Publix Essay Example for Free

Publix Essay October sixth my birthday. Just turning sixteen years old. I finally got a car, a license, and a bunch of friends to tote around. The only probably being, I didnt have a job. Now that I was legal to work in the United States, I couldnt wait to finally get a job and have my own money. I knew that I would have to get one once I turned 16. My parents were always super strict on being independent and developing work experience, so I started applying places. The first thing that set me up for failure was the time of the year I was applying. Its a fact that late fall, and winter time is the worst time to apply for a job, because companies do not want to take on new people right as the busy time is rolling in. Another thing is my standards on where I would apply, and where I would not. And Publix grocery store was number one on that list. I had such a bad idea in my brain about Publix. I thought that it was such a low job, that only people who were desperate worked as baggers there. After putting in more than fifty applications and only getting one call back, I finally broke down and applied to Publix. Take in mind, this was about a month and half after I turned sixteen; so I was paying for gas in change I found in couch cushions, and money I made from doing chores. About January 4th, after I forgot I even put in an application, I got a call while I was working out at Planet Fitness, the call was from Ramona Novak, the administrative coordinator at the Publix on the island. She called to ask if I was still interested in coming in for an interview. I said yes, and she told me to come in that Friday. I got off the phone, and I told my friends, Cambria and Chloe who I had just talked to, and told them I had an interview at Publix but I didnt think I was going to go because I didnt want to bag groceries for a living. They talked me into going, and that I didnt have anything to lose. Come that Friday, I was a nervous wreck. And I never get nervous. I love getting in front of crowds, talking in front of people, and just being myself all the time. But people who have authority over me and who can pretty much make or break a situtation make me entirely too nervous. I left school early that Friday, because I didnt want to start my future Publix career late to my interview. I remember exactly what I wore, and let me just say it was not interview appropriate I had on jeans, worn out brown winter boots, a black cardigan, and a cheetah scarf. Sounds okay for a high school student, but definitely not for an interview, I pretty much set myself up for failure. I arrived to the store ten minutes early, because my dad always told me if your not five minutes early, then you are late. Punctuality is always a good thing. I waited at customer service, not having any idea who to talk to, or what to do. They finally noticed me awkwardly standing there and asked me if I needed help. I told them I had an interview, and they took my upstairs to wait. I sat down in the break room, nervously awaiting my fate. I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. The door finally swung open, and Ramona told me to come into the office. It was time for my interview. I walked in, and shook hands with the one and only, Mr.  Dave Scott. He asked me basic questions, then we got into school stuff, work experience, why I wanted this job, and I felt like I was taking a quiz in chemistry class, not knowing any of the right answers. Mr. Scott told me that he had a report card he would have to fill out whenever I left which made me even more nervous. The interview lasted probably ten minutes tops. I thanked him for his time, and he told me he would look over it and hopefully give me a call. I walked out of his office, thinking Id never enter this building again. I knew I had blown it. He didnt like me, he thought I was too inexperienced, I wouldnt fit in here, I answered the questions all wrong. All I could think about is where I would be applying to next. A couple days later, I got a phone call from an unknown number, I answered it out of curiosity and it was Ramona telling me that I got the job. I was ecstatic. I would never have to lift another couch cushion for change again. She told me I had to come in for a drug test, and to sign some papers. I came in a few days later and I took the drug test. Never have I touched a drug in my life, but I was so nervous that somehow, someway a drug got into my system and the test would come out positive and I would never get this job. But it didnt, and she called me and scheduled my days to come in for training. This day she also gave me my uniform. I was so excited to go back home and try it on and wear my new name tag. Training was a very unique experience. Pretty much it was fifteen future Publix employees from different stores in one tiny room learning about the history of Publix, slip prevention, till reports, and how to avoid damages. I remember exactly who I was sitting next to, because those people work at my store now. The one guy was like 27, reeked of cigarettes, and fell asleep each day of training, he was definitely a strange one. Its pretty ironic how were really good friends now. And the girl I went to school with, but I didnt know her too well, so it was a little awkward. I was the loudest person in training though, everyone probably hated me. I answered all the questions, and vollunteered for each activity. I was just so excited. January 21st: my first real day of work. I remember this day like it was yesterday. I came in with my apron still having the fold marks on it, my hair was in a bun on top of my head, and I had silver glitter on as eye shadow. I was ecstatic to be a front service clerk, bag peoples groceries, put them in their car, all for minimum wage. So, I clocked in and I met my customer service team leader, Brandi Griffin. Brandi helped me so much my first day, I have her to thank for making me want to come back for my second. She had another front service clerk (or as I like to call them, baggers) train me. Now this was probably the most awkward situation of my life. Bagging is a pretty simple task, bread and eggs go to together, cans on the bottom, and the produce in one bag, and I think I understood that in training. So Ben just kind of stood there watching me while Brandi was behind me giving me thumbs up and smiling from ear to ear. I finally was on my own. And then Brandi told me to go get carts. The first time I ever did this was terrible. I had no idea how to turn or push these massive things, and I ended up hitting an elderly customer on my very first day. I was mortified. Come that night, I was closing. Which meant I had to do floor care, and since I am a minor, I had to mop. The first time I ever mopped, I had blisters on my hands for a week. Come eleven o clock that night, I had never been more excited to leave anywhere in my life. I came home, took, a shower, and passed out on my bed. After a couple of months of getting used to things, drowning out the constant beep, beep of the registers, getting in the flow, and meeting my coworkers, my assitant customer service manager, Kayce Jenkins told me, Amanda were cross training you tonight. Those six words had never sounded so good together in my life. Cross training meant, I would be a cashier, along with being a bagger. Not at the same time though. The first time I was ever on a register, I messed up so bad. Which is to be expected because I was so nervous again. I really enjoyed cashiering though, I felt pretty confident by the end of the night. I hate to toot my own horn, but now that Ive been a cashier for a while, Im pretty fast, and I know the majority of the fruit PLU numbers. Its always really fun when a customer comes in with a lot of coupons, its like a game. How much lower can my bill get?! At Publix, I feel like were one big family. I call Kayce mom, and she calls me cupcake. Remember Mr. Dave Scott? Mr. Intimidating? He called me cupcake the other day shocked is an understatement. We do everything together and not just cause were forced to work and get along. But I remember when we vollunteered for Habitat for Humanity together. A team that works together, builds houses together. Lets just say me and my coworkers got really personal that day, we learned a lot about eachother. They finally learned I wasnt always a positive person after working in the sun for a good six hours. I also had to close and do floors that night so, I technically worked a 16 hour day. Working as a minor definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that during the school year, on school nights I can never stay past 10:15, so that means I never have to do floors Sunday through Thursday. Something else is that at every single Publix, there is this thing we do called beverage checks. It is pretty much when two Publix assosicates, one that is under 18, and one that is under 21, goes to another Publix store dressed in regular clothes not in our uniforms, and tries to buy tobacco, lottery, and alcohol. Since I am under 18, Im always responsible for the tobacco and the lottery tickets. Its very nerve wracking and you feel really bad if you do trick the person into selling it to you. But its also very fun because its like a mini field trip from work, that you get paid for, and you get to practice your acting skills and see how old some people think you are. I have never actually had someone sell the illegal items to me before though, so thats a good thing. Some disadvantages that come with being a minor at Publix is that we cannot opperate the motor carts, that some disabled or elderly customers use. So if Im out doing carts, and I see one of the motor ones, Im not aloud to touch it. Also Im not aloud to opperate the scrub machines, when I do floors. So every single time I do them, I have to mop. And lastly, there are things called minor violations, and this pretty much means that if I work for more than three hours at a time, without a break, Publix will get a $1,000 dollar fine for each minute Im over three hours. So whoever is running the front, always reminds me of my break. This is can be an advantage or a disadvantage. Because 95% of the time, I do know when my break is, Im responsible enough to check it, and they always remind the minors fifty times when their breaks are which can get annoying. But Im thankful for it because that 5% of that time that I dont know when my break is, I know that theyre there to tell me it. It probably sounds like I hate my job after telling you the disadvantages, but the advantages, the people, and my managers definitely outweigh the disadvantages every time. And I truly love my job. One of the things that comes with working for a big corporation is promotions, retirements, and letting people go. This can be a very heart breaking process that I have experineced numorous times. The first time I got a taste of this was a couple months after I started working there, I became close with a customer service associate, Brandee (a different Brandi than the first one. ) We always had our breaks together, and she was all around such a sweet and amazing person and Im so thankful to have met her and have her in my life. The day she told me that she was getting a promotion, I was so ecstatic for her, but then she told me that shed have to be transferring and my heart broke in half. Another example is Brandi, our customer service team leader. She told me that she got a promotion to be an assitant customer service manager at another store. After a couple rounds of this I finally realized, change is inevitable. People change, work changes, positions change, you just have to accept it and move on. Just keep those people in your heart, and visit them often. But one change was harder to accept than the rest. And I think its ironic that Im writing my essay on this, and this just happened at work. Dave Scott? Remember him? Well August 31st, 2012 was his last day as a bagger, a cashier, an FEC, a deli clerk, and most importantly a Publix store manager. I believe Dave Scott was the foundation of our store. He took pride in his employees and his customers. And really believed in the open door policy, he was always available to talk to, no matter the situation. Although this is my first job, I know for a fact Mr. Scott will be the best boss I will ever have. He wasnt just a boss to me, I looked up to him, he was like a second father, and a truely great friend. I found out about his retirement on August 30th. I came into work about ten minutes early, to put my stuff down, and to talk to people. I noticed there was a circle of managers at the door when I walked in so I asked Katelyn what was going on. She said to me, Mr. Scott is retiring. Tomorrow is his last day. After hearing those words it felt like my mind went blank. I couldnt believe cupcake would be gone, tomorrow. I started freaking out, not knowing what to say, figuring out the right way to say good bye, but nothing was coming to me. So I walked over to the time clock to wait for 5:30 to punch in. I turned and looked in the direction of the huddle of my mangers and Mr. Scott caught my eye and started walking towards me. Come her, cupcake! , he said with his arms wide open for a hug. Keep in mind I dont think Ive ever seen Dave Scott hug anybody in my life, so I was pretty shocked. We hugged and I was tearing up, I didnt even know what to say. He said hed miss me, and I told him I would miss him so much, and I asked him what he planned on doing now. He said he was going to open some new genius company, and I told him I would gladly work for him there. After all, hes the one who gave me the job I hold dear to now. Obviously he knows where people belong. I believe in fate and karma. That everything happens for a reason and positive thinking. For some reason, that one company who didnt call me back for an interview wasnt supposed to. I was supposed to scrounge for change for those first three months, to fall into place of where I am now. Store 336 has my heart. I couldnt imagine working anywhere else because I know Id be upset. I was always the person to say Do what you love for a living, that way it never feels like a job. I dont want to stay at Publix for the rest of my life, but I do know I will be working my way up into the system, and who knows, maybe one day Ill be my own version of Mr. Scott. I hope to make an impact on some of my coworkers lives, just like they have on my own. People always ask me if I really do like my job, it may come off as misleading because Publix grocery store doesnt seem like a fun place to work to others, but Im so thankful to have the job I do, and to truely enjoy it.