I’ve worked at American Eagle Outfitters for a little over a year now. I started in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic. I am not the same person as I was when I started this job. I’ve written about my social anxiety before back when I was a freshman, and now being a senior I wanted to revisit it. Being in college has given me confidence in social settings but nothing like American Eagle. I’m always around my friends, and yes, I meet new people every day, but talking and being around them has made me anxious. So I decided to work in retail.
POV: you are starting your first retail job ever and they through into your first 8-hour shift and your very intimidating district manager is also there. Not only that the only training you had was through videos.
It was mid-July so it was crazy. I had no idea what I was doing. There were so many people I didn’t know, including my new co-workers. I was so anxious. I could barely talk to customers at first. “What if I’m not helpful enough, I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t know anything about the fit of jeans.” Luckily I made one new friend that day that would end up being one of my closest friends. She wouldn’t tell me what to do, but instead would show me and then let me do my thing. I appreciated her so much. I changed so much in those 8 hours. My manager even came up to me saying she saw someone so new but one of the top sellers that day. She even said my district manager complimented me and thought I worked there so long.
After that first day, I started to become more confident with my job. I would ask questions and continually want to get better. Once back-to-school season hit I wasn’t worried about if I was helpful, or if I know jean fits, and I knew what I was doing. I was thriving and I could talk to customers like I knew them for years. It changed my point of view on strangers and judgment.
Six months after working at American Eagle, I became the Sales Lead manager and have been ever since. Becoming a manager gave me a whole new look at customer service and approaching them. A year ago I never thought this job would change me and give me the confidence I needed to not be so anxious in social settings. I worried less about what I was going on around me and how people viewed me. Also, I learned that these customers are strangers. They appreciate my help more than I know, and that I shouldn’t be worried about things that mean so little.
Retail has definitely helped me to overcome the social anxiety I once thought ran my life. I don’t feel as embarrassed or self-conscious around people I don’t know. Also, meeting new people in a new setting really gave me the challenge I needed for the real world and not become so comfortable in a familiar setting. I’ve been proud of myself for doing something out of my comfort zone to better myself. That was something the old me wouldn’t do in the fear of being judged or humiliated in front of random people.
I love my job and the people I’ve met along the way. It was definitely difficult at first and sometimes still is but I’m so happy I stepped out of my comfort zone. So POV: working in retail with social anxiety and you are so happy you did.
