Why You Can Learn the Most from Retail Jobs
If it wasn’t for working at Banana Republic, I also wouldn’t have the strong fashion sense I have now.
Shockingly enough…you CAN learn a lot from a tedious job you never intend to stay in forever. *mind blown*
OK, OK, OK, don’t come for me in the comments, BUT please hear me out!
A job in the retail industry is most often known as an early job experience for high schoolers or college kids, side hustles or a full-blown career. Many people often come and go in retail work due to retail jobs being short-term professional experiences or “odd” jobs, which are jobs totally unrelated to your career or require little skillsets. The hours part-time may be flexible and laidback, but the pay is pretty low compared to your average 9-to-5 office work. However, a job that may give some people the ‘ick,’ can be really essential for whatever career goals you’re pursuing.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of retail jobs:
Cons:
Low Pay: We all know retail jobs do not have the best wages, which is why most workers pick the job as a side hustle or something short-term. This is perfectly fine, as you are making your own money or earning extra money by doing something, rather than nothing. However, the minimum wage is not always a feasible income to live off of, especially in this economy.
Limited Weekend/Holidays Off: The beauty of holidays is that you get paid double. However, due to consumerism and the average American having the days off, holidays such Fourth of July and Christmas are the epitome of what Americans love to do: shopping. While the pay is nice, holidays are intense for retail workers, so please customers—be kind because these workers work hard for you to be happy, too!
High Turnover Rate: This may sound like a negative in the retail industry, but in reality, many workers have their reasons why they decide to leave. It’s like any other reason to give out a two-week notice for a job. Most retail jobs tend to put out job listings for sales associates or other positions because of many things: workers work seasonally because of school or other endeavors, staffing is not full enough, some workers cannot work certain hours of the week or workers leave on their own terms.
Indoor Work Environment: Indoor working environment sounds good most of the time for workers, however, prolonged periods of being indoors can cause vitamin D deficiency. Personally, I love natural lighting when I’m indoors because I’m able to be productive as much as possible. However, with no sunlight for a long period of time, I feel pretty despondent and it’s hard to increase productivity.
Pros:
Life Skillsets: Customer service, strong verbal communication, teamwork collaborations, time management, problem-solving, etc…the list can go on and on. These are basic skill sets that everyone should develop early on in their careers. The beauty of working in retail is that you learn as you get comfortable with your role over time, so being observant of how you interact with others will make a huge difference in how you’ve started vs. how you’re continuing to improve now.
Flexible Hours: Depending on the type of retail job manager, as long as there’s good communication with your supervisors, you can make your own hours and build boundaries within your work and personal life. Retail jobs that allow flexibility for their workers are often jobs that have a good working environment and culture.
Emphasis on Visual Presentation: Retail employees get super irritated when merchandise gets cluttered by customers. If a store doesn’t have a good visual presentation, then customers will more than likely walk out the door. Visual presentation takes time and effort to look eye-catching for consumers to buy, so being a good retail employee is more than just maintaining items on the shelves. It is making sure the store sticks to the brand’s visual aspects.
Employee Discountsssss: You can never go wrong with a good deal, especially as an employee! Usually, retail jobs give out around 40 to 50 % off of regular-price items for workers. It’s basically saying you’ve earned this because you’ve worked hard for us.
Teamwork Environment: Regardless of the work environment, every retail job is always collaborative. Sure, your managers are there, but simultaneously, when there is a rush or a hectic time going on inside the store, your colleagues are the ones helping you and others beat the stress. It is not always you handling certain situations; you have your team to help you problem-solve as well.
The Retail Industry Still is Important for Consumers
With the rise of online and mobile shopping, including the effects of the pandemic, a lot of malls and outlet stores have been closing down in recent years. However, there has been a labor shortage of retail workers because of the pandemic, prolonged periods of physical activity (i.e. walking, standing up and lifting heavy objects), and the cons I just discussed above.
Retail may be falling apart in some areas of the country, but consumers still need their in-store shopping experience. The industry is able to give people jobs, train them hands-on for the role, and are able to operate multi-million dollar businesses. These corporations that have retailers are definitely not going away soon, as some may think. Online shopping may be just with a click of a button to buy something, but being able to look at and feel a product in person is what makes the customer decide what is right for them.
See you in the next post!
