Trucking On Hold

First impressions, dude. Lay off the headphones or any other "minor offences" , especially on your first day of work. That first month or so is when they'll be the most critical of your work ethic.

Just a bit of friendly advice.

Yeah, I agree with Eyesore. Just get a lay of the land before you start rockin' out. You don't want to step on anyone's toes your first day. Plus you said the book mentioned headphones. Even if the supervisor didn't specifically say it, what's written usually (always) is what is enforced.

Not for nothin' but the message seems pretty clear: leave the headphones at home!!

DallasBlack wrote:

I actually start work in 2 1/2 hours so I'm not sure yet. Still not sure if I can listen to music or not. The rules in the handbook say no unauthorized use of cell phone, headphones, etc. However, when the night supervisor met us he only mentioned cell phones. I'm going to wait for little bit (maybe til the first break) then try it out. If I get a warning I'll stop. They claim to be a well laid back work environment so it may work out. Either way, the pay is adequate (but will increase) and the benefits are good so all in all, this won't be too bad. The hard part will be getting back into a work schedule. After 3+ months of unemployment, I have become real lazy and it's going to be hard to break that habit.

Are you going to be on any kind of moving equipment?

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

I actually start work in 2 1/2 hours so I'm not sure yet. Still not sure if I can listen to music or not. The rules in the handbook say no unauthorized use of cell phone, headphones, etc. However, when the night supervisor met us he only mentioned cell phones. I'm going to wait for little bit (maybe til the first break) then try it out. If I get a warning I'll stop. They claim to be a well laid back work environment so it may work out. Either way, the pay is adequate (but will increase) and the benefits are good so all in all, this won't be too bad. The hard part will be getting back into a work schedule. After 3+ months of unemployment, I have become real lazy and it's going to be hard to break that habit.

Are you going to be on any kind of moving equipment?

No pretty much moving stuff from bins to cages. There are only two forklifts and not much traffic. The warehouse doesn't store any product.

Also, when I mention headphones, I only wear it in one ear and I keep the volume just loud enough to hear it, no more. I don't sacrifice safety for music.

staying employed should be your only concern at this point, not listening to music. you can do that when you unwind at home after a hard day of earning a living. lets be real here, you are not a teenager & you need to get your priorities in order.

mc666 wrote:

staying employed should be your only concern at this point, not listening to music. you can do that when you unwind at home after a hard day of earning a living. lets be real here, you are not a teenager & you need to get your priorities in order.

Yep. Wut this guy sez, right here.

I will wait and see what the other employees are doing. If I see 3 or more people with headphones and the supervisor says nothing, I will do it. If less or none have music, I will hold off til such time that I do see at least 3 people doing it without supervisor reprimand. I know the #1 priority is to keep the job, but if I can do it with music, I will. If not, I will do without. The main thing I need to watch is whay I say to other people. My want to listen to music has never lost me a job, but my bad temper and letting myself get into stupid arguments has.

DallasBlack wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

I actually start work in 2 1/2 hours so I'm not sure yet. Still not sure if I can listen to music or not. The rules in the handbook say no unauthorized use of cell phone, headphones, etc. However, when the night supervisor met us he only mentioned cell phones. I'm going to wait for little bit (maybe til the first break) then try it out. If I get a warning I'll stop. They claim to be a well laid back work environment so it may work out. Either way, the pay is adequate (but will increase) and the benefits are good so all in all, this won't be too bad. The hard part will be getting back into a work schedule. After 3+ months of unemployment, I have become real lazy and it's going to be hard to break that habit.

Are you going to be on any kind of moving equipment?

No pretty much moving stuff from bins to cages. There are only two forklifts and not much traffic. The warehouse doesn't store any product.

If there are forklifts in the building, you are out of luck. It's an OSHA thing. They will shut you down if you wear earphones...period.

Friendly advice. Just keep your mouth shut for awhile. You know it's hard to get a job so make it as easy on yourself as you can. Good luck DB.

I'd check into whether it's okay to listen at breaks or lunch time. Other than that, take the advice people here have given and wait till you get home. A job is way more important than gettin your "bang" on. Also do what you agreed to do when you signed the paper saying you read and understood safety and company policies. Don't start right out the gate seeing what other are doing or not doing just casue it fits in your comfort zone.

Integrity is shown more by what a person doesn't do rather than what they do. Just remember that this warehouse can replace you just as easy as they found you. A new hire is disposable. Make an effort, take the hit, and make yourself an assest. You know how the saying goes, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome is text book definition of insanity.

Hope the best for you, DB

Dark Horseman wrote:

Friendly advice. Just keep your mouth shut for awhile. You know it's hard to get a job so make it as easy on yourself as you can. Good luck DB.

I'm going to do that. I am going to be friendly but distant. As for the music, as I said, I will see how the rest of the warehouse works. The supervisor has the final say on what's allowed and what's not. If he enforces a no headphone policy I will obey it and keep my music for before/after work and during breaks and lunch. If nothing else I'm a compliant employee. My origional plan was to test the waters, but I have read and understand everyones advice and will heed it (I probably would have done what I'm going to do anyways-I'm not the kind of guy that takes chances even though I sometimes tell myself I will).

Hope it works out for you. I know you've mentioned the drawbacks to trucking, but wouldn't you be able to listen to music all day behind the wheel?

Best of luck.

James B. wrote:

I'd check into whether it's okay to listen at breaks or lunch time. Other than that, take the advice people here have given and wait till you get home. A job is way more important than gettin your "bang" on. Also do what you agreed to do when you signed the paper saying you read and understood safety and company policies. Don't start right out the gate seeing what other are doing or not doing just casue it fits in your comfort zone.

Integrity is shown more by what a person doesn't do rather than what they do. Just remember that this warehouse can replace you just as easy as they found you. A new hire is disposable. Make an effort, take the hit, and make yourself an assest. You know how the saying goes, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome is text book definition of insanity.

Hope the best for you, DB

i agree. If i were new to a place, i would want to be above reproach with my behavior and work ethic.

Fat Freddy wrote:

mc666 wrote:

staying employed should be your only concern at this point, not listening to music. you can do that when you unwind at home after a hard day of earning a living. lets be real here, you are not a teenager & you need to get your priorities in order.

Yep. Wut this guy sez, right here.

X 3 - leave the music at home or in your car.

Don't be friendly but distant. Friendly but distant means I'M PROBABLY GOING TO KILL YOU AND EAT YOUR FACE!

For Christ sakes, leave the headphones at home, you need a job then when you get home you can rock out to the glorious sounds of those loin clothing musical mozarts of the metal world Manowar or Iced Earth or whatever power metal band yanks your crank.

OK guys relax. I know my priorities, believe me. I was just thinking loud of what I would like to have happen but as I said, i'm not the kind of guy to be taking chances. I think maybe my work ethic is a lot stronger than some of you give me credit for (I don't play around on the job and I will continue to work until I'm told to go to break-I never ask to take a break or lunch). I just want to be able to listen to music on the job. Is that so bad? I just want to have my cake and eat it too. However, I know that one can't always have that and you have to play by the rules of your employer (unless your self employed). I found out that this is not the kind of job where listening to music is possible and therefore I won't do it. I thought this job would have some down time and without music that can get annoying, however, it is a lot more fast paced than they made it out to be. Luckily, I'm so busy I don't notice not having music and this was considered a slow day. I can listen to plenty of music before and after work, I'm alright with that.

As for my first day, it was a bit rough. I had a slight migraine, my feet are sore, and I'm worn out (apparently warehouse work uses different muscles than sitting in a Lazyboy watching TV and playing on the computer). However, this is to be expected after 3 months of unemployment. The only thing that really bothers me, is that for the entire warehouse, there is only one toilet and one urinal and men make up 90% of the employees. Hopefully I can avoid ever having to use the bathroom at work. I'll eat a big breakfast and dinner and restrict break and lunch to a package of crackers.

Warehouse work is hard. Do you get paid by the piece? If so, you can make a lot of money that way.

You'll lose a lot of weight and build muscle, too. =)

Eyesore wrote:

Warehouse work is hard. Do you get paid by the piece? If so, you can make a lot of money that way.

You'll lose a lot of weight and build muscle, too. =)

Nah, it's all by the hour unfortunatly. That last part is good as I put on 10 lbs on my 3 month sabbatical and need to loose some. Also I was thinking about joining a 24 hour gym but I think I get plenty of exercise at this job. Espcially once it warms up in the Summer. It was mid-30s tonight and I didn't need a jacket except when going on break/luch and getting off work.

Eyesore wrote:

Warehouse work is hard. Do you get paid by the piece? If so, you can make a lot of money that way.

You'll lose a lot of weight and build muscle, too. =)

Yeah, it is. Best shape I was ever in was when I worked at the chicken packaging plant.

tohostudios wrote:

Yeah, it is. Best shape I was ever in was when I worked at the chicken packaging plant.

...and your sex life was the best it's ever been!

tohostudios wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Warehouse work is hard. Do you get paid by the piece? If so, you can make a lot of money that way.

You'll lose a lot of weight and build muscle, too. =)

Yeah, it is. Best shape I was ever in was when I worked at the chicken packaging plant.

I worked at a warehouse for two months at some point after I got out of the Air Force. My uncle drove for the company, told me I could make $100K a year. I gave it a shot, lasted two months.

He was right, I could have made $100K a year, but I would have had to work 12-hour days, six or seven days a weak. I quickly crawled back to IT, where I can make that sitting on my ass working from home. Haha.

I did lose 30lbs in those two months, though. Really, I lost 25lbs in the first month, five in the second. Hard work.

SpectreFate wrote:

tohostudios wrote:

Yeah, it is. Best shape I was ever in was when I worked at the chicken packaging plant.

...and your sex life was the best it's ever been!