4 Things to Know About Working in Retail

4 Things to Know About Working in Retail Image via: www.pixabay.com However, do not go into the job being naïve. Working customer service jobs of any kind have their drawbacks. Customers can sometimes be impatient or rude  but do not let this discourage you. The purpose of your job is to help people fulfill a need of some kind, whether they need clothes, food, or any other kind of product. You are there to help. If you keep this in mind, none of the scowls or the rudeness that you will encounter will bother you and you will enjoy your time working a retail job. You’ll find new friends Do you remember that age old phrase “There is no ‘I’ in team? Without a doubt, it holds a lot of truth, especially when it comes to working in customer service. As much of a superhero  as you might be, you would not make it far working in retail without some sidekicks. Your coworkers will become your family after you have been working for a while. You will have survived all types of disasters together, and the shared chaos will bring you all closer together. Think about it: you will be spending at least 15 hours per week with these folks, so eventually, you will grow close. When the holiday rush has all of you gasping for air, your coworkers will be there to lift your spirits and your energy. When there is a crazy customer that just took everything crummy about their day out on you, your coworkers will be there to support you. When the day is going by slowly and you need something to make the time go by faster, your coworkers will be there to make you smile. Trust me when I say that having an epic team of coworkers will make working in retail so much better. You’ll get epic discounts What is perhaps the absolute best part about working in retail? You guessed it! The discounts! While you are watching all of these customers purchase all of the things you want for yourself, you can keep in mind that you will be able to get the same items for a lower cost. Sounds pretty sweet, right? You can give in to temptation with discounts of anywhere between 30 percent and 60 percent off depending on where you work. Want a job at Charlotte Russe? Pick up some affordable heels while you are at it. Want to work at a grocery store? Enjoy some discounted groceries. Just do not let the power go to your head! After all, you do not want to end up spending every paycheck on things you might not necessarily need. Do not let your inner “shopaholic” get the best of you. Image via: www.pixabay.com You’ll have a flexible schedule This is probably the most important aspect of any college student’s part-time job: the scheduling. Many places of work will be awfully stingy about their hours. I used to work at a part-time job that required 16 hours per week minimum. While that does not seem too bad, it certainly has its drawbacks when it comes time for finals week. With that being said, retail managers are typically very understanding when it comes to college students and their schedules, so if you need to take on fewer hours for one week, you should be able to without a problem! Keep in mind, your supervisors will most likely need more help during the holiday season, so be sure to keep in contact with them and keep them updated on your schedule needs. You are more likely to get what you need when you are upfront right away.