Yes, I know most retail jobs are entry level and require hanging out in the mall, but there is so much more to it. First things first, you really need to be a people person, you should be good at multitasking and you should be able to always keep a smile on your face.

I started working in retail this past winter while stores were hiring for seasonal/holiday staff and somehow I'm still working there. I needed a job to start saving up some money for school and other things, so I thought a mall job would be the easiest thing out there and the most convenient. Turns out, it was not as easy as I had thought.

Where I work we get a base pay, but we also get a bonus for every paycheck determined by our performance. So, that makes the pressure for getting the most and highest sales in the shortest amount of times pretty high. But, that's not the hardest part of the job. The hard part is keeping the customers happy and making sure they are having the most enjoyable time in your store. Also, the multitasking is pretty challenging. Running from customer to customer to the cash registers to the back of the store, to the fitting rooms, etc.

These past few months while spending a good portion of my time in the mall, I have learned a lot.

1. I've become more patient.

When dealing with people that aren't super nice, or people that are super demanding; you really have to stay calm and be patient. I've dealt with many customers that I could have lost my patience on, but I am representing a brand and company while at work so I have learned that keeping my cool is the most important.

2. I've learned to multitask.

When you're dealing with multiple customers and they are all needing different things, it can be really hard if you aren't used to doing multiple things at once. Some people are needing help in the fitting rooms, others are needing help at the front of the store, and others are waiting impatiently at the cash register. So, I have learned being on top of your game with doing more than one thing at once is super important.

3. I've learned to stay positive.

When there are complete strangers yelling at you for things you can't control you really have to learn to keep smiling and think happy thoughts. Otherwise, you can get really frustrated and you can stay in a bad mood the rest of the day, which is not good, especially if you're shift is nowhere near over.

4. I've learned to make friends with your coworkers.

Being friends with your coworkers is a good thing. Some days there is no one at the mall and you need some entertainment, or it's a crazy hectic day and you need to give them the look or vent to them in the back for a minute or two. When you're friends with your coworkers, it makes the shift go by faster and makes it easier to get to work when you enjoy the people you work with.

5. I've learned to be happy/grateful for this job.

Even with all the stresses of interacting with people all day long, this job is pretty speculator. I don't have to do anything too strenuous, I don't have to be outside all day doing manual labor and I don't have to sit and work on super important projects that could make or break a company. Right now, while I'm in school, I can only be grateful for this job.