Every year, college kids come home from school and seek summer jobs. Mostly minimum wage, these jobs are far from glorious and are simple part-time gigs. Not everyone has the luxury of having a free summer or partaking in an unpaid internship. Working as a server, babysitting, at a retail store, or cashing at a grocery store are among the most common jobs (and many have more than one).
This is my third summer working behind a cash register. I have friends who work at a deli, a cupcake shop, and a golf course. Although these jobs aren’t exactly rocket science, they are more difficult than most think and most give credit for.
Standing on your feet for hours on end is no easy task. I have spent hours shifting my weight from foot to foot trying to be more comfortable. I also have tried every sneaker and in a different rotation trying to find one that makes standing less tiring. There is just no simple way to make being on your feet easier. You just have to trudge through the shift and put your feet up after.
Besides standing being painful, the “customer service” voice is real. You have to be nice to everyone and have that bright and sunshiny voice the entire shift. I have had miserable customers and the only thing you can do is smile. “Killing them with kindness” is not just a silly cliché when working in customer service. I am not saying it is hard to be pleasant, but when customers take out their frustrations because of a low stock on a particular item or if they have expired coupons, it becomes a little more taxing.
Overall, jobs based on constant interaction with customers are not always fun. They may not be seen as difficult, but they are still jobs and should be viewed as such. I am not asking for a gold star, but just some awareness when you interact can make someone’s shift immensely more manageable.