Not ready to give up
This is literally one of my first jobs and I don’t want to fail. Can you think of anything else I can do to improve my performance? Last week my manager pulled me into a meeting to express her concern that I haven’t been improving with overall knowledge of the position I was hired for. I'm a retail sales associate at a furniture store. They told me I have great rapport with the customers and my sales are okay but I often run into issues processing payments, taking returns, locating items, and struggling in some other operational areas. I admitted having those issues but I explained that I’ve been proactively asking questions and taking notes to improve but they told me I haven’t been improving quickly enough. I got a written warning and placed on a 30 day probation period which really bummed me out but I’m not ready to give up yet. It’s been a little over 3 months since I started and although I received little to no training I think I can still turn things around.
I think you should stay positive. If you really enjoy working with customers, and you employers. Maybe ask the Manager if they could walk you through the process a few times. Let you actually do it. Somtimes that's all it takes. I am sure you will do fine.
Yes I agree with jerry ward, you have the motivation you just need a little training..and stay focused and Dont give up..at the end it will all lead to success
All of the above suggestions are great. Shadowing is the key; however this sounds like you may have trouble recalling the process. In today's use of youtube technology you can record the training process with your cell phone. Then watch it over and over...again. you will nail it this time you have the right attitude!!!
Try to find a coworker whom is willing to train you.
Agree with the other suggestions of shadowing coworkers or even the manager themselves (which will show initiative). One of the things that helps me improve areas of weakness is to "practice" at home. If you are having issues remembering the sequence of steps when processing payments, write it down at home, go over each step individually out loud or imitating what you would do at the store, visualize the steps on your way to and from work, and have a copy of those steps handy at work. If its operations, pause before you start digging into the task and think about what you are doing to make sure you are approaching it correctly and efficiently. After you accomplish the task, pause and double check what you did to make sure you did it correctly. The best first step in improving your skill set is acknowledging that you need that improvement, so good for you to reach out to the community for advice. Good luck!
Manuel your awsome attitude will take you where you need to be. If you can't shadow someone get 2 employees phone numbers and tell them you need tips from them. Good luck.
Not ready to give up yet huh. My Man! That's the attitude that's going to lead you to succeed. Ask management if you can shadow with someone more experienced in those areas for a few days. It sounds like you just need a little coaching.
Manuel, keep that positive attitude and never be afraid to ask questions, as it shows your manager that you are engaged and willing to learn. If you are unable to shadow a co-worker on your shift, volunteer to shadow a co-worker, off the clock, on another shift that is not as busy. That will strengthen your position on your willingness to learn the tasks at hand. Also, request written procedures that you can take home and study from. Also remember to request from the individual you are shadowing to allow you to attempt the transactions under their supervision, as many individuals learn better with hands on knowledge, rather than listening/watching. Although the 30 day probationary period may make you a little anxious, or even nervous, don't let that get you down as this is your opportunity to prove you can do it and turn things around rather quickly. Beginning a new job can have some trying times, as there is often a lot to learn in a short period of time. Keep an upper chin, gain some confidence, and tell yourself you CAN do this! You may just surprise yourself as to how much you really do know, and pick up on the minor steps you may be over looking. I wish you much success!