I got my first job the summer after I turned 16. It was at a local sporting goods store, where I sold, mostly, athletic apparel. I was so pumped to start because I could finally make some money and I didn’t have to work in food service! The first few months at my job were great. I made some really good friends and I actually enjoyed going to work. As the months went on I realized working in retail isn’t as great as it seems. Yes, you get employee discounts on clothes (which was awesome!), but dealing with customers and company regulations was not always fun. The two years I spent at my retail job are ones that I won’t forget, and I definitely learned quite a bit while I was there.

1. The People Make The Job

The people you work with are what truly make your job enjoyable to go to. I couldn’t imagine going to my job and working with a person who I didn’t like for hours. Especially because sometimes at small retail stores, it could go from a huge rush of people to an hour of nobody walking in the store. Trust me, an hour of complete silence can get VERY awkward. I got so lucky and had the best co-workers I could have asked for. Even on those six hour shifts where only two families came in, we would find something to occupy our time. Whether it be cleaning up the store, creating games with the bouncy balls, or just talking about life, we would always find something to do to make our shift go by faster.

2. Customers Take Their Coupons VERY Seriously

I mean who wouldn’t?! Coupons are the best, but having to deal with customers who want to use expired coupons is not. Our store handed out coupons almost every month and customers would constantly be trying to use coupons that were from the previous month. There were those nice few who accepted that the coupon was not valid, but there were also those who refused to accept it and liked to put up a fight.

3. The Customer Is Always Right

This brings me to my next topic. In retail, the customer is always right no matter what. If the customer isn’t happy with the service, they can file a complaint and you could get in trouble. So that means if a customer says that a pair of pants that has a sale sticker on them is on sale (even when the rest of that same pair don’t have sale stickers), then it is on sale.

4. The Background Music That Is Constantly Playing Will Always Be Stuck In Your Head

This one applies especially during the holiday season, when christmas songs are on repeat for 6 hours straight. Then, you go home and you can’t stop singing them. It’s enough to drive you crazy!

5. You Have To Deal With A Variety Of People

Working in retail, people from all walks of life will come into your store. It doesn’t matter if they’re rude, sketchy, annoyingly talkative, or they unfold every single shirt you just folded, you have to greet them nicely and be there to answer any of their questions.

I am so thankful that my first job turned out to be a good experience. Going away to college has made me realize how much I miss my amazing co-works and making money. Having a job in retail taught me a lot, but most of all it helped me improve with my people skills and, in my opinion, made me a more well-rounded person.