Now, I know a lot of you are in your late teens/early twenties and a few years newer to the workforce than most of your bosses. This being the case- there are a lot of awful bosses out there. People willing to exploit your time, your effort, your ideas, because you simply don't know any better than to do what you're told. Not to say that the work you're putting in won't be worth anything in the end. The skills you're learning right now are going to set the tone for the work ethic that you have the rest of your life. The question is: are you willing to let bosses in a career field that you've been educated and trained for treat you the way that you are letting the bosses treat you now at your minimum-wage part-time occupation? Things to keep in mind as you throw on your visor or your apron and punch that time card.
You have rights
The rights that you have in your workplace (yes, even if you're only earning minimum wage) are listed under your state's codes. For example, the state of Kansas requires a company to pay you overtime wakes after 46 hours of work. An employer is not allowed to discipline you for retaliation purposes. (i.e. firing, cutting wages, demoting, reassigning an employee for filing a complaint against the company or for supporting a coworker's complaint against the company.) You also have a right to privacy, meaning your belongings or assigned company owned properties (lockers) are off limits to anyone but yourself. Including but not limited to handbags, telephone calls and conversation, and especially your cell phone.
Your boss is not your parent
If ever something personal occurs and you need to call in to work you are not under any obligation to put forth information you are uncomfortable sharing. They might be upset with you for it, but it's not their job to keep tabs on you. Similarly, if you are leaving your current workplace in pursuit of another job or just because it's not working out for you anymore, a boss is likely to urge good employees to stay on for just a while in order to readjust things in the company. You. Don't. Have. To. Work. Anywhere. You. Don't. Want. To. Work. Unless you are under contract, and I'm assuming very few of you are, there is nothing tying your labor to your place of work. They were looking for a worker, and you were looking for a job, neither of you asked for nor received any favors when you happened to come along and fill that position. You don't owe that crapshack anything.
They do not always know more than you do.
Eventually, we unfortunate souls come across one of those bosses on their high horse absolutely dumb with power having been given the opportunity to operate Bobby's Burger Bar or whatever greasy hole in the wall you crawled into broke and hungry and looking for a job. This boss is the person who walks around with their chest puffed out and their nose in the air and will take any and every opportunity to remind you who you work for. Micromanage the way that you scrub the counters, or discount your opinion on pretty much anything but how great they are. This manager might also be the new one, brought in by the big guys in charge to fill an empty position. He/she might be brand new to the establishment, and after their .05 seconds of working there, they believe they know the ins and outs of the entire business and more than anyone else who's been there. Lucky for you, though, these managers don't tend to last long because they're unwillingness to learn puts them in a position to make some pretty heavy mistakes. And yes, the bossmen that put them there will quickly snatch them back out and apologize.
It's an unfortunate part of life, and while you are required to be a respectful employee, you are not required to take any disrespect from them. Look into Unions and Organizations who will help you to report these guys and take care of any situations that arise and are less than bearable.
I hope I could impart with you a little bit of wisdom that it has taken me three years and a few phone calls with people smarter than I to acquire. Now, if you haven't experienced any awful bosses, and you actually enjoy where you work and the people you work with, do yourself and everyone else a favor by giving them a big thank you. Respectable companies deserve as much of your appreciation as you can give them.
