Sorry, this is my first time posting so I might not write well. Sorry if it’s messy. I’ll try to tell it as straight as possible. I’m 29, I work at a small clothing shop in the mall on Mittraphap Road, Nakhon Ratchasima. I live with my parents, not a long commute. I thought the job wouldn’t be too hard, but lately I feel really down and confused.

This started about a month ago when the shop hired a new employee — someone from the same area. They fit in with the team so quickly, and the store manager clearly takes his side. Like, he lets that person arrange the front display and prime areas, even though me and another coworker have been doing that regularly. When the store gets busy and I ask the new person to watch the front for a bit, I get looked at like “you can’t watch the front” or I’m told to do something else.

I feel it’s unfair that the new hire gets the good shifts, the spotlight tasks, and the busy front-of-store hours where tips and commission tend to be higher, even though I’ve been there since the store opened. The manager often pulls me aside to say “you need to try harder,” even when I’ve gone home near midnight some nights because I had to stock and sort alone. It’s silent. Not fair.

Sometimes the manager dumps extra tasks on me, like sending me alone to the warehouse in the rain to fetch stuff — it’s hard to find and I have to go up and down stairs many times, and my back hurts afterward. The new hire hardly ever gets that. Shift schedules change a lot and usually at the last minute, and it’s always me they ask to work the extra holiday shift. Why is it always me? My head’s like, am I just the backup worker?

The worst was last Saturday. A big group of customers came in. Me and another coworker were helping customers, trying on clothes, all chaotic. The manager and the new person stood in a corner chatting and didn’t help. Then a small problem came up — customers upset about the fitting room queue. The new hire stayed neutral but the manager quietly, but loudly enough in the open store, said to me, “work’s slow today, why aren’t you controlling the queue better?” even though me and my coworker were running around that area. It was dead silent. Then the customers left upset, and I felt faint. I was so sad.

I’m not the kind to make a fuss, but being criticized in front of others so the manager can look good hurts a lot. Maybe it’s jealousy, I don’t know. I cried alone in the car that night, embarrassed. Felt like I wasn’t good enough even though I really give my all. Maybe I’m overthinking? Should I talk to the manager straight up and say how I feel? I’m afraid of making the atmosphere tense. I’m the type who’s overly considerate.

Then there’s the money. Tips are usually pooled and split, but the new hire gets most of it because they supposedly sell more, even though when I swap shifts or help advise customers I hardly get extra commission. Some coworkers joke like “you’re doing fine,” but that doesn’t actually fix things. It feels like I’m being overlooked and I feel so alone lol.

One day I tried to hold myself together and not let this affect my work, but when I went back the atmosphere was the same and the manager still favors the same person. I’m starting to doubt myself — am I not good enough, not working well enough, or should I quit and find somewhere else? I’m scared I won’t find another job in time to help with family expenses. It’s so confusing.

I might be rambling and not in order, emotions mixed up. I want advice from others: if you were my friend, what would you do? If the manager favors someone but there’s no clear wrongdoing, should I tell the manager how I feel, or should I gather evidence first — like track schedule changes or tip splits — and then have a more formal talk? Or should I start looking for a new job before I can’t stand it?

Thanks for reading to the end. I feel a bit better just getting it out. Has anyone been through this? Please give me advice. What should I do T_T

P.S. Sorry if this post is rambly, I’m really not good at wording things.