Greetings,
David M. Green. How do you do?
Been another one of those crazy weeks. Had something in particular happen to me that I considered not mentioning on this, my website, but I came to the conclusion I simply had to. Plus it’s just easier to put it here so I don’t have to keep repeating it to everyone. The following is completely true.
For just under three months I’ve been working at the Cinema Nova on fabulous Lygon Street, Carlton.
On Tuesday, I was fired.
Regular readers may recall I walked in there one day in January with my resume and I was literally hired on the spot. This can be credited to my unblemished 12 months at the Palace Nova Cinema in Adelaide.
I began officially working at the Cinema Nova February 17. At the end of my second shift the manager (aka “The Big Cheese”) took me aside and said, “It’s like you’ve never worked in a cinema before,” and, “If you don’t lift your game I’m going to have to let you go”. When I asked what the problem was, all he offered was my lack of “oomph”. When I asked for him to be more specific, his response was, “No, I’m just going to keep it vague at this point.”
“The Big Cheese” later clarified he said this to me on my second shift “to put the fear of God into me”. Because that makes a productive employee, doesn’t it? Constant fear of termination.
Last Friday, I got my first box office training shift. A coveted honour at Cinema Nova. When I arrived I saw “The Big Cheese”. I thanked him for the shift. His reaction was, “Well, I hope you realise this is your last chance to impress me, because it’s clear you’re not getting the floor and you’re obviously not enjoying it”. I had no idea what he was talking about.
And this one, I loved. He said last week he’d heard a “report” that when I was standing at the podium (aka “the gate”) checking tickets and directing customers to the correct cinema, I turned to one of the other employees and asked, “Hey, am I supposed to be checking these tickets?” “The Big Cheese” then surmised, “If you’ve been here for two and a half months and you don’t even know how to check tickets, I don’t know why you’re still working here.”
I responded, logically, by pointing out that it was obviously a throw away joke (I tend to make those, it’s kind of a habit you may have noticed), and that exactly, it doesn’t make sense that I would ask that after three months of doing it. Furthermore, how exactly would I even be able to direct customers to the right cinema if I wasn’t reading it off the ticket? It’s simply ridiculous.
The box office shift went well. Of course, it was my first one there so I couldn’t possibly master all the vouchers and button combinations in a mere 90 minutes. I’m not sure exactly how I was supposed to “impress” “The Big Cheese” anyway, considering he wasn’t actually observing me.
Tuesday I receive a phone call. It’s “The Big Cheese” informing me that after careful consideration, he’s decided “he’s going to have to let me go”. Naturally, I ask why. He says that my work performance is inadequate and there’s been “reports” that I’ve been rude to customers and don’t work well with the other staff.
Now, when my Dad drove me to the airport back in February, he offered just one piece of advice to help me on my move to Melbourne. And that was: “Don’t take any crap from people.” And there was no better time to apply it than right then.
So I told “The Big Cheese” the facts. In three months I’d never been late for a shift. I’d stayed back late on numerous occasions, most of the time for no additional pay, to finish work that needed to be done. I got along well with customers, often sharing a joke, and regularly received compliments, one of which was “Oh, a friendly Nova employee! That’s a nice change!” I worked well with the other staff, certainly had no problems brought to my attention. And I worked just as hard as everyone else.
I also took the opportunity to point out a couple of qualms I had with his style of management. In the end, all he could say was, “Well I’m going to have to disagree with you there.”
It’s simply absurd. I challenge anyone to call the other customer service jobs I worked at regularly and find someone who can say I wasn’t consistently competent and outstanding. I worked at the Palace Nova Cinema in Adelaide for a year. It was a fantastic job. I loved it and they loved me.
So anyway, that’s it. I no longer work at Cinema Nova. I’m glad to be honest. I must say I found the culture of intimidation and fear – which actually amounts to a form of bullying, if you want to get technical (and legal, which lucky for them I don’t) – unappealing. Out of the major things in my life right now (uni, home, work) working at that cinema was what I least looked forward to, specifically because the whole time I worked there, I was constantly thinking, “Any moment now, I’m going to get fired.” Try working under those conditions. Life is too short. Especially as it’s a cinema, not a nuclear power station.
I will of course miss the good friends I’ve made and it’ll be sad not to see them every week. Keep it real guys and gals. Thanks for those who supported me and stuck up for me. There were at least two people who didn’t. They know who they are. To them I say good luck. I’m sure you’ll go far.
One thing positive I will say about Cinema Nova, they make great choc-tops. I’ll certainly miss those. I’ll also miss the free popcorn. Although I picked up a garbage bag full of it last week. That should last me a while:
Feel free to share your stories of termination by commenting below.
Kind regards,
David M. Green
Unemployed.
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