Over the break, I got my old job back as a sales associate at a high-end clothing store in the mall of my hometown. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to make some money and not be bored over the holidays. While I worked, I devised a loose pros and cons list to enlighten people about what it’s like working at a mall over the holiday season.
I love gift-giving, but on a student budget, it isn’t always super realistic, so working here and getting a discount was a huge win in my books as we have a LOT of stocking stuffer-worthy items. I admit, I did spend more money than I should have on gifts for myself—but isn’t that the best kind of gift?
The mall’s store hours are a big win in my books. Even with mall hours being extended for the holiday season, I’m still never starting work before 9am or leaving after 10pm. Being able to sleep in was something I was greatly looking forward to over break, and I’m grateful this job made that available to me. (Compared to a past job where I’d be at work at 5am, this option is way preferred).
While some stores truly feel the holiday rush (like Indigo or Aritzia), this isn’t the same for where I work. The days before and after Christmas our store was busy, but nothing stress-inducing.
My weakness in life is packing a lunch. I know it saves money and can be healthier or whatnot, but honestly, I struggle to do it. One of my favourite perks about my job is that I have a plethora of options at the food court to keep me satisfied when break time rolls around. I also get mall employee discounts on food items which, in my books, is a double-score!
I feel 50/50 about seeing people I know in public. The truth about working in a mall is that you run into a lot of familiar faces. Almost every shift I would see people I know. Now, when I’m feeling social, it’s so fun to see people and catch up. On the days when I’m feeling overworked and tired, then it feels tiresome. That being said, whenever my friends or family dropped into the store, I loved showing them around!
While it didn’t snow this year, I felt good about working at the mall even if it had snowed because there’s covered parking, in-store heating, and all the main roads leading to it would have been plowed (hypothetically) quickly. One of the past jobs I worked in the winter was at the local mountain and digging my car out of the snow after a long shift is not something I miss.
At the end of the day, work was still work. I got a good discount and had fun making new friends with my co-workers and seeing old ones. And yeah, sometimes customer service jobs suck, but thankfully I had a good experience this year. Overall, I feel like I had fun while also taking the time to make a little extra cash.