What I Have Learned From Working in Retail

My mom always told me that she believed that everyone should work in food service at least once in their life. Whether it be working at McDonald’s or waiting tables at the nicest restaurant in town, she said that you can learn a lot and gain a deeper appreciation for food service staff.

For me personally, I never wanted to work food service. While I appreciate all of their hard work, it was just something that never interested me.

So when I decided to get my first job, I decided that working in retail would be ideal.

My first day at my first job. Taken April 2015

April marks two years since I first started working retail, and I now firmly believe that my mom’s saying should be altered: Everyone should work in retail at some point in their lives.

I have learned and experienced so much in these past two years. Here are some of the highlights of what I have acquired:

1.) The biggest lesson I have learned from working retail is patience. Going into my first job, I really lacked patience. I hated waiting for everything and anything.

Working retail is a constant test of your patience. From trying to help a customer find a specific product with little to no knowledge of what they want to customers walking in five minutes before the store closes (please don’t be that person), you learn quickly not to get frustrated so easily.

Patience is especially necessary during Black Friday. I have worked two Black Fridays, and they can be very stressful and tiring, but it is all about how you use your customer service skills You can choose to get super frustrated and freak out, or you can be patient and try and help as many people as possible. I always go with the latter.

2.) Somewhere within the past two years, I have picked up a “retail voice”.  When I clock in for a shift, my normal voice stays in the back room, and out comes this high-pitched, preschool teacher’s voice. It’s something similar to this:

3.) I have learned that it is really fun to talk and interact with customers. I will always remember certain customers because of the conversations we had and their kindness.

One customer conversation that is memorable was when this man who I was ringing up mentioned that he programmed the bell schedules for all of the public schools in the county, and mentioned that if I ever wanted to mess up the bell schedule at my high school, he was the one to contact.

A memorable act of kindness happened when I was working the 2015 holiday season. This older woman was trying to pick out gifts, but she was having a hard time moving around the store with her heavy basket full of products. This man in his late 20’s and dressed in business attire helped her carry her basket around the store and pick out items. When it came time to check out, the man put the basket on the counter and paid for all of the lady’s items. She of course immediately refused, but he insisted on helping. All of the employees working that morning were all crying at how sweet it was.

4.) On the other hand, there are some customers who want nothing to do with you. I’ve had to learn over the years not to take things so personally, which is huge for me.

Some customers will make you really upset. I’ve had a few instances where I have wanted to cry at work due to certain customers. It’s an awful feeling, but you have to maintain your composure at all times and let it roll off your back.

5.) Through working, I have gained a greater appreciation for in-store displays. It’s tiring and difficult at times to stock products and make the displays exactly how they are supposed to look.

Some of the stores I’ve worked for use a close-to-open method, where everything must be ready for the next day the night before. If the store is a wreck, you can be there for a long time after the store closes.

Going into any field requires patience, people skills, and an appreciation for the small things – and I firmly believe that retail has rewarded me with these essentials. So if you think you are lacking any of them, don’t be afraid to step out and try retail. Chances are you will gain at least one of these things.

HC xoxo,

Danielle

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