DISCLAIMER: These are my personal experiences and in no way is this article meant to generalize on others' partner experiences.

As a seventeen year old being a part of my high school's work-based-learning program, I was on the job hunt. My best friend worked at the Starbucks inside the local mall, which is one of the largest in Atlanta. I applied for a job and had an interview and was granted a job as a barista at the store and I was absolutely thrilled. After three weeks of waiting around, my background check FINALLY made its way to the store, but during this time I had given up another job offer that probably would have been better in hindsight. After I started, I loved every minute of my job until the dreadful day my manager, who was amazing, said she was being moved to another store at one of our store meetings.

The worst of the issues I had was the day I was accidentally fired. I could not log into Partner Hub and called support, to which I was told I had been separated (a nicer way to say fired), and I was so confused. I called my manager to ask when he had fired me and when he was planning on letting me know, to which he was just as confused as I was. After several days on the phone with corporate, there was another partner with my name and similar numbers in Saskatchewan, yes in a different country, was supposed to be fired. After clearing this up, I was offered not even an apology from corporate for their mistake, even though a few of my benefits were affected.

A month before I was leaving for college, my manager asked if I wanted to work over winter break, since it is their busy season. I said yes and was told I had to work every 90 days to avoid having to be rehired. I worked it out so that my first day back would fall on day 90, just in time. I reached out to my manager to give him my availability and received no response. About a month later, I found out we had a new manager, yes manager number three. I called the store and spoke to him, and he said he would love to have me on board. I gave him my availability and was relieved that I would be able to have the money to buy my family nice Christmas gifts. I reached out again about a week before I was to work to ask for the schedule, he responded with news that there was ANOTHER new manager at the store and gave me her contact information.

I contacted manager number four and received no response until I reached out a second time. She asked for my numbers, to which I complied. She never scheduled me and on day 90, I woke up to my Spotify playing a commercial, meaning I no longer had Spotify premium, a partner benefit. I called the store and she was not there. I decided that I had not had a beneficial experience and looking for a different job would be a better idea than working for such a flakey company. I have heard many positive partner experiences, but unfortunately, mine was filled with unprofessional treatment, being kept in the dark and the sheer horror of accidentally being fired.

I think Starbucks is quite a successful company and enjoyed most of my time there, but being such a large company with a focus on customer support leaves little room to focus on employee support. Starbucks does many wonderful things, from providing jobs to veterans and those with disabilities, to the partner cup fund, I truly do find it an amazing and successful company. However, from working closing shifts just to being back to open again in the morning, to being solo on bar while there is a twenty drink queue, some actions need to be taken to improve all experiences. Also, I urge customers to understand how hard baristas work, being rude makes for a bad experience for both parties.