Problems with applications- Reason for Leaving last employment

Bamber19

Hi, i'm having problems with what to say for the reaosn i left my last employment. The story goes that i was employed in a Supermarket as a cashier just before turning 18, i worked there for around 6 months before one day i was asked to go outside and move trolleys, after clarifying tha this was a one-off due to someone going home ill i done this for the rest of my shift which was only around an hour. I wasn't in again for a few days and when i went back in was asked to do it again, i refused on this occasion and was told "that's ok, just go back to the checkout" which i did only to be summoned to a room at the back where i was asked again to do it, this time i siad no and was told they were desperate and that others had been asked and refused so i was the only one left, i enquired further to this and after asking, it was confirmed that i was being asked(although they meant told) to do this purely because i was a young male, further to this i asked how many females and how many of the staff aged over 50 had been asked to do it, "none" was the reply. It was at this point accepted that this was not part of my duties and i had no obligation to do this. i continued my shift that day. The next day was a Saturday and i was working early, when i wnet in i was asked if i would go outside and shift trolleys,when i siad no i was told to go on a till as sual but almost instantly was summoned to the managers office where i was questioned about it and when i informed the 2 senior workers(2 were there in the hope i'd resign on the spot with 2 witnesses i later learned that this was a standard practice) after coming back at every question with just the opposite answer they wanted (i.e the answer that said "i know i'm right here and it's unlikely you're about to outsmart me) i was lied to that they had actually changed my contract. After informing them that this would defeat the purpose of a contract and that i was aware that individual, direct notice had to be given for changes in contracts the manager mumbled "we do things differently" and told me i'd be suspended on full pay until a disciplinary meeting, then humorously got me to sign a form that said i could not enter the premises before the meeting wuthout the written or oral permission of the undersigned (yes, me, so i could give myself permission, i decided not to though) A week later i was notified the meeting would be in a few days, i sought the advice of a relative who has a high standing within a retail company and was advised not to attend the meeting but instead resign by writing a letter to the HR head at head office detailing events. I took the advice and quit. Since then i've applied for a few jobs(this was almost two years ago but i'm a student living with parents so i haven't completely needed to work) with no success and i'm pretty sure it's because i have no idea what to put on the form when it asks why i left, pure honesty gives the wrong impression, the reality is i was being treated differently based on my age and sex, being asked to do a task i wasn't trained for(ok the level of training needed is probably non existent but those employed in this position did receive training that i had not had) The biggest problem i have is that i'm now 3rd yera Law and will be applying for traineeships soon, so i need to have a good, honest reason for leaving but a way of saying it that doesn;t sound negative, also when applying for these positions it's expected you have a previous work History to talk about so i need to be getting a job as soon as so agian need to be able to phrase my reason for leaving better.

sarahlouise210

"I left my previous employment as the conditions of my contract were revised and no longer met the position I had applied for. The job was only ever intended to be a part time job for a short period to provide a source of income and an experience in the workplace."

MJMum

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shameless-about-money

sarahlouise210 wrote: »

"I left my previous employment as the conditions of my contract were revised and no longer met the position I had applied for. The job was only ever intended to be a part time job for a short period to provide a source of income and an experience in the workplace."

The employer is not allowed to revise the conditions of contract unless the employee signs the agreement first.

Oldernotwiser

Do you really think that any future employers will actually care about this? Your standard of written English and bolshy attitude are likely to be far greater problems for you in your future career!

Optimist

Sorry but I found your post extremely difficult to read, however if I got the gist of it correct I would not even mention your previous employment at the supermarket.

ilovemycats

Working in a supermarket is NOT a proper job. I did an 8-year stretch from aged 16 right through college and university. All it was was a pretend job. So don't worry about it. :-)

A number of the people in these places are pedantic jobsworths who get off on gossip. Having shopped in Asda a few weeks back I should have known what to expect. I went to the self scan till as everyone was queuing in the isles. "Item not recognised," "There is an item on the thing," that'd be my handbag. I just gave up and walked out. And following behind me was some jumped up customer service person asking me if I was going to pay for that!!?? "No." "You have to!!" "Excuse me, I don't have to do anything." And at which point I walked off with this daft cow saying she was calling security. !!!!!! are these people on!! My life does not revolve around Asda and being told what I can and cannot do.

So. You have nothing to worry about. You sound young. And most people don't even start work properly until their early 20's. I think that you're focusing on things that aren't there. Rise above it.

Good luck

Aly xx

ps. If you need a reason for leaving then just write on the application form, "Resigned due to monotinous insanity." Anyone of any stature will recognise this. Anyone with a self importance bee up their bum who takes exception to this won't be worth working for anyway. They all think alike.

pps. You have had a valuable experience in life, not a job.

CFC

I pity the future employers of Bamber and I love my cats.

Talk about attitude.

ilovemycats

CFC wrote: »

I pity the future employers of Bamber and I love my cats.

Talk about attitude.

It's not attitude. It's called NOT BEING OWNED BY YOUR BOSS, and going into work everyday and taking pride in what you do. Something quite unlike the experiences you'll have with oh, however many threads raised today complaining about something or other.

If you're only here to throw criticism about then what are you even here for? Oh, that's it isn't it, to complain about something. Which is why you have however many hundred posts and I have forty. Hovering over a website where everyone is continually complaining about something, or looking to make your next dig is a bit sad really.

Curley

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Do you really think that any future employers will actually care about this? Your standard of written English and bolshy attitude are likely to be far greater problems for you in your future career!

He's here for advice, not for criticism.

Oldernotwiser

That is advice; improving his written English and his attitude will be far more help to him in a legal career than worrying about how he came to leave a student job!