So, why DO we work in retail?

[DesignFox]

DawnTazz brought up a question I liked, I just didn't want to take over her nice thread about family ;) so I thought I'd start a new one...

so, "Why are we the ones who work in retail?"

This is my answer...what about all of you? Why do you do what you do?

I went to college- but I don't want to do what I went to college for. I started working in retail...and realized I actually liked it! Working with people just comes naturally to me...I can't fathom sitting behind a desk all day, dealing with the same people over and over again. And I love kids. All of my jobs have been kid related. And, unlike a teacher, I get to deal with said child for a little while- get all the cute and laughs and fun- and send 'em home. :D If they are a brat- well, I don't have to deal with them for long- and then, they go home! I'm also a natural leader, and I would like to turn that into some awesome management skillz. I also like the flexibility. I can do my shopping during the week when I am off and avoid the malls/stores when all the 9-5ers are bombarding them. Not to mention that I love horseback riding- with my non-9-5 schedule, I have plenty of time to ride before I get to work. :D

[MadMike]

In my case, it was because that was all that was really available at the time. It's not something I ever really like, as I was never really much of a people person. Didn't really hate them at first, I was just kind of indifferent to them back then.

Sadly, working retail has taught me to despise human nature in general.

[Bella_Vixen]

Because the only jobs within walking distance of my apartment are retail jobs, and at the time, I didn't have my license.

I like the gas station job because it's NOT seasonal, and the only way to get fired is to do something REALLY stupid, like steal.


I would also like to agree wholeheartedly with MadMike.

[Ringtail Z28]

Because the job market sucks right now. It was the only stable employment available, mostly because nobody wants to work in retail in my crappy area. I stayed as long as I did because I worked with a lot of close friends.

I also agree with MadMike on everything he said.

[dawntazz]

I like workin retail NOW. I didn't care for it much when i started because i was just like "great people and there problems like i ain't got enough"

But after the first few weeks i realized i care about people and i'm a natural mother to all so it fits rather well. I like the job alot of the people is my problem.....lol

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Two words: financial necessity.

Several other words: no driver's license (yet) as well as a rather slim job market here in my area.

Hopefully this year things will get better and I can find a way out of retail altogether. That damn dog has to get tired sooner or later of peeing on my leg and move on down to someone else's.:lol:

[ArenaBoy]

The arena is a HUGE employer in my area and I got to get through school. Yes working in parking sucks but I need the money and the fact that it lets me pick my hours is a big help. That and along with braving winter in nothing more than 3 layers and a snowsuit will make anyone tough. I don't mind the work it's just the SCs and some of the people I work with, I try to keep out of the workplace drama that ensues in my department.

Count me in with agreeing with everything MadMike said.

[Greenday]

DGoddess said it well: the need for cash. Plus, when I got a job I was only 15 so retail was pretty much the only thing open to me. I managed to get a job doing stock during the summer since the place was only open on weekdays. It was pretty good. Slowly dropped days at retail place and worked full time at warehouse. Then warehouse closed and since the one job didn't pay much, I got another job, that offered more hours, and with tips, pays much better.

But yea, being under 18, there wasn't too many options besides retail. Now I'm in college going for a degree in forensic and toxicological chemistry. Hopefully I'll get a nice paying job working in a lab. Only people I'll have to deal with are co-workers and dead bodies. While I wouldn't mind working in a state lab or county lab, I'd really like to get a job with the FBI or CIA. Probably a lot more interesting work and a lot better pay. I actually checked out the FBI requirements and I pass them, for the most part. Other than trying weed once in the past three years, I'm good. I'll have my degree and by the time I get out of college, it'll be past three years.

I'm also looking to get a paying internship with a military base a mile or two from my house. Pays 12-14 bucks an hour, sitting around in an air conditioned building, learning how to transfer supplies around the base. I'd also get military clearance, which I'm sure would be a HUGE help in getting my job in Forensics.

[Mr. Rager!]

It's fun!!

And sometimes, I get a real kick out of dealing with an unusually angry customer. I have two jobs right now, one is a retail job and the other is at The Mayo Clinic. I could go full-time at Mayo, but it's too boring for me. It's great rainy day cash though. :D

For serious, I couldn't see myself working somewhere where I come home bored and completely drained of any sort of energy. Usually I come home from work in a great mood and a good kind of tired.

I come home from Mayo usually tired and crabby.

Gotta have some fun sometime, right?

[Kiwi]

I started working in retail at 15 saving for a student exchange

Ive had at least a part time job in it since then (8 years later)

now I work for a non profit organisation im only half in retail really.... we sell things in our gift store to raise money for the gallery. I want out of all retail aspects NOW!!!! I hate closing out the till, standing on my feet, dealing with the public....

As soon as I can I will be out of it, the store im in now has a 0.01% sucky customer rating so its not the customers....it just bores me to tears

I have the utmost respect for retail workers, its a hard job, physically and mentally draining, but I will be damned if its what I do for the rest of my life. I admit it, I cant hack it.

[NightAngel]

Yes, I also enjoy my job for all the stupidity and woe it brings. At the end of the day I come home and I almost always have a funny story to tell my family.

I like that people come to me and say things like, "I always like the movies you recommend- what should I watch this week?" It gives me a great sense of pride and satisfaction that I'm the person that other people come to for help on how to enjoyably spend their free time when most people have so little free time these days.

I enjoy the mini-dramas we have with SC's even when it ticks me off. Really, the majority of my customers are fine.

At the end of the day I've put in an honest day's work and I'm good with that.

[AirHostess]

I worked retail part time whilst at school and college for pocket money and work experience. And that work experience helped me to get my dream job as a glamourous flight attendant! :D I like being a flight attendant due to glamour (ha ha :rolleyes:) wearing a uniform so you don't have to worry about what to wear to work, I found office work boring, the travel, having days off during the week when everyone else is working etc etc It's also quite fun and interesting to meet lots of different passengers. Oh and no office politics as you fly with different people too!

[Barefootgirl]

I hated, despised and loathed retail. I was so happy when I got out of it for good. These days I have a boring old office job, but i have a lot of autonomy in what I do, I can work from home if i need to, i work with a brilliant team of people and i actually USE my brain all the time and learn new stuff that forces me right out of my comfort zone. I also only have to meet the people that I actually want to meet. The final plus point - working with oblivious men, i can have a truly bad hair day and come to work in sloppy clothes, and no-one so much as raises an eyebrow.

[Maevis]

Good question.

Started off because my husband was laid off and I took a part time job to make ends meet. Then 6 months later I was promoted to Assistant manager...then 6 months after that I demoted myself so that I could work part time and go to school full time, then didn't qualify for the school loans I needed...then by that time the store already had another assistant manager who was later fired and the upper management decided the store didn't NEED an assistant manager...
blah blah blah...

I've been looking for other work for about a year and finaly found another job. YAY.

While I have had plenty of awful customers, the truth is, most of them I actually enjoy seeing and helping out. Truth is, I am more than capable of being a store manager, and I could easily apply and move up the chain. BUT I hate managing people. Let me clarify that...I hate managing people who only need a job so that they can have enough money to go out. Basicaly they just don't care...it's a minimum wage and fairly thankless job to work at a video store, and I end up feeling more like a babysitter than a manager.

Me: MOD
CC: Careless co-worker


Me: Please clean the bathroom.
CC: Ok

CC disappears for an inordinate amount of time.

about 30 minutes later I need to use the toilet. I walk into the bathroom and the garbage can is full, there is no toilet paper, and while nothing looks particularily bad, it is still obvious that nothing was wiped down.

Me: CC, I thought you went to clean the bathrooms?
CC: Oh, I eyeballed it, and it looked clean to me.
Me: . . .
Me: When I ask you to clean the bathroom, this is what I expect to get done:
(list of things to do when cleaning a bathroom)
CC: OH! I'm supposed to do all of that?
Me: . . .


Rinse, wash, repeat.

I'm sure from their perspective I'm a condescending bitch.

[Spiffy McMoron]

It started out as a part-time burger flipping job to get some money for PlayStation games and beer. I got out of retail for a year, then I went to college and got a job in the sports and seasonal department of Crappy Tire. I then transferred to parts, had to move due to school, and am now working at a car dealership in the parts departement.

I enjoy working with people, and emparting my knowledge to them to help them out. I have great co-workers (one guy notwithstanding-but that's another story for another day and time), I have great hours which allow me to work and go to school, and I make quite a bit of money, considering I am part time and have no formal knowledge of my job.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I do actually enjoy parts of my job; I love meeting new people and talking to them, as well as being able to help people with their shopping. The SCs and dumbasses are annoying, but you will encounter them in every job. I also have loads of qualifications and no idea as to what I actually want to do right now.

[janitordba]

i started working in retail,because walmart happened to be willing to hire me when i was in need of a job. i continue working there because i am not ambitious enough to go find another job. i also get paid alright because i am on third shift and supporting only me.
retail is also an interesting sociological study. not only the customers,but some of the people that get hired.
i also have many wonderful friends who i met through my job.

[AirHostess]

I hated, despised and loathed retail. I was so happy when I got out of it for good. These days I have a boring old office job, but i have a lot of autonomy in what I do, I can work from home if i need to, i work with a brilliant team of people and i actually USE my brain all the time and learn new stuff that forces me right out of my comfort zone. I also only have to meet the people that I actually want to meet. The final plus point - working with oblivious men, i can have a truly bad hair day and come to work in sloppy clothes, and no-one so much as raises an eyebrow.

Oh yes me too, hated working retail. After I left college and got my full time office job I was so much happier! But then I got bored with that, hence back to the world of customers...but when I leave flying it'll be back to office work for me!

[AFpheonix]

I was training horses, but once you get past about age 22 you don't bounce so well anymore ;). That wasn't ultimately what I wanted to do for a living, although it's fun as a hobby, and this way I can get knocked around by my own or my family's horses, not someone else's hellion.

I became a tech as part of my eeevil plan to get into pharmacy school. I had already earned a BS in biology, and part of the application was a requirement of a certain # of pharmacy hours. So, here I am. I like it, I'm good at it, and most of my patients dig me, and it's a livable wage, so I enjoy going to work usually :)

[DesignFox]

For serious, I couldn't see myself working somewhere where I come home bored and completely drained of any sort of energy. Usually I come home from work in a great mood and a good kind of tired.

That's usually what happens to my BF. He has an office job and he comes home totally depressed and drained half the time. And he wonders why I'll keep my low paying retail job over getting an office job (I went to school for art...he is a computer engineer...so, he gets paid lots of money; nobody will start me for the kind of cash he makes, I would have to work 10-20 years and then maybe I could dream about it).
So, I feel the same way! I like my job. I love helping people. Hopefully, I'll get a promotion soon (I am next in line) and then I'll be able to live more comfortably, have full benefits and vacation time :) For now, I just work one job primarily, and other odd jobs to pay the bills..somehow I make it work. If nothing else, I'm happy!

[zeoquean]

I work in retail because, quite frankly, I'm working through school. Of course, I still live at home with my parents (I'm almost 25..2 months to go) because it's free...and they pay for my school...but I just get my extra cash from retail. Once I'm done with school in May, I'm going to be looking for a job in a research lab probably...and getting out of retail. (Since working at my store, I have decided I don't want to do pharmacy like I thought...only cause I can't deal with working with people anymore..I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown soon...but I think I can hold off until May)