u/moldsp0re

This is going to be a bit of a long one. I've been a full time bather for a little over a year now. I left my last salon/daycare at the beginning of this year (was there for 2 years) due to management and lack of career growth...among other drama. I got this job at a corporate facility within a week of leaving. Initially, everything was fine. There was definitely a learning curve because things are done way different from my last salon, but I was excited and eager to move forward.

Then came the issues. It got bad enough to where I was thinking about just not showing up anymore, and that was the beginning of this month. To keep it short, there were shady things going on with time punches being altered to clock us out earlier than we actually left and 30 minute breaks being deducted from our time even if we didn't go on break. The higher ups micromanage us and give us "advice" on how to be more productive even though they've never physically worked in a salon before. We get warnings and even write-ups for not working fast enough or leaving later than they think we should (they want 2-3 dogs done in an hour. This means nails, bathing, drying, brush-outs, and any extras). Issues are diminished down to poor communication/poor time management and there's never any progress or change made.

All this to say, I have been offered a contract that will put me through grooming school. The company will pay for everything, the catch being I have to remain employed with the company for 2 years after I complete the classes. If I break the contract, I will have to pay back the money. (*They won't let me touch clippers or allow the groomers to teach me at all if I am not taking these classes. I was reprimanded for shaving a dog down with a groomer because he wasn't "licensed" to teach?)

I guess I'm scared I won't get this kind of opportunity again and I should just suck it up and stay here. This also kind of derails mine and my partners plan to move within the next year. We started looking at houses in our ideal town, but if I take this position we will be stuck where we are now for at least 2 1/2 years.

I just feel defeated. This is what I asked for, yet I'm being ungrateful. Maybe it's because I don't have a lot of experience, but what if I don't get another chance like this at the next salon I work at? I keep thinking if I do this, maybe the issues in the bathing department will no longer apply to me and I can work in peace. Am I being naive? Please the more seasoned groomers out there tell me if I'm crazy for wanting to leave.

I’ve been at a humble 1/2” in both lobes for a few years now. Most days I leave them naked. I’ve recently started wearing over ear headphones at work and noticed my poor lobes get fatigued within an hour. It starts getting uncomfortable and I have to keep readjusting the ear piece so it isn’t placing pressure on my lobe. I don’t remember this being a problem before I started stretching 😞. Does anyone else have this issue? Am I doomed to never wear headphones comfortably again? </3