So I finally landed a job offer after being unemployed for over 8 months. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was ready to go back to work.
This time it was an outpatient pharmacy, and it was supposed to be the state of the art facility. The pay was great, and so I was looking forward to it. I started imagining myself working at this big, organized, and clean pharmacy. I was picturing a great workplace. Everything described on the job posting.
I thought, finally, I’ll get to have a proper schedule and meet new people. It’s gonna boost my resume up. I had so many things going on in my head. I was thinking of staying with the company long term because they did have positions for RN’s so I figured once I become an RN, I can move up internally without having to apply and look for RN position jobs. It was working out perfectly.
I received a confirmation email two days before my starting date, and I was waiting to hear back from a supervisor/coordinator about the time and exact location. No one reached out to me. I only got an email saying, “be there by 8 a.m.” There were no details about where to park and whom to meet with. I started thinking that it was so unprofessional of them, but then I gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe due to COVID-19, they’re busy and unable to reply back with details.
The next morning I woke up around 6 a.m. I only had about 3 hours of sleep because my baby kept me up all night. I left the house around 7 a.m because I didn’t want to be late on my first day, and I had to figure out parking since they mentioned the garage and shuttle, so I didn’t want to miss my shuttle.
Once I got there, I was so lost. I started getting frustrated because they weren’t clear on which parking garage to park at. I finally managed to park my car in the garages that read for new and day shift employees only. I got into the shuttle, and I was dropped off at a different site. The shuttle doesn’t go anywhere else. So I had to ask around for directions to the pharmacy. I had to walk another 3 minutes to the pharmacy. I felt so relieved, and I thought once I get into the pharmacy and meet new people, I’ll feel better.
I had to wait for someone to come in the front since there was no formal orientation, so I had to wait in line with every other customer. Once one of the techs became available, I introduced myself, and she was really lovely. She made me sit down and had me wait for the manager. The waiting area looked quite small and dusty. Once the manager came in and introduced herself, she showed me around. The managers’ office was a lunchroom. It was like a closet space with two computers, an old coat rack, a microwave, and a small refrigerator. She took me to the workplace, which was so cramped up, and there were no proper work stations. Everything was so chaotic. There was no place to move around without being bumped into anyone. I felt claustrophobic.
I started training with one of the other techs. All the techs were very helpful and welcoming. I appreciated that, but the system they used was so complicated, and the way the medications were arranged was so disorganized that it took sometime before a patient’s medication was found. What threw me off completely is when the manager asked me what my strong areas were, and I said I prefer typing and filling the prescription, to which she was like, “okay, then what does ou mean?” That threw me off guard because you asked me a question to test my knowledge in front of other techs. And I gave her a wrong answer to which she was replied, “that’s wrong. I thought it was your strongest area.” Then I had to explain to her that I needed a refresher since I’m back to work after almost eight months. Later she apologized, but I felt like she embarrassed me.
The whole day went by, and no one was telling me what my schedule is for today or when it is lunchtime. They kept making me wait on the scheduling coordinator who came really late. Their system wasn’t working that day, so I couldn’t get a username or a badge. Everything was a mess. Finally, around 12 p.m, I got to have lunch. And then I asked the scheduling coordinator when I could leave, and she said it’s up to me since it’s my first day. So around 3:30, I had enough, and I was overwhelmed, so I was gonna leave, but the coordinator went somewhere and didn’t come back for a half-hour. I decided to ask the supervisor, and he’s like, “why do you wanna leave? Don’t ask me. I don’t know anything.”
I was so angry. Like no one knew anything. Anyways after the coordinator came back, I asked for permission to leave, and she was like, “yeah, no problem go ahead.”
Once I came back home, I wanted to cry. I hated my first day. I didn’t want to go back. After discussing with my family, I emailed the recruiter that night, expressing my feelings towards the job. I felt so good after I sent that email. I felt free.
I know beggars can’t be choosers, but it’s not worth it if it means sacrificing your mental health. I continued applying to different places and finally was able to get a position at a much better place and with higher pay. I kept telling myself that I would’ve been so miserable if I let myself stay at that place and would’ve never found better opportunities. I’m glad that I went with my gut and quit the same day even though it’s not like me to do such a thing. But I did it for myself and my family because I did not want to pass on the negativity to my loved ones.
The Studious Mom 