At some point in life, almost everyone has to have a part time job. Whether it is for saving up money for college, a car, or making extra cash in addition to other jobs, everyone can agree on one thing: part time jobs can be a hassle. Here are five hassles associated with having a part-time job as a cashier.
1. Name tags.
Most part-time jobs will require you to wear a name tag. Usually, the manager will ask you to spell your name as they
type it onto a tag maker, or a computer, then they print it out. Other times, however, you won’t be with the manager when this process is being done, and this can lead to incorrect spellings. For example, my friend Brittany just got hired at a Dunkin
Donuts and they spelled her name, Bettany. Though usually these are easily fixable mistakes, sometimes you are stuck with wearing the incorrect name tag for your first shift; and that can lead to embarrassment.
2. Customers.
Whether you’ve had a part-time job for a few years, or you are a newly hired employee, customers can be tough. In
retail, this is especially the case. There are some customers who will watch the prices closely and claim that certain items weren’t wrung up for the right price. Then, they will ask to see the manager. This can be an easy problem to solve, but if the customer is short-tempered, it could lead to them yelling in your, or the manager’s face over a small issue. Over time, it becomes easier to
smile, and be calm and friendly towards any customer; but in the beginning, or on a tough day, it is hard to pull off.
3. Training.
When you first get hired, you have to go through the training phase. In most cases, this means sitting down and watching videos for countless hours then answering questions based off of them while questioning why you went through with this. Then, when you’re done with these tests, you move on to being trained on the register. For the first part of a shift, you’ll observe someone as they check people out, and take mental notes on how it’s done. After this, you take over and have them over your shoulder to make sure that you do everything right. Then, when you do this for a while, you’re left on your own; and those first few moments can be scary as you worry about getting everything right, and ask for help over the mic multiple times. The first training period is always stressful.
4. Drama.
Employees at part time jobs can vary in age, but most of the time, especially if you live in a
small town, you end up working with
high school or college aged students. This can lead to drama in the work place. Some employees might not get along, and argue in or out of the break room. There is even the possibility of certain managers and employees not getting along well, and you might get stuck in the middle of it. I remember dealing with this when I was working at my first part time job at Party City. While I was in the back sorting costumes, I heard an employee start yelling at a manager, the manager keeping calm and trying to be civil, then the employee throwing his headset to the ground and yelling that he quit. You never know what to expect from your coworkers that may seem calm, but end up quitting and storming out angrily.
5. Hours.
If you’re a full time student with a part time job, it can be hard to balance everything. With all of the classes, homework, and projects you have to do as well as extracurricular activities, it can be difficult to also manage a part time job. A lot of times, students will end up staying up extremely late after work to finish an assignment, or, they might even have to call in. It is a balancing act that is difficult to pull off, but the paycheck you get at the end of the week, or every two weeks, is sure to put a smile on your face.
Though there are many struggles associated with being a part time cashier, it can be worth it. Besides making money, you also have a chance to make new friends, and get some experience under your belt for the future; and needless to say, there is never a dull moment when working as a cashier.
