Having finally just left my first job as a cashier, I have spent a lot of time lately reflecting on some of the important lessons I learned during that time.
It’s important to not bring work home with you.
After a long, stressful day of work, it's hard to leave that stress at work and not be worried about it while at home. However, once I learned to stop caring about work problems after my shifts ended, I was much happier.
Some people are just really mean.
Everyone has a bad day sometimes, so it is pretty easy to excuse rude behavior when it only happens once. But there are people in the world that are constantly mean, and you have to learn to not take it personally.
Teamwork is important.
Without a supportive team to back you up, it is almost impossible to be successful in life. Whether it's someone who can help you get your job faster, or someone that will let you rant to them-find a coworker that you can build a relationship of mutual trust and support with.
Patience is key.
During my time spent working with the general public, I had to learn to be patient. Whether helping an elderly customer find all of their groceries, or dealing with an unhappy customer, I learned that one of the best life skills is patience.
Always do your best.
While cashiering isn't the most glamorous job, I learned that it is important to take pride in your work and put effort into even the most tedious tasks. This will show that you truly care about your work.
Working in retail taught me a lot of really good lessons about the world, but it was also stressful. Looking back on my high school job, I am very glad that I held a job that taught me how to become a good adult. Although cashiering isn't always a fun job, I am truly grateful that I learned skills that I can use for the rest of my life.
