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For Some Reason, No One Wants Entry-Level Retail Jobs

D

Dalek

Member
http://consumerist.com/2017/10/20/for-some-reason-no-one-wants-entry-level-retail-jobs/

With more commerce shifting online every year and a “retail apocalypse” at hand shuttering stores and malls, you’d think that there would be plenty of folks clamoring for the few retail jobs that remain. But even the stores that are actually looking to hire employees seem to be having trouble finding them, it turns out.

Staffing firms have noticed a national trend that there are more low-level jobs and fewer people interested in taking them.

Recruiters told Reuters that entry-level employees are looking for flexibility that isn’t always available in retail. They blame ride-hailing services and on-demand delivery apps for taking entry-level workers, since they offer (or at least advertise) higher starting pay and opportunities for tips and bonuses.

“There just aren’t enough people who are looking for work,” the chief economist of job site Glassdoor told Reuters.
Click to expand...

Hmmm-I can’t imagine why. 🤔

I worked retail in my early life-never again. Working with the public just isn’t worth it.
 
S

Slayven

Member
Customer service is soul draining and exhausting. Doing it face to face can make you pray for the sweet release of death
 
J

Jarrod38

Member
While I don't work retail I work with the public everyday and sometimes I wonder how people function on a daily basis. I believe everyone should work for the public one week and you will understand.
 
H

hodayathink

Member
As someone who works in retail, I can confirm. It's hard to hire people, and it's hard to get them to stay more than a couple months as well.
 
W

WillyFive

Member
Jobs immigrants could do if they weren't busy being kicked out of the country or forced to work in horrific slave-like conditions so that they aren't caught by the government.
 
S

Skellig Gra

Member
I have PTSD from working retail. There are some angry ass moms out there. I wouldn’t recommend working retail to my worst enemy.
 
N

Not

Banned
It's among the literal worst jobs

Automation should help us find new, less degrading positions for humans though
 
B

BuddyTheBestPuppy

Member
I worked as a cashier at Walmart for a year and two months, putting about 25 - 30 hours a week. It was BRUTAL! Probably the toughest thing I have done.
 
S

Sibersk Esto

Banned
It's almost like the idea of working retail has been portrayed as soul-crushing slave labor that locks the untalented into a spiraling hellscape since...I want to say the 90s?
 
M

MadeULook

Member
Having to work in retail was a few of the worst months of my life. It's depressing and nobody working wants to even be there. The reward? Minimum wage, people screaming at you, and that one dude who threatened to kill me.

Was pumped when I was able to leave.
 
D

disappeared

Banned
I did about eleven years retail and that was more than enough. I've met just about every type of personality there is. It was both humbling and terrifying.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
The big problem with retail is the scheduling. That causes a lot of anxiety. People are creatures of routine and retail just throws that away.
 
C

Conciliator

Banned
I did my time. They don't get paid enough, not by a long shot. "Anyone could do it" ought to be balanced with the fuckin toll it takes on a human psyche when done for years.
There are tons of people who have already done it 2, 5, 10 years, who would rather just be unemployed than do it again. I feel em.
 
B

BuddyTheBestPuppy

Member
hahaha

One time this guy came in to buy coke at 10:30 PM, I was handing him back the change and a dime fell on the ground and got lost. This guy went ALL IN on me. "Give me my dime, its about the principles!!" I told him, "sir I can't open the cash register without my manager" and he just kept talking shit

over 10 fucking cents at 10:30 PM.
 
R

rjinaz

Member
MadeULook said:
Having to work in retail was a few of the worst months of my life. It's depressing and nobody working wants to even be there. The reward? Minimum wage, people screaming at you, and that one dude who threatened to kill me.

Was pumped when I was able to leave.
Click to expand...

You forgot the shit boss that treats you like you're less than human.
 
H

Hydrus

Member
I worked retail out of high school. Worse experience of my life. Retail needs to die. Amazons take over of the shopping world cant come soon enough.
 
M

Maximo

Member
Slayven said:
Customer service is soul draining and exhausting. Doing it face to face can make you pray for the sweet release of death
Click to expand...

Hahaha yeeeep. The other thing is the politics involved at least when I worked in a big retail store everyone has a knife ready to stab someone in the back, the name calling...my god it was bad.
 
Rest

Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
What's not to love?
Shitty work.
Shitty customers.
Shitty hours.
Shitty wages.
Shitty supervisors.
Shitty managers.
Shitty wages.
Shitty companies as employers.
Shitty work resources.
And oh yeah, you get paid shitty wages on top of all that.

Who wouldn't want to work in retail? I mean, on paper it looks like paradise. These damn millennials need to get their act together and stop wanting better things for themselves.
 
B

billy beane

Banned
Jarrod38 said:
While I don't work retail I work with the public everyday and sometimes I wonder how people function on a daily basis. I believe everyone should work for the public one week and you will understand.
Click to expand...
Feel the same with retail. As terrible as it was, it was a good life lesson.

And I won’t go back.
 
Rest

Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Hydrus said:
I worked retail out of high school. Worse experience of my life. Retail needs to die. Amazons take over of the shopping world cant come soon enough.
Click to expand...
Working at an Amazon warehouse sucks as much or more than working traditional retail.
 
T

TheFurizzlyBear

Member
Working retail means you get to see best and worst of the general public and too often it's the latter. Employers want you to bust your ass and help the guest but want to pay you very little for what, when done well, is hard work.
 
S

Seductivpancakes

Member
Not only do you have to deal with shitty people, you have to deal with shitty supervisors / managers.

The stock room I worked at had rats running around, and reported to higher up about what would happen if they bite an employee, he replied with "What if a rat bites you in the subway?" The next day, I spotted one mouse trap in the large stock room.
 
E

eternaLightness

Member
I worked retail for 5 years and finally got out a couple months ago. I legit get anxious walking into a retail store now because I think of what I had to endure all those years. It was my first real job so I was thankful for that, and I was able to move up throughout the years, I started to hate it more and more until I finally had to just leave.

It’s not surprising people aren’t looking for it especially this time of the year. Godspeed to those in retail this holiday season.
 
P

pureplayin2

Member
I've worked both retail and as a restaurant general manager and I will never do either again. I'd rather be unemployed than have to deal with the public. There are many instances where a good backhand to some of these people was sorely needed aka fuck the public. Lying, conniving, entitled, spoiled, adults people are as consumers in both retail and restaurant.
 
A

Acorn

Member
I worked in a supermarket when I was 16. My wage was £3.25 ph and they worked me to the bone. They regularly flouted the regulations around rest periods (eg backshift then early shift next day). Customers give you shit and you gotta sit and take it, fuck that. I wouldn't do it again even if the money was as good as my current job.

I've never even considered ever doing anything similar to that again, I'd rather clean toilets.
 
H

Hubbl3

Unconfirmed Member
I worked in retail once. Most days I got to work overnight and I didn't have to deal with people, but every now and then I'd have to do my job during the day and holy shit were customers raging fucking assholes. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to go into entry level retail.
 
A

Azuran

Banned
I have nothing but respect for people who work in customer service. Having to put up with angry or annoyed customer is one of the toughest things in life.

I still work retail but it's small, local bakery so I don't hate it. It's a pretty chill place to work in and my manager is probably the best one I've ever had in my life.
 
H

Hydrus

Member
Rest said:
Working at an Amazon warehouse sucks as much or more than working traditional retail.
Click to expand...

Who says you need to work in a warehouse? You can deliver packages, work at that fancy futuristic store where people just walk in, grab their stuff and leave, you can work behind the scenes without ever having to directly deal with shit people on a daily bases.
 
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