Advice Regarding Negative Coworker

[scotchtapeandrhinestones]

So I have been interning at this salon for about 2 months as I am still in school. This is a great salon so I'm very excited about the opportunity. The negative coworker and I happen to both speak Chinese, though she doesn't understand that I am not fluent. The salon has mostly Japanese techs. She is a part time employee and I have worked with maybe 4 times, tops, and EVERY time I come she is complaining to me. She has too many clients, she doesn't want to help her coworkers, she didn't get a lot of tips, the salon is working her too hard, etc. She is always complaining to me in Chinese, I have not heard one positive thing come out her mouth.

I am especially frustrated because she is clearly unhappy with her job. But I would kill to be in her place. She talks down to me about being a nail technician, that it's not worth my time and that I should do something more worthy later in life. It is even more frustrating that she started complaining to me on my first day! That is not an impression anyone should be giving new hires.

Should I tell one of my managers/the owner? Or let her get fired on her own?

[CandiceAE]

Sorry you're having such a negative experience. I would try to avoid her and let them figure it out themselves.

Just a thought, I have recently spoken with a few nail techs, since I am looking to hire one now, and one thing they all have in common is that their current salon's try to get them to work fast and fit as many people as they can. It does seem that this is a common complaint in our industry, and being overworked and underpaid can cause people to become unhappy and think that being a nail tech is a lowly position. Keep your eyes open and determine for yourself if this salon treats employees well and respects the skills of their workers.

[C-C My Nails]

Yup. Politely tell her that if she is so unhappy in her current position that she should do what she can to change it and not whine about it. In any case, you feel uncomfortable with her negativity and speaking a language that no one else in the shop speaks (I take it you all have a common language that should be spoken). Then do what you can to befriend others and avoid her negativity because in the long run, it will pull you down.