Pros
The role itself was straightforward and easy to get the hang of. I spent most of my time either baking in the back or serving customers at the front. I had no personal issues with the staff at my store; in fact, the managers and colleagues were generally supportive and easy to work with. I gained valuable hands-on experience in customer service, teamwork, and food preparation which I appreciated.
Cons
However, my experience was significantly impacted by issues around scheduling and hours. When I was first hired, I was told my contracted hours would be raised to 30, but this never materialised. Over time, my shifts were cut back further, leaving me with very little consistency or stability in my biweekly income. This put me in a difficult financial position, especially as a student relying on regular work to cover rent and living costs. It was difficult to raise concerns about these issues due to strict labour constraints coming from upper management. While the local managers were decent to work with, I often saw them struggling with burnout, many were working repeated overnight shifts or long hours with little support, which clearly took a toll. Unfortunately, despite liking the work itself and getting along with my team, I often left shifts feeling demoralised, knowing that I wasn’t earning enough to get by. I genuinely wish I had been given the hours I was originally promised, as I believe the job could have been a much more positive and sustainable experience. Without the necessary hours, however, it became unsustainable.