Been a magazine/periodical lead for 17 years now, but have noticed my asm requested i train a few other newbies to do what i do, also a merch manager.
No one has blatantly said i'd be replaced, yet this is something kinda random & new, and i have a sinking feeling.
I'm sure i'm just over thinking, but any thoughts?
Everybody’s told they can’t run the place without them.
They’d rather it run it cheap with kids than seasoned, invested, career adults.
I have a friend in another state that had just celebrated 20 years with the company and was told “I couldn’t run this store without you”. 2 months later, gone.
You can’t imagine they would let you go? Seriously? Do you think those thousands they let go last year imagined they’d be let go? Your loyalty is expected ,loyalty from the company, there is none.
"Okay, thank you for the responses, and every day i notice something else."
There ain't nothing worse than living in fear, brother. It's awful. It drains you. As if your job isn't hard enough, you start looking for things, like if your SM makes eye contact. He doesn't. What does this mean? you ask yourself. You dig a little deeper, and your ASM pretty much tells you not to worry about it.
But you do. Of course you do. I'll bet your newsstand is one of the best in the company. I'll bet that you know a lot of your customers, people who come up to ask if a new edition of a particular magazine has come out yet; and you know, and find it for them, and feel great for a few minutes when your customers thank you, smile, and go buy that magazine.
Then you go home, and lay awake worrying if your job is going to be gone tomorrow. I know the feeling. I worked, for awhile, for a SM who ran hot and cold. One day you were fine, the next day you were raked over the coals like a brisket at a Texas BBQ. You never knew which guy he would be when you came in for work. It was hell. Finally, I got transferred, and my old SM left the company, as they say, to pursue other interests, which made me smile broadly, as it couldn't have happened to a better guy.
Don't subject yourself to this, brother (or sister). Look for something else. Seventeen years is a lot of time to be left on the table, but I did it, and others have, too.
"I can't imagine they'd let me go after all these years."
Yeah, that's what 1,800+ ex-employees thought in January 2018. They were axed because they were expensive. They were expensive because they were with the company 10,15,20 years or more. 2% increases per year, year after year. Your loyalty only means you're overpaid for your position.
"Our magazine sales have been down, but can't imagine the rest of them know the area like i do, at this point"
You're joking, right? It's a bunch of magazines in a row, not brain surgery. Literally, it would take one day to learn all the ins and outs you accumulated in 17 years. Pulling old magazines and replacing them with newer issues isn't NASA material. Besides, have you noticed how many periodicals are no longer being published? It's all digital and more magazines will cease publications this year. How do think that bodes for your newsstand?
"But, today, again, there i am, showing another kid how to zone my section, where to put returns, etc. The kid seemed uninterested so that might work in my favor."
This statement blows my mind. You are literally training your replacement and you know it. BN doesn't care about how uninterested the kid is, he makes less than half of what you do. That's what BN cares about. The only thing that is going to work in your favor is updating your resume and getting out there and find a better job. You posted on this site asking "Am I Safe?" and the resounding response has been NO! Yet, you seem determined to "ride it out". Don't. Seriously,don't be passive and let them demote and/ or lay you off. Please get control of your life and start looking for a new job. I know it is scary and hard to go out there in the job market after 17 years at one company, but you can do it. You're smart and you have valuable skill sets.There are so many resources and agencies that can help you for free. Many of us are have great jobs after our careers ended at BN. You can have a great post BN job also. I'll be thinking of you and wishing you all of the best as you start your new journey.
Okay, thank you for the responses, and every day i notice something else.
The SM breezed by me earlier today, no eye contact, which seemed unusual.
I was told not to worry about a large shipment, i'm expecting mid week. It was as if my thoughts on the best way to unpack & cart it, due to the bigger volume, seemed unimportant.
I brought it up again with my asm, and he said: WE TOLD YOU NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT.
I'm just trying to do my job & plan ahead, that's all.
I'm sure i'll be okay, but i keep noticing things...
Layoffs in mid April in time for the new year budget.
Let’s put it in even more plain terms.
You are in your house.
The house is on fire.
Do you stay in the house and wait to see what happens? Or, do you get out?
Your situation is the same thing.
You and your fellow brother and sister booksellers need to face facts. You’re clinging to the dead animal known as Barnes and Noble. You’re going to walk in one day ,find out the job is gone and the checks have dried up. Don’t sit back and become a victim. Do something about it. Go seek other employment.Stop worrying if you are safe. You are not. Do something about it. Once the company folds and you’re out on your butt It will be too late.
NO YOU ARE NOT SAFE! No one is.
“But, today, again, there i am, showing another kid how to zone my section, where to put returns, etc. The kid seemed uninterested “
that’s EXACTLY what BN wants, these days. Just uninterested bodies to show up & go through the motions. Skill, loyalty, work ethic doesn’t live here anymore. Just bodies minding the inventory while Corporate is planning how to close so they walk away set for life.
"I can't imagine they'd let me go after all these years."
Nobody's safe, brother. Demos thought he was safe, and he ended up in the East River with Len's stiletto in his ribs.
I knew a dozen guys and gals who put in more years than you who got the chop on Black Monday. It ain't about years, it's about dollars, and if they can save a few by laying you off, they'll do it.
Way back, when Steve was running things, loyalty might have mattered. It still might, in certain stores, in certain districts. There are still stand-up people in the company, but they're getting pretty thin on the ground.
I'm not saying this to grind you down, but to tell the truth. Leads are things of the past. The company doesn't believe in them anymore. Do yourself a favor, and start looking. I know it's tough. It took me some time to get into the mindset. I did it, and now I'm doing better; I see my wife every night, I work better hours, I'm making more money.
Do yourself a favor. Good luck.
I can't imagine they'd let me go after all these years.
Our magazine sales have been down, but can't imagine the rest of them know the area like i do, at this point.
But, today, again, there i am, showing another kid how to zone my section, where to put returns, etc. The kid seemed uninterested so that might work in my favor.
Gonna ride it out, i'm most likely safe.
Periodical lead. How nostalgic. Pretty sure Bush was President when we still had one, and Borders was still the next block over.
Don't mean to be nasty, but you're lucky to have survived this long. Most newstand leads are gone.
Last year, they did get rid of most of their head cashiers/receiving managers, but some survived, mainly ones in high volume stores, so you may be OK for the short term if your store is huge. But then, I still wouldn't trust B/N at all.
Get out before they fire you !
Best of luck to you !
You must be in a large store because we phased those out a decade ago.
I'd update that resume if I were you. I'm surprised you didn't get sacked last February. They'll probably get rid of the rest of the non-management full-time at the beginning of the fiscal year.
I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long. Looks like your position is about to be eliminated.