Working Retail Seasonal Holiday Experience
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Starting at the end of 2014, I worked a seasonal retail task at a section shop from terminate of October through mid-January. To exist honest, I notwithstanding miss that job from fourth dimension to time and my experience working retail. With having a daughter now, my schedule is even so too crazy to work a 2d job.
Merely, if you are curious nearly what working retail is like, especially during the holiday flavour, I'one thousand going to share my first-hand experience. The funny part is not much idea went into me taking on a job working retail.
Working Retail
Why Did I Apply for a Job?
But I'1000 sharing how I decided to take on the job and what my experience was similar – positives and negatives. My experience might help with controlling if you are considering a retail job. Alternatively, if you are a shopper this holiday flavor, my post will serve as a reminder to smile and exist friendly to retail workers.
First, how did I get hired on working retail for the holidays? The married man and I were shopping at a department store one weekend in Oct and saw a table with seasonal task applications.
Our chat went similar this:
"Nosotros store hither a lot, you should work here."
"Who me?"
"Yeah, yous are the self-employed one and accept flexibility."
"I was a cashier before, I could totally do this job."
"Yeah you lot should."
"It would be nice to have some extra cash, and maybe get an employee discount."
Applying for Seasonal Work
The adjacent solar day I turned in an application and within a calendar week I was hired. The hiring process consisted of a formal written application followed past a group interview and recall with an offer (pending a formal background check).
I found the process was a little less stressful than a typical on-on-i chore interview because it was seasonal with no guarantee to stay on after the season was over. The group interview was conducted too due to loftier book of applicants being vetted and hired. In that location were about half-dozen people in my group.
Working in retail skills will vary based on which part you enter. I asked to run the cash annals, as I have previous experience as a grocery store cashier, and that'southward what I was hired for. My kickoff mean solar day on the task was right before Halloween, simply I later learned that seasonal workers were hired every bit early as the first week of October.
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Seasonal Retail Jobs
When is the Season?
If yous are wanting to work a retail job, my advice would be to kickoff inquiring in mid-August. I have since seen some stores brainstorm to mail service seasonal jobs that early on (both in person and online).
Sometimes you see the signs in stores when you visit them, other times the application volition be on the store website. If you don't run into anything you tin can also telephone call the store and inquire when and how they volition be taking seasonal applicants. A manager tin probably best answer this question for you.
At the very least, to take advantage of the entire season, try to get hired in by October to take total advantage of the holiday flavor. Companies desire workers trained well before Black Friday hits so they are ready for the crowds and prepared.
What the Hours Are Like
Work started dull. Shifts were short and informal at the end of October. Most of my shifts were four hours with a xv-minute break. Some weeks I only worked 8 hours total, other weeks I worked 12 or 16 hours total. Seasonal workers were encouraged to be as open equally possible with their availability in order to receive the most schedule hours.
My availability was express due to my mean solar day job so I mostly worked nights and weekends. So Black Fri hit, and pandemonium ensued. Every shopping day became increasingly busy. Shifts became longer (the max existence viii hours), hours were later into the dark and earlier into the morning time.
The store I worked at was open until eleven p.chiliad., 12 a.m. or sometimes 1 a.m. depending on the nighttime and how close were were to the big holiday shopping days. Normally the store would close at 10 p.k. when it wasn't the holiday flavor. The lines were longer and my life was an endless stream of customers.
Some workers advise to only focus and expect at the confront of the next client in line. I like this approach. The calendar week of Christmas I maxed out at 25 hours. It was intense, but I survived! After Christmas my hours began to dwindle once more. The first week after Christmas I still had a decent number of hours, even so, due to the influx of holiday returns.
My relationship with the company formally ended mid-Jan when seasonal workers were no longer needed and the holiday render window became less busy.
Seasonal Work to Permanent Piece of work
About ii weeks before that slated end date seasonal workers who did well were asked if they would like to stay on with the visitor. I was one of those asked. I strongly considered it but at the time I didn't want to commit to the every weekend availability and the scheduling was all done on paper in the store.
I would take no manner of knowing or checking my hours each week unless I went into the shop, which seemed like a bit of a hassle. Now I'grand guessing that might all be electronic! Once again, if I were in a different life stage I would have strongly considered staying on equally I really enjoyed my time there.
Equally a part-time worker the benefits were little to none and so again this type of job would exist best for some side money, extra cash, a retirement task, etc. I remember information technology would take much longer to build up enough seniority to apply for a total-fourth dimension position with benefits.
Everything Else I Learned
In retail it's all well-nigh the sale. If you did what management asked, worked the auction and got it, you lot were golden. In layman'due south terms, "if you lot make us money nosotros want yous."
As a freelance writer and editor I frequently email clients and take phone calls, but I don't have very much face-to-face interaction on a daily basis. Running greenbacks register allowed me exercise my extroverted side. I loved chatting with customers and coworkers.
It was sobering to work a minimum wage "blazon" chore over again. I was amazed at how many hours I had to put in to receive a nominal paycheck. I was reminded of the book "Nickel and Dimed," which is about how the middle-class gets by (or doesn't) in America.
Working on your anxiety all day is hard. While sitting all twenty-four hour period isn't actually salubrious either, I couldn't ignore the depression back strain and tender feet I experienced after standing all twenty-four hours. Good, supportive shoes are a must when working a standing job.
My coworkers were fun and the employee discount did not hurt one chip! I also got the inside scoop on the sales cycles and when special coupons or discounts would be coming out. This helped with my own vacation shopping. It was likewise nice knowing that I could but put in my time, clock out and be done.
Information technology was a chore that wasn't mentally intense, and I didn't accept work home with me.
Working in Retail
In Summary
Shoes for working retail, I've heard Dansko shoes are wonderful for people who work on their feet! I would likewise roll with the punches more and sympathize that my schedule would be a little crazy and just endeavor to comprehend the busyness.
While I don't remember I will be working a seasonal chore again for the next several years, once my daughter is older I may consider information technology once more. Information technology as well seems like a great empty-nester or "retiree" job.
Have you lot ever worked a seasonal job? What was your experience?
*This post was originally published in 2022 and has been updated and republished for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Source: https://blog.hollyhammersmith.com/working-retail/
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