Dear consumers,

I work in retail. Not necessarily by choice, but because I need money. Broke college kids need to live somehow. And trust me, I've tried food service...not my cup of tea. But please don't treat us like crap.

1. We can't help our situations.

Again, we're in college. We're just trying to better our lives. I didn't ask to have a job, but I need the money for school. If I'm lucky, I'll be making 10 times the amount I am right now.

2. We are not ignorant.

When you're being problematic, I am going to call over a manager, as you request, but I'll most definitely be rolling my eyes while I'm doing it. By the way, my manager will be saying the same exact thing I just said but will word it differently. I know what I'm talking about.

So, I just started this new job. Sorry if I sometimes have to call over a manager. I'm new. I don't know everything, I need help. Please don't give me an attitude. Remember what it was like just starting a new job? I'm in that boat right now.

3. Please don't make my day bad, too.

If you treat me poorly, I'm not going to be a happy camper, let me just tell you that. If you shove your credit card at me, I'm not going to tell you the good deals going on in the store. But if you smile, act cordial and treat me well, I'll give you the best deal, and I'll probably give you an additional discount on top of your coupons.

4. I know nothing about shipment.

It's not that I don't know anything about it (I know how to restock, when it will be coming, etc.), but I don't know what I'm going to be receiving. Only corporate knows that. I wish I could see all of the invoices, but only my managers can.

5. We don't carry "Online Only" items in stores.

Please read the description of the item online. If it says "Web Exclusive" or "Online Only," do not ask me to find it. At the store I work at, you can purchase online items and ship them to your house for free. If you point at your screen (at an online only item), I'm going to point at the kiosk.

Thanks for listening!

Sincerely,

A Hardworking Employee

Alright, sorry for the little rant this week, but just sometimes, people just don't understand what it's like to work in the service industry. Maybe it's because they never worked a day in their life, but I firmly believe everyone should have at least one job in their life in the retail or food industry.

Hope you got a good viewpoint of what it's like to work in retail. Maybe I'll do a part two with a more positive spin on it!

Get the conversation going about it using the hashtag #alexsretailtherapy!