Paula Ducepec A couple of years ago, I saw an Instagram Reel of a girl ranting about working in retail. That video is followed by a multi-pictured post claiming that everyone should work in retail at least once in their life. I loudly exhaled through my nose and proudly said that I would never subject myself to a life in retail because I also heard that once you enter you never leave.
A few short months after I have uttered these words, I began working in retail. Only after 7 years of working in the industry was able to leave.
I have some thoughts and memories about those years because it was nothing short of an experience and I would like to share things that I have learned from working those years.
One, it really is not for everyone. There is a certain attitude and character someone needs to have in order to last long in the business or even in a particular company. Even though its just “selling things”, there is a certain pizzazz or character one should have to last. Not everyone has that thing and, yet, people still do retail, especially students, to help support their studies (this is the usual line students have when they take part-time positions in stores).
I, for one, did not have all of those things needed to last. On paper, yes; in actuality – well, that had to be tested. On my resume, I said that I was a person that loved order and would like to work in a place that has order. I got hired because I had what the company wanted. But lo and behold, their definition of order was my definition of chaos. It was tough for me to reconcile that this order was in fact “order”. At a previous job, I had the place to myself and could control the order in the way that I wanted it to look like. Not in retail. Even if the floor manager had a plan, even that plan did not go accordingly. So, I had to adjust and learned to adjust. I had to come to terms that order comes in different shapes and sizes and that sometimes, as much as we plan it, chaos will happen. So, the best that we can do is aim for is try.
Two, this is a place of great character study. If any one wants to go into psychology or teaching or managing or anything that has got to deal with a lot different people, you need to go and a retail experience. In these places, you would get to meet the smorgasbord of people. One second you will be talking with a doctor that just got off a 72 hour shift and would like a conversation about the appropriate flashiness of socks for a gala instead of the possible hypochondriac. And then the next second, you would be talking to a trucker that would hide the fact that he is one because he would not want to be associated with the Freedom Convoy (messy times). Or you get to talking to this very elegant lady that smells like a million bucks returning a coat that costs as much as your tuition. Or you get to talking with families that further asks for discounts in a discount store. Different people require different approaches but all at the same time, you give them all the respect that they need.
And because of this, one develops a keen communication skill. You need to know how to communicate with different kinds of customers and as an employee, you really do not have the luxury of time to think on how to act. So, you develop a skill in choosing the best way to communicate and make decisions in a manner of a split of a second. This one takes a lot of time, effort, and a lot of patience.
And lastly, and sadly, you get to understand that people leave, especially in this line of work. The retail industry is full of students and students leave to go pursue their careers. You make friends and then they leave, and then you also leave. It does get sad sometimes, but you learn to let go and be happy for them because they will pursue what makes them happy.
In conclusion, I think everyone should work in retail at least once. I am not here to lure you into a “fun” job because more often than not, it really is not a fun place. But it never gets boring to say the least. I really commend the individuals that have this as their everyday life and their careers. I am sure that they have found their meaning in all of this. Kudos and more power to them.
