I just accepted a part-time job at a large grocery chain. I’m trans, so it’s incredibly hard to get hired in even a slightly demanding job market. The ‘labor shortage’ (pay shortage) is so desperate right now that they hired me without even an interview. While I really need the money for trans-related healthcare and to pay for college, I’m autistic, so it’s going to be really, really hard for me. Are there any steps I can take to reduce my suffering?
-Be polite but assured if you ever have to remind your boss that you need a break, or are on break.
-If your boss asks you to cover a shift or otherwise change your schedule on the spot, never answer right away. Tell them you have to check your schedule, and get yourself out of the hotseat before deciding. This signals to your boss that you’re willing to help but that you take your availability seriously and arent just going to pick up everyone’s slack.
-i have to remind myself out loud, “stoic, im stoic at work, no emotions at work” if i feel myself getting angry or upset. try not to vent at work either, ESPECIALLY not to the boss or to anyone higher up. People feed off that energy and its hard to reel it in sometimes. If you have to talk to the boss about needed changes, write it in a polite email format first to organize your words.
-do a good enough job that you arent making your fellow coworkers’ lives worse, but dont work so hard that you make your own life worse.
If you basically want to keep your head down and not get bothered too much, remember that the first few weeks are gonna be what your managers assume you are like and that perception will be hard to change.
Basically you want to put in a reasonable amount of effort, be fairly polite etc. But dont overdo it. You want a reputation as a decent worker who can broadly be left to their own devices. You don’t want a reputation as a slacker cos they will keep an eye on you and you won’t be able to slack off as much in future but you also don’t want a reputation as someone who works really hard and fast cos then they will bung all the jobs they need doing on you.
