11.12.2015 ~ 22.5.2016
Those are the days I started and stopped working after SPM 2015. It was a 6 months worth of experience that now I finally gonna have to call it quits. I've been working up my ass for 5 to 6 days per week throughout that whole period in my life. I ain't gonna complain much because the pay since day 1 sure increases drastically. My first pay was +/-RM150 (the cut off date is every half of the month so that makes it a 5 days worth of pay), followed by RM800, RM900, RM1000 and previous month I earned RM1.9k net. April's pay was a full-timer rate including some incentives so that's why it's quite a shocker. As an SPM leaver who need not pay any bill, the money that I got was enough for my own personal pleasure without having to bug anyone for it.

*Note: I have yet to get this month's salary. Salary is paid every end of the month.

To avoid controversial issues, I refuse to type out the shop name.

Imma gon share my personal hands-on experience about the job now. Generally, I applied for barista as a part-timer at a small cafe. So here's the great thing about working specifically there:

1. It's a small company YET a big one
Not many know this, but that shop has only 2 outlets (Nu Sentral and KLCC) excluding one at the HQ. However, it is owned by a big company - Boost Juice. Pretty sure you've heard of it. Sooo as a not-so famous shop, it is expected to not be as busy as those who are. Nevertheless, it has perks of enjoying the privilege for being under a big company.

2. Different crowd
In most places, weekends and public hols are the busiest time for F&B. In my situation, not really... As a cafe with a grab-and-go concept, that shop is the complete opposite. 5 working days are the busiest in the week specifically during morning and lunch rush. 8-9am and 12-2pm are a madness sometimes. Weekends unfortunately, are dreadful to work. The slow pace made me cringe every second of the day. Literally.

3. Less crowd, less attention
Getting hired as a barista when I never become one is where this place suits me well. Coffees aren't the main thing we sell so not all customers order them. However, mornings usually will have a queue of orders from the office workers. So the rest of the time I can make use of the time, practicing my coffee-making skill. That was in the beginning stages of learning. Later on, being at the coffee station during morning and lunch rush is a good way to improve my skills as speed and quality are crucial.

4. Small-spaced advantage
The shop only has like 2 tables for customers. That is how much we expect people to 'grab-and-go'. So cleaning in general are pretty simple because there is not much to be clean which I like.

The working environment is very nice to work at even though the space is extremely limited. Most of the employee are still young so the age gap ensure us to get along with each other really well. Plus, they only hire locals. It's fun working there but there are times I do feel like dying from overworking. The short of staff crisis is real. It affected the whole crew so that was one of the struggle I had to endure. The issue is close to being resolve as of today (the day I quit) so hopefully things get better for them.

The negative part of working there...personally:

1. Far from home
Shame on me I don't live in KL but I work at KLCC. I took the train from PJ (Taman Paramount station) to KL (KLCC station) and the ride itself is around 30-40 mins. I need to leave the house pretty much an hour earlier than my shift to reach there in time. Also the increased LRT rate made me reload my Touch n Go at most RM200 every month. As for coming late, I've been legitly late not more than 7 days throughout the 6 months as I tend to aim coming early (especially knowing the rush every morning at work).

2. The pay rate
I'd say the company is kinda berkira when it comes to paying salary. They want us to work hard to increase the sales but refuse to pay us what they should for the amount of work. Other places pay double the rate for working OT but here no OT rates for part-timer (only full-timer) and OTs are 1.5 not double the rate... Public holidays are double not triple unlike other places. Well basically, pay are lesser here. Moreover, I have yet to get my monthly payslips. I received my payslips only for December and February but never since. Management issues are real here.

3. Multiple interference
Knowing it's a fast-progressing shop, I expected office people to come down to the shop at times to administer from time to time. However, the involvement of two to three hands sometimes aren't helping but confusing instead. Imagine the store manager saying one thing, the marketing manager says another and the barista trainer tells a different story (for God knows why). STANDARDIZE IT PEOPLE. The promos should be reach out to the crews directly from one mouth. Idek who is the highest authority anymore.

4. Short of supplies
I know this happens not only with this shop. It happened at Burger King where I worked previously as well so I understand it is inevitable. However, not receiving certain goods when needed just because HQ people forgot to pack them in is troublesome. The communication system is not the most efficient I can tell. It's really embarrassing to face customers and be like "Oh we're sorry but we are currently out of plastic bags" and guiltily fitting whatever possible into a small paper bag instead. If management aren't shameful, idk what else should they feel.

5. Either broke or disfunctioning
So many things are breaking is2g, nothing goes right there. That place might've just been cursed, seriously. Lemme list out whatever that wasn't functioning since the past 6 months:

• Receipt printer unable to print orders because the cable was torn but after changing into a new wire, it tore again.
• Toaster's fuse burning out during operation hour. Like legitly there's spark underneath the freaking toaster!!
• Display chiller's internal fan is broken causing it to blackout a few times. 2 out of the 3 display chillers, I must add.
• Espresso machine's center grouphead is not functioning in general.
• Freezer in kitchen was broken.
• Chiller in the kitchen is giving bad news as well.
• The shuttle was once cannot be lift up because the switch inside was tripped.
• Chair without a rubber feet. Not broken but unpleasingly wobbly.
• Display light for pastries has been broken for more than 3 times now.
• Internet connection wire had the same issue as the receipt printer. Causing our e-card to stop becoming convenient for awhile.

Ok, I might not have covered every single good and bad things. I may have made the whole experience sounds worse than it is but really, life experience are never always a walk in the park, you'll find pebbles or even rocks along your path so you gotta learn to either avoid or endure them.

I hope someone can find this personal experience helpful somewhat. And hope for the negative things to not forever be that way. Now, it'll just be me getting ready for another road into university life next week. I'll keep updating whatever possible insyaAllah.

Dropping by,
Melynn.