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Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
So here's the deal.

I'm working at a little shop 6 days a week 6-8 hours a day depending. There are only 3 other employees. I'm just starting to get bored and feel like I'm under-payed for what I do. Granted, I'm 16 so that's a big part of it, but I've been working there for 4 years not and I'm getting payed minimum wage, and I put in the most hours out of everyone there. Plus I'm getting pretty sick of my co-workers. One of them is a Mexican dude who's pretty nice, I just can't really talk about that much with him because of my limited Spanish, and he can do things like walk in 30 minutes late, then change the radio station to his Spanish station when I already was listening to something. Then my manager is an efficiency freak who happens to burn lots of time. For instance, he'll talk to his roadie buddies for a while (no biggie) but if I do something like spend too much time helping a customer or guiding them to trails, he flips. Plus, he's anal about everyone else being at the shop all the time, but he comes in at noon 2-3 times a week (it's his allotted time, but if someone else did this he wouldn't be too happy).

I was thinking of maybe looking into other hopefully less mundane and aggravating options, but I just don't know what I could do. I'm considering approaching the local newspaper to see if they need anyone to edit/write a bit so that I can at least to something remotely intellectual, but I'm not even sure if that's a possibility. And being 16, it seems like my options are more or less limited to grocery stores and the like.

Does anyone have any ideas for a more engaging, hopefully better-paying job that someone my age can look into? What did you guys do at my age?

Thanks, and sorry about the novel.
 
BurlyShirley

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
I would've killed to work at a sucky bike shop at 16. I was always resurfacing concrete or bagging groceries or making pizzas or some other crap. You got it better than you know. Not trivializing your complaints, but the grass dont get much greener. Also, Ive worked for a paper, and THAT is teh suck.
Maybe try working at a kennel so you can pick up sh*t and play with dogs.
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
That's a bit of a catch-22. I'm working so I can afford a car or to fix mine, so therefore I couldn't work there because I don't have a car. Anyways, I couldn't stand working at Performance and AFAIK Open Air isn't hiring.
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
BurlyShirley said:
I would've killed to work at a sucky bike shop at 16. I was always resurfacing concrete or bagging groceries or making pizzas or some other crap. You got it better than you know. Not trivializing your complaints, but the grass dont get much greener. Also, Ive worked for a paper, and THAT is teh suck.
Maybe try working at a kennel so you can pick up sh*t and play with dogs.
Click to expand...
Sort of figured that was the case. I wish there were money trees...
 
dhmike

dhmike

Turbo Monkey
Dec 20, 2006
4,304
43
Boise Idaho
bicyclist, here's my 2 cents. o.k. your a young guy you shouldn't be worrying so much on work trust me there's plenty of time for that . you should be worrying about school or what college your going to go to. dude, there's crap of what your talking about at every work place .so just hang in there @ your job and if it doesn't work t.s. dude ,just enjoy life, ride, hang out with your friends or do what ever you enjoy, because soon enough you'll be working full time or going to college full time and your going to be missing out on all the good things i mentioned.
 
ParanoidAndroid

ParanoidAndroid

Monkey
Mar 23, 2006
141
0
NoVA/ Richmond
I'm almost certain there will always be every part of what you're describing at many places you'll work (especially retail). I actually used to work at a Performance, and as crappy of a bike shop as it is, it was still an awesome job to have in highschool. However as far as the being paid minimum wage aspect, you could probably do better, I mean Peformance paid $7.50 hourly.
 
Serial Midget

Serial Midget

Al Bundy
Jun 25, 2002
13,053
1,896
Fort of Rio Grande
At 16 my summer job was moving irrigation pipe every 3 hours across an alfalfa field. In between that I shoveled horse **** out of stables. Such was the limited job opportunities on rural Colorado in 1981.

I could not afford a car so I rode my 10 speed Napoleon style in and out of town and 10 miles out to my job.

Much as I hated that job I never pussied out or bitched - with no internet or cable TV, I had no idea that the job sucked.

Next time you get pissed about listening to Hispanic radio... Imaging losing your footing in a stall, landing on your ass in horse piss soaked straw. Bad enough to feel the piss seep in through your jeans but you also have to use your hands in it in order to stand up again... and you'd need a dip.

Good times in Franktown, Colo. :)
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
I know it's not the worst thing in the world.

$7.50 = minimum wage as of January.

I think I'll just stick it out until the school year when I get to go to Spain for a year and just hang out, learn, and see Europe.

Sherpa, sounds interesting. I'd consider it.
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
Apparently not. If you don't see me for a couple days you'll know, and then you'll feel horribly guilty. :p
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
Sherpa said:
It's fun. Processing deeds, dealing with irate people who pay taxes, and making the maps right. $10 dollars an hour and I only work part time at 25 hrs a week.
Click to expand...
Sounds like good hours and like a decent job. How'd you approach your employer? Did you have any idea what you were doing previously?
 
bikenweed

bikenweed

Turbo Monkey
Oct 21, 2004
2,432
0
Los Osos
Why not ask the shop owner for a raise?

or better yet

Why not band with the other employees and form a union? If you guys go on strike, he might have to pay you more. But then again, he's your only good reference to date. Hmmmm.

Good luck man. Oh yeah, you could always get a cheap (~$600) motorcycle and commute on that to and from work in a neighboring town. If you're carefull you probably won't die.
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
Yeah, a 3 man union would go over well. :D

I kinda like the motorcycle idea, but I'm sure I'd have good luck getting that one to fly with the parental units.

Whatever, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.
 
stevew

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,577
9,588
Serial Midget said:
I could not afford a car so I rode my 10 speed Napoleon style in and out of town and 10 miles out to my job..........

Good times in Franktown, Colo. :)
Click to expand...
So where did you live, Castle Rock?

What the fvck was out there back then?
 
R

ridefast

Monkey
Jan 25, 2006
432
0
Not where I'd like
ok, let me see if ive got the details right:

-16 years old
-working at this shop since you were 12
-average 42 hours a week
-paid less than min wage

well from that i see two things, first of all, you arent the brightest bulb if you've put up with that crap for so long

second, you have the makings of a fine employment lawsuit

third, and slightly unrelated, you have over eight thousand posts on here, you are only 16, and you work 40+ hours a week. when do you go to school, if you are in school, and when do you have time to study, let alone go ride your bike?!
 
The Toninator

The Toninator

Muffin
Jul 6, 2001
5,436
17
High(ts) Htown
dog y'all sound like a bunch of crusty old farts.

HEY I"VE GOT IT. You could become a beer commercial actor. All the sexxy hot chics and free beer you can handle not to mention the fat stacks of chedder!

That would be awesome.
 
ÆX

ÆX

Turbo Monkey
Sep 8, 2001
4,920
17
NM
there is a kid at teh shop i am working at right now that
had not had a raise in 14 months and just got .25 c one.

whoopie, he makes like 5.75 now. he is like i can start @
sears for $8. i say go once you get all the cheep parts
you need for a while. then make some money there till
the min wage change happens.

is that really going thru?

alex
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
ridefast said:
ok, let me see if ive got the details right:

-16 years old
-working at this shop since you were 12
-average 42 hours a week
-paid less than min wage

well from that i see two things, first of all, you arent the brightest bulb if you've put up with that crap for so long

second, you have the makings of a fine employment lawsuit

third, and slightly unrelated, you have over eight thousand posts on here, you are only 16, and you work 40+ hours a week. when do you go to school, if you are in school, and when do you have time to study, let alone go ride your bike?!
Click to expand...
Where else can someone get payed under the table? I only work these hours during the summer. I go to a fairly good private school actually and have over a 4.0, and I ride at least a few times a week.
 
stinkyboy

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
Stealing components from the shop will add some excitement to the job and offset your low pay. :thumb:

Also, you will be walked on if you let people walk on you.
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,150
13,319
Portland, OR
I worked at a bike/skate shop and thought it sucked because I never got any hours and needed money. So I left and went to work at a pizza joint (the only food industry job I have ever had). I lasted 6 months before I wanted to kill someone and myself.

Looking back, I wish I would have stayed at the shop because at least I was somewhat interested in what I did.
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
Sorry, I guess I should have asked where I could find a reliable, decent job under the table. My experiences with lawnmowing and the rest have sucked.
 
Zark

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Tough it out Mark.
Tell Bob he's a pvssy, put the smack down when someone changes the station and be thankful you got a job at a shop.

Wanna ride on Sat? I'll be out in the Ojai
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
Zark said:
Tough it out Mark.
Tell Bob he's a pvssy, put the smack down when someone changes the station and be thankful you got a job at a shop.

Wanna ride on Sat? I'll be out in the Ojai
Click to expand...
That's my plan. Hahaha.

I'd most definately be down for a ride. It'll have to be DH though, no XC bikey for me. 9 AM?
 
Zark

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
DH bikes it is. Pratt push runs like last time? How about 10am? I gott a drive in from SB still (hour drive)
 
Niq1

Niq1

Chimp
Jul 12, 2006
73
0
I lifeguarded at public pools for 6 summers from age 16 on. Best. Job. Ever.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,062
5,973
borcester rhymes
get your lifegaurding certs and be a beach/pool lifegaurd. you get a good tan, do nothing all day, and get paid very well because of your responsibilities. I used to get $10/hr when i was 17. It's going to be hard for you since the summer has already started though...

otherwise ask for a raise and start stealing stuff....
 
vtjim

vtjim

Beware of Milo & Otis
Jan 6, 2006
1,346
0
North Andover MA
Bicyclist said:
I know it's not the worst thing in the world.

$7.50 = minimum wage as of January.

I think I'll just stick it out until the school year when I get to go to Spain for a year and just hang out, learn, and see Europe.

Sherpa, sounds interesting. I'd consider it.
Click to expand...
May I just add that if you're going to live in another country for any amount of time you should forget putting money in a car and save for that trip?

I'm talking from experience here. I spent a half year in London and ran out of money by the end of the trip and that cost me a trip to Greece with my girlfriend.
 
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