Some time ago, a Facebook friend had mentioned that many people on her Facebook would complain about their job in retail. Like if you know what you're getting into, don't go for it, do something that you would want to do. But at the same time, getting a non Customer-Service job, can be hard to get. Retail & Food Industry jobs are much easier to obtain than an office job. So when you're desperate to make money, you'll take any job that comes your way!
(I think everyone should work a customer service job, so they can understand how cruel people can be, and hopefully don't turn into the very people that were nasty to them.)
When I got a job in retail, I was unfortunate to not know what I was getting into. But I also had no choice but to go into retail. I was previously in college, in which they wouldn't let me go back for my bachelors until, I started paying them. I had to get a job, retail was the first to take me in. Ironically, my college ended up shutting down years later, and it was honestly a useless college in the first place.
(Quite frankly, I learned more stuff online, than in college!)
Now I'm just horribly in debt, and from 2012-2018, I was making minimum wage. (Thankfully, the minimum wage went up a dollar every year. So I started at 7.50 an hour, and ended on 12 an hour. In 2019, I got a job that pays 14 an hour. I had been on plenty of non-retail job interviews before, and because I lacked job experience in the fields I applied for, no one would give me a shot! That's when retail came in, and hired me without an interview, because it was a new store opening up. (More or less, they were relocating to a bigger store, but got rid of most of the old employees. The new location was only a 5 minute drive from the old one, and literally just on the opposite side of one of the roads.)
I chose to be a cashier, which was fine until I realized people were psychopaths that belong in mental institutions! I also realized that being around people so much, mentally drained me. I needed a break every now and again, or I'd have a panic attack. My store is the type of store, where customers will scream their bloody head off because they didn't get a coupon, but another lady did. When the only way to get that coupon, is to donate a coat!
This happened to one of my supervisors a month ago. This nut job lady was cursing, and yelling at my supervisor because she wanted a coupon. You could only get the coupon for donating a coat. My supervisor gave the lady a coupon, even though she did not donate a coat. The lady apologized for yelling at her, and she "understands because she worked in retail once too". Which I highly doubt, because if you worked retail, you wouldn't have acted like a crazy person whose thumb just got cut off by a log gremlin! I felt so bad for the supervisor that day, because she got two other loony tunes right after that one! The supervisor was ready to cry, and she always goes out of her way to help people (Like she bought a 40 dollar coat for one of the girls at work who couldn't afford it).. and she got crapped on by dirt bags!
Working in this industry has lead me to not only dislike people, but despise the human race as a whole. Quite frankly, if the world were to get engulfed by the sun, I'd just say, well, at-least all the D-bags are dead! The really sad thing is, I used to be such a nice person (Which, I still am), but now I just have a negative view on humans. I think humans are simply, a waste of space (Yes, I know the irony, you don't have to tell me twice!). A year or so after working in retail, I came to the conclusion that I was a misanthrope! (Someone who hates people) The sad thing is, retail changes you, it shows you the madness of humans, and it changes you for the better, and or worse! (I would say for me, it is a mix of both.) I do feel my head was in the clouds before retail, and feel I had a more childish view on many things. I previously took things too lightly before retail, and I think it's allowed me to be more level headed when it comes to various things. Especially when I write stories, or do artwork. (I look at some of my stories, or graphic design projects from 8 years ago, and just think to myself, what the bloody hell, was I thinking!?) But now, I just see things in a whole new perspective. I find myself more negative about people, and things in general, than I used to be. With people being so rude to me, I find myself more selfish, in a certain sense of... "People are assholes, so I deserve this instead of them." Which has also lead my to favoring types of characters in games, or shows, who are sassy, and do what they want! (Example, Sombra from Overwatch. Who is looking out for herself first, and foremost.)
But that by no means, do I act like a jerk to anyone. I got called stupid recently (2015) by this one lady because I was helping her, after that, I walked away because I wasn't going to deal with someone who had no respect for me! Where-as I could have called her a nasty word back!
Many of the customers my store gets are just simply trash, but there are some good ones too. I like the ones that are just the type to buy something and go. I rarely get overly nice customers, but it is fun to get really nice customers! I've gotten so used to dealing with rude people, that I'm surprised when I meet nice people! (The sad truth) One time, I went to the pizza place. This old lady cut in line, and when she realized she had cut in line. She apologized, I was so blown away that she was so nice to me, I was literally speechless. (Especially since 70% of nasty customers are older people)
In fact, due to my experiences in retail, I am not shocked at all, when someone does something rude to me, someone I know, or just something I heard about online. At this point, I'm immune to evil things people do, I got so used to it, that it just doesn't phase me anymore.
Whats that, there was a shootout at a school? That's terrible, but, I'm not surprised! Say what now, a lady was being racist? Not surprised at all. Did you hear? Someone was beaten for being gay! Yeah, if you're surprised, well I'm not. Humans are the embodiment of fear, and hate, and they're just garbage overall. The only thing that surprises me now-days, are when people are actually nice to me!
I was happy when my job asked me to work on the sales floor, instead of cashier. I can easily say I enjoy being on the floor more. Even though people ask unintelligent questions, like where the bathroom is (You see that sign that says the restroom?), or when they ask where the fitting room is. Um, it's literally that GIANT DOOR, 5 feet behind you! (This happens way too much!) Being on the floor, is more quiet and you get to do your own thing. As an introvert, I don't like dealing with thousands of people all the time. Meeting too many people, drains my energy and I become a lifeless doll on register. So if by chance you're reading this, and are an introvert who needs a retail job. I suggest getting a floor position, they're usually titled as things like "Home associate", or "Merchandiser", "Sales Floor/Associate" etc...
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| Let's be a chemist! |
I think sometimes people are thrown into situations they cannot control, so they may not always want to do it, but may have no choice to get a job in retail. Finding a job these days that isn't retail can be difficult since, there aren't as many jobs out there anymore. (At-least for America, I'm unaware of the job states in other countries.)
It's annoying because, all of these companies want people with 20 million years of experience. People like me, or someone else with little experience, get passed on. But people who are pouring with experience, get jobs at the flip of a hat. I wouldn't be surprised if one day, the majority of people have little experience, and companies have a hard time hiring people for that reason. In fact, I've been on an interview from a company through networking (My friend is friends with the people who own a printing company, which is made up of Graphic Designers), and I still didn't get the job because, "They needed someone with 5 years Graphic Design experience". Well guess what, they were looking for half a year for that position, I at-least would have had some clue of what I was doing. (I regularly saw their ad online, that's why I knew how long it took. lol)
Honestly, I was not digging the way the place looked anyway. It looked like a flashback from the 70's! The furniture was old, and torn up. I was surprised Graphic Designers were the owners, since it was so boring, and dull looking. Not enough color!
When this was originally posted, I had been in retail for three years already, and miserable. It's not easy to get out because I didn't have enough experience, for like, anything. (And because I always say the wrong things by accident, I usually said something stupid on interviews)
[Ironically, I only got a job in 2018, because I did well on their typing assessment. But also because I worked retail, and the manager hires people who worked retail, so I believe I was hired based off of luck and skill, and not the actual interview. Conveniently, I ended up leaving that new job, and got another new one in 2019. Where It is a mix of office work, and some Graphic Design, so it only took me 6 years after retail, to get something in my field...]
The cool thing about some job websites, is that they tell you how many people already applied for the job. It usually says something like, 50-100 people with over 10 years experience have mostly applied for this position.which really makes me lose hope in even being considered for that job!
On a side note, I've heard being a telemarketer is pretty bad. So I always avoid those types of wanted ads. Apparently if someone can't see your face, the customers get to be really nasty to you for no reason.
The funny thing is, the people I work with are all nice to customers, but we get all the rude customers. Because of all the crap I've had to deal with, I always treat employees in stores that I'm a customer in, very nicely.
Concluding on the original subject, I do agree that people should get jobs they want, and not complain about it. But at the same time, we don't always get to choose what job we want. Sometimes we really need money, and take what comes our way. Sometimes you just have to put survival, over pleasure first. Not to mention, if you have a job you like. It doesn't mean you won't get managers that are nasty, or a toxic environment. It can still happen!
Keywords: Why retail is the worst job, Who are retail customers?, Why retail jobs
are bad, Retail is hard, Retail Experience, Retail Examples, Retail
Industry, Retail Sector, Retail Times, Retail Workers.
