Edit: Posted this earlier, but decided it may be better to use a throwaway instead.
After getting in a ton of debt to get an English degree that I wound up not using, I started work in the food service industry and have been doing so for most of my adult life. I got hired by one of the best companies in my region 2.5 years ago and recently got promoted to a managerial role. I am compensated quite well, the job aligns with my values/skillset, and the owner is one of the best bosses I've ever had. There's plenty of rewarding challenges, lots of room for growth, and I've been able to pay off all of my debts and start investing in my retirement. I'm essentially working my dream job.
Earlier this year, while working in the retail arm of the company, I had to lock myself and my patrons inside during business hours because a man had a mentally unstable outburst while armed with a knife. Luckily, I took the appropriate actions to ensure everyone's safety, police arrived quickly, and everything was taken care of without issue.
Fast forward to today and I found myself in a eerily similar situation: outburst, locked door, police, etc. Three hours later and I'm still shaking.
This is a common issue in my industry with no easy fix. There isn't much that can be done proactively to prevent these things from happening. Our retail business is nestled in an urban environment surrounded by disenfranchised people facing mental health issues and we cannot police the future actions of others; we don't live in the world of The Minority Report. My boss and my co-workers don't have any answers because, even though they have faced similar incidents, they aren't as concerned about it as I am and have sort of accepted that this is the reality of working in this type of business.
I tried looking for another job during the last incident. However, my work history seems to keep me pigeon holed in my current industry unless I want to (a) start from the absolute bottom of the pay scale in a comparable industry that I have no passion for, or (b) rack up some debt to get a degree that may or may not allow me to transition to a new career. Perhaps I wasn't looking in the right places or considering the right options.
I guess I'm just looking for advice as I find myself in a lose-lose situation.
Submitted August 20, 2018 at 11:42PM by -------throwaway https://ift.tt/2nVvQ3y
