renting movies. The cashier part is the same thing.
Maybe it's more that I still don't have a career relating to what I went to college for, and this could've maybe been a step towards that career, but I'm there to pour coffee part-time. Maybe it's okay anyway, because it's still going to put me in contact with a lot of books, and maybe my raging jealousy will push me to waste less time on roleplay and invest more time in writing something of my own. I do think it's a good idea to read the competition, after all.
This will probably be a really good opportunity for me either way.