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[Oldschoolgamer]

I wish the path of retail on no man. Just about everyone I have talked to, that has worked there for years, has warned me not to fall into it. To go to school, get a degree, and do something I love. Some people like their jobs in retail. More power to them. I dare not look down on anyone, because of the work they are doing. I can not, do this shit forever though. I have to do crap managers have to do, without manager pay, and deal with some of the most insane bullshit ever. Triumph was 100 % correct. If you want to work retail for whatever reasons, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[pel1300]

You're just too ignorant to leave off the ignore list. Enjoy your life of underachievement. There are people here who have had experience who are telling you why this is a bad idea and you're still too foolish to pick up on it. Fortunately, you sound like a sheep with no real motivation...you'll be a steal for any of "careers" that you're offered in retail.

The following two quotes are about as real as it gets.

WOW :lol


1) I make a post thanking ppl who gave info, advice, and even constructive criticism.

2) then I point out that a FEW ppl were unhelpful + obnoxious.

3) you must consider yourself to be one of those few who were being obnoxious, because otherwise the tone of your response makes no sense. You assumed that you were one of those few obnoxious pricks I was referring to, even though I didn't name them.

4) despite me thanking ppl for the info and advice, and despite the fact that I even point out that chances are I WON'T work at costco, you come on here and say "you are too foolish to listen to anyone".

Amazing.

I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you just misunderstood my post.

The following two quotes are about as real as it gets

And I thanked them already for it. They were helpful, civil, respectful, and gave firsthand experience.

These guys were also being helpful:

From the ground--up

I worked Retail for five years while going to college. I will never go back. Retail was a place that turned me into a anti-social a-hole. It made me basically hate people. I actually liked the job, the people, and customers for the longest time. Eventually, it just becomes a bog though when certain areas shine through.

From what I have seen:

Once in and settled you are not going up in the corporation. Not from in the company and on the floor. The only people who get out of the store are from outside the company with masters degrees. These people do not join a management posistion. My managers have degrees and had been in the same posistion from 93, 95, 96. In the SAME job they got hired on at.

This made everything cut-throat and less then enjoyable. The person above my managers was my 2nd store manager..he liked to played golf with the in crowd (on the clock) and they gave him district manager. He was not deserving(no degree) and short time at the company. They however liked him more than the other other candiates(politics).

Could I speak of projects and reorganzations of departments? For no need or reason.

Working shifts short because all the employees around you blow because managment never goes out of their way to hire people. Working two departments at a time. Having 18y/os call out on you, quit on you. Working with said younger people. Working with 3 people in the store when seven at a minimum are needed. Black friday..

I do not know why anyone would want to work retail...thats what college is for..to get away from.

I have a four-year college degree, a excellent GPA and resume, and have been working part time at Starbucks as a supplement to another job (political campaigns, offices). It's not bad, but it's hard to imagine working there full time and not feeling exploited in one way or another. Don't get me wrong--it's a good option for some people, especially with companies like Starbucks and Costco that provide benefits and competitive salaries. But if you have a degree and have the expectation of using that degree, limit the Costco commitment to a temporary deal.

It all depends on your situation. If you're moving on to better things and have ambitions beyond making middle management, there's nothing wrong with taking a retail job. It can be a good stopgap between school and whatever's next.

However, if you plan on making Costco your sole source of income, always waiting for that $45k cashier job, you'll still probably get bored as hell working in the same warehouse day-in and day-out. I'm entering law school this fall, and still hope to work part-time while there.

There is much more to life than making enough to get by and operating a cash register/managing a store. No matter how great the company is, it is extremely difficult to advance past a certain position in a big national retailer. In some companies, this might mean you become regional/district manager. In others, you might be stuck as a store manager for years.

In the end, you have to do what's right for your situation.

^^^

See, those people are giving their 1st hand experience and advice.

You and Liu Kang, on the otherhand, seem to be posting in this thread only to talk down to someone. Other people are actually listening to what I have to say, and then giving their opinion, experience, and helpful info.

The bottom line - If you don't wanna offer any advice, helpful info, or experience, that's cool. But please, GTFO of the thread if you're just gonna be a dick about it

EDIT: upon reviewing the thread again, you did start out ok by simply giving your opinion without being condescending or obnoxious in your first 2 or 3 replies. That all changed in the last 2 pages of the thread.

 

[Justin Bailey]

Yeah, I'm going to make my kid(s) work in some sort of retail/restaurant job in HS just to serve as a friendly "reminder" as to what life will be like without a worthwhile college education.

 

[bjork]

I'm someone that graduated with a BA in psychology two years ago, and chose to keep chugging along in the grocery industry. Essentially, I make about $36k a year, and should make over $38k next year. Which is more than you could get from most base level psychology jobs, and certainly more enjoyable. I get to have a fun, creative job (working in produce) that allows me to gain management experience and work in a comfortable environment. I also have a top notch benefits package that includes a zero premium health care plan and 401k.

I don't understand why so many of you keep talking about management jobs at retail stores as being "something that high school grads do". Maybe it's different in the grocery industry, but almost all of the managers and assistant managers I've come into contact with have all had degrees. A BA doesn't really mean that much anymore. I think it's also hilarious that so many of you think that you can walk into a store, flash your diploma, and they'll hire you into a managment position with no previous experience. I should also add that at least with my employer, almost all of the people in the corporate office worked their way up from store level jobs (and it can be done quite quickly).

Most artistic people that aren't able to sustain themselves through their art work jobs similar to mine- and that's totally fine. We just aren't the kinds of people that are happy sitting in a cubicle all day.

And bjork, you're awesome. You seem to be one of the few voices of reason in this thread.

By any chance, do you work for Safeway/Vons? Your job atmosphere sounds similar to theirs, and I spent 5 years with them. Most (if not all) of the management I dealt with had years with the company and had worked non-management positions. There's a benefit of being able to promote from within, and having someone in a management position who actually knows what it's like to work a wet rack properly or cut meat, or whatever.

I worked at a Wal-Mart before that and they *did* bring management from outside, and you can tell who had retail experience and who didn't. The second store manager I had came from the navy, started as store manager, and had no real knowledge of how stores run and how to deal with personnel problems. Meanwhile, my first store manager (who came from the grocery industry, I should point out), was great at handling problems, and only left us because he got promoted to district manager. And what was his first job in the grocery industry? BAGGER.

Just because some people are too uppity and think they're above working retail, or had a bad experience when they were 19 years old or whatever, doesn't mean some people can't do it and make it work as a living, and live what they consider a happy and decent life. Besides, if everyone working retail today suddenly took the advice of this thread and decided to quit and compete for jobs in the private sector, some of the very people downing retail here could be aced out of their comfy office cubicle. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you SHOULD.

 

[Freshmaker]

Meanwhile, my first store manager (who came from the grocery industry, I should point out), was great at handling problems, and only left us because he got promoted to district manager. And what was his first job in the grocery industry? BAGGER.

I think what most people are saying is, that just because some people move up, not all do. If you go into a grocery job expecting to just get bumped up the chain into one of the better management positions, you're probably going to end up disappointed. If you're introverted, you're screwed.

With a degree you can usually do better than entry level in what usually turns out to be a go nowhere job. More money, more free time, less interaction with the public etc. Why hobble oneself due to a lack of imagination?

For example, one of my college proferrors went to school, got her PHD, and then went straight back to waitressing. She would've stayed right there if one of her old teachers hadn't stopped in for a bite one day and screamed at her for wasting her degree when he noticed her bussing a table. She got her degree, but had no idea what to do with it. Rather than try to figure that out, she had given up entirely.

She might have gotten to a better position in the food service industry, but uh, yippie. She could've done that without a meaningless (in that case) doctorate.

 

[ConsumerSquare]

Just because some people are too uppity and think they're above working retail, or had a bad experience when they were 19 years old or whatever, doesn't mean some people can't do it and make it work as a living, and live what they consider a happy and decent life.

Yeah, exactly. I've been working the cubicle scene for three years now and the thought of spending my life like this makes me want to die. It's gotten to the point where I'll stand in the grocery store and watch the man cut fish, or listen to the guy at the farmer's market talk about how many seasons he spent perfecting the taste of his tomatos, and it makes me intensely jealous. It's not glamourous in the traditional sense, but it's honest work and they're providing a service to their communities.

 

[Enron]

I've not worked a day in retail in my 13 years of being employed. I have no idea how I was able to dodge it in HS and college, but I did and SO CAN YOU!

 

[bjork]

I think what most people are saying is, that just because some people move up, not all do. If you go into a grocery job expecting to just get bumped up the chain into one of the better management positions, you're probably going to end up disappointed. If you're introverted, you're screwed.

With a degree you can usually do better than entry level in what usually turns out to be a go nowhere job. More money, more free time, less interaction with the public etc. Why hobble oneself due to a lack of imagination?

For example, one of my college proferrors went to school, got her PHD, and then went straight back to waitressing. She would've stayed right there if one of her old teachers hadn't stopped in for a bite one day and screamed at her for wasting her degree when he noticed her bussing a table. She got her degree, but had no idea what to do with it. Rather than try to figure that out, she had given up entirely.

She might have gotten to a better position in the food service industry, but uh, yippie. She could've done that without a meaningless (in that case) doctorate.

It is possible to trivialize anything and deem it meaningless. Just like, to me, puffing one's chest because they're somehow above working retail is meaningless. Whether you're stuffing shit in a bag or crunching some company's numbers, it's still a job, and if the need for these positions didn't exist, neither would the positions. But for some of the people in this thread to be all "I've never soiled my hands by dealing with the public"... uh, you ARE the public, as are your clients or coworkers.

To me, it's like ConsumerSquare said. There's times when you're simply over working in the place you're at, or doing that type of work, and it's time to move on. Whether that means simply changing locations, or finding an entirely new line of work, I don't think people are meant to stay at the same place for 30-40 years, and it's as equally sad for someone to waste away in the same cubicle as the same checkstand or whatever. And as long as you're able to pay your bills and live the way that suits you best, who is anyone here to tell you you're wrong?

I said it earlier in the thread and I'll say it again: unless you are wealthy enough to where you don't have to work, a job is a job. People can try and come off like they've got it so much better than Joe Blow, but if Joe Blow is happy doing his thing, why try and come off like a big shot to him? Chances are, he doesn't care, nor envy you.

 

[pel1300]

For example, one of my college proferrors went to school, got her PHD, and then went straight back to waitressing.

What was the phd in? clinical psych?

 

[pel1300]

I said it earlier in the thread and I'll say it again: unless you are wealthy enough to where you don't have to work, a job is a job. People can try and come off like they've got it so much better than Joe Blow, but if Joe Blow is happy doing his thing, why try and come off like a big shot to him? Chances are, he doesn't care, nor envy you.

In my experience, it's the middle people who try to come off like a big shot. The most successful people seem less judgmental towards people of lower SES status.

 

[elostyle]

well if he say worked for 2 years, then decided to get a job related to his degree would he be screwing himself?

Yes, good luck negotiating salaries if the last thing on your resume is "cashier" - no matter how much you may have made.

Also, don't ever bet your life away on corporate promises like "regular raises and promotions".

 

[bluemax]

$10/hr working retail with a degree?

I started at that at my current student job! And now I'm at almost 1.5 times that much after 2 years. Of course I'm a "skilled" tech worker and this is not a full time gig by any means. As soon as I graduate this fall I'm out of here and on to bigger and better things.

 

[deadbeef]

In my experience, it's the middle people who try to come off like a big shot. The most successful people seem less judgmental towards people of lower SES status.

The second 'S' in SES stands for status. I'm just saying.

 

[pel1300]

The second 'S' in SES stands for status. I'm just saying.

that's why I belong in retail

 

[whiteACID]

Why would you want to work at COSTCO if you have a degree? You can work for the military and sit on your ass and browse the internet all day and get paid much more.

 

[Cosmic Bus]

From the ground--up

I worked Retail for five years while going to college. I will never go back. Retail was a place that turned me into a anti-social a-hole. It made me basically hate people. I actually liked the job, the people, and customers for the longest time. Eventually, it just becomes a bog though when certain areas shine through.

From what I have seen:

Once in and settled you are not going up in the corporation. Not from in the company and on the floor. The only people who get out of the store are from outside the company with masters degrees. These people do not join a management posistion. My managers have degrees and had been in the same posistion from 93, 95, 96. In the SAME job they got hired on at.

This made everything cut-throat and less then enjoyable. The person above my managers was my 2nd store manager..he liked to played golf with the in crowd (on the clock) and they gave him district manager. He was not deserving(no degree) and short time at the company. They however liked him more than the other other candiates(politics).

Could I speak of projects and reorganzations of departments? For no need or reason.

Working shifts short because all the employees around you blow because managment never goes out of their way to hire people. Working two departments at a time. Having 18y/os call out on you, quit on you. Working with said younger people. Working with 3 people in the store when seven at a minimum are needed. Black friday..

I do not know why anyone would want to work retail...thats what college is for..to get away from.

I've been working retail for ten years, with two different companies and this has been my experience in both locations, almost to the letter. I make $11 an hour after five years and two "promotions" in title only; my job still involves mostly the same shit I did on day one. There is no true moving up in retail. The people who work for a company outside of the base store level have likely never set foot into that kind of retail environment aside from shopping for t-shirts or a new stereo. Anyone who's received instruction from the Omnipotent Corporate Office can tell you that no one making these sorts of decisions has any sensible connection to the real world. Every day is a baffling and infuriating drill of seemingly nonsensical tasks designed to keep the drones busy because they know better than you.

I love the people I work with and the environment they provide. This helps me maintain scraps of my sanity. I have also seen these people, great people, intelligent people and hard workers, fired over the most meaningless goddamn BULLSHIT. Didn't strongarm enough people into buying a particular item this month? See ya. Can't get folks to go for that extended warranty? It's been fun, maybe we'll give you a good reference.

Nicodimas mentioned understaffing; I deal with this all the time. The only people who apply for retail jobs are apparently irresponsible college kids who cant be bothered to show up for their shifts half the time. Don't even think about giving the full-timers overtime to cover the extra workload, though! WE HAVE A BOTTOM LINE, PEOPLE. Ultimately, you'll be doing more work with less hours, and it better be done right. PS: interview, hire, and train new people this week while you're at it, k thnx bye.

I'm more or less dead inside thanks to a decade in retail. I hate the general public, I'm bitter, constantly tired and worrying about something, anything. I'll never make enough to own a house, to travel... hell, I won't even be able to replace my 15-year old car when it goes. I'm stuck in this apartment and this barren, shambling area of the US because I can't afford to move anywhere nicer. This is the rest of my life and it makes me sick.

 

[tekumseh]

It's unfortunate that so many of you have had poor to detestable retail experiences. The difficulty of your situations certainly has jaded your ability to look objectively at this OP's situation. I would daresay that Costco provides one of the most positive retail experiences available. I don't work there and have no connection with them other than a membership, but I have an insatiable inquisitiveness, and I probably haven't ever been in a Costco without talking, at least briefly, with an employee or two about their working conditions and satisfaction, just because their business model is so obviously employee-centric. To a person, I've never had any of them say they were any more than mildly dissatisfied about their employment situation there. The closest store to me opened about 8 years ago. I'd be willing to bet that at least 50% of the employees who started there at the opening are still around. My guess is that number is unheard of in almost every other retail type operation...

 

[ForzaItalia]

I just saw his tag...

"Strives to underachieve"

:lol

 

[Wendo]

By any chance, do you work for Safeway/Vons? Your job atmosphere sounds similar to theirs, and I spent 5 years with them. Most (if not all) of the management I dealt with had years with the company and had worked non-management positions. There's a benefit of being able to promote from within, and having someone in a management position who actually knows what it's like to work a wet rack properly or cut meat, or whatever.

No, I work for a chain of Food Co-ops that are member owned. (So they have a "corporate office" even though it's not a corporation, if that makes sense). I've heard that Safeway has headed downhill though, as has Albertsons.

And you're totally dead on about people with floor experience being much better leaders. One thing I really appreciate too about my company is that I see the CEO at least once a week, and he'll actually stop and talk with me for five minutes or so.

I guess I should clarify my stance- yes, working retail jobs can be horrible experiences (like many in this thread have had) if you're working at a crappy employer. However, if you spend the time to find a job at a good place like Costco, or where I work, you'll find that it's a very comfortable and rewarding work environment. The monkier of "retail" is just too broad a category to make huge sweeping statements without respecting the quality differences between establishments.

It all comes down to doing whatever makes you happy, and allows you to live sustainably. Once your job (be it working at Costco or Microsoft) fails to provide either of those things, it's time to find something else.

 

[pel1300]

It's unfortunate that so many of you have had poor to detestable retail experiences. The difficulty of your situations certainly has jaded your ability to look objectively at this OP's situation. I would daresay that Costco provides one of the most positive retail experiences available. I don't work there and have no connection with them other than a membership, but I have an insatiable inquisitiveness, and I probably haven't ever been in a Costco without talking, at least briefly, with an employee or two about their working conditions and satisfaction, just because their business model is so obviously employee-centric. To a person, I've never had any of them say they were any more than mildly dissatisfied about their employment situation there. The closest store to me opened about 8 years ago. I'd be willing to bet that at least 50% of the employees who started there at the opening are still around. My guess is that number is unheard of in almost every other retail type operation...

Same experience here. I've been speaking with the employees whenever I shop at costco. Every employee I have talked to emphasized that the company is good to them.

 

[McLesterolBeast]

There're a lot of reasons why not to go that route.

But i think the best reason is that guys who work retail... even good looking ones, will inevitably end up marrying fat and/or ugly girls. This is just how the world works.

Similarly, when girls want to motivate their friends to lose weight, they tell this same story. That if they dont lose it, they'll end up marrying some guy who fills the bins at costco.

 

[Wellington]

There're a lot of reasons why not to go that route.

But i think the best reason is that guys who work retail... even good looking ones, will inevitably end up marrying fat and/or ugly girls. This is just how the world works.

Similarly, when girls want to motivate their friends to lose weight, they tell this same story. That if they dont lose it, they'll end up marrying some guy who fills the bins at costco.

O...k.

 

[GaimeGuy]

There're a lot of reasons why not to go that route.

But i think the best reason is that guys who work retail... even good looking ones, will inevitably end up marrying fat and/or ugly girls. This is just how the world works.

Similarly, when girls want to motivate their friends to lose weight, they tell this same story. That if they dont lose it, they'll end up marrying some guy who fills the bins at costco.

Uh......

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

There're a lot of reasons why not to go that route.

But i think the best reason is that guys who work retail... even good looking ones, will inevitably end up marrying fat and/or ugly girls. This is just how the world works.

Similarly, when girls want to motivate their friends to lose weight, they tell this same story. That if they dont lose it, they'll end up marrying some guy who fills the bins at costco.

:lol :lol

You must be kidding...right?

 

[Matrix]

There're a lot of reasons why not to go that route.

But i think the best reason is that guys who work retail... even good looking ones, will inevitably end up marrying fat and/or ugly girls. This is just how the world works.

Similarly, when girls want to motivate their friends to lose weight, they tell this same story. That if they dont lose it, they'll end up marrying some guy who fills the bins at costco.

wtf :lol

 

[JzeroT1437]

You will not live comfortably off of $10 an hour, and furthermore you've just thrown your degree out the window. With pretty much any degree you can get a cake corporate job with much better opportunities for advancement if you're just a little bit persistent.

I have an English BA.

Please help me.

 

[KingGondo]

I have an English BA.

Please help me.

I'm in the same boat. I'm really not sure what I would have done if I didn't have the campaign opportunity I did (class of campaign year '06 FTW).

My advice would be to try a temp agency--I know a kid who has a BA in English, went to a temp agency and now has a pretty decent full-time position at a small insurance agency.

Besides that, there's always grad school or law school, which is the road I'm taking. You'll find something eventually, so just try to learn from each job you get along the way. I'm actually quite grateful that I had to work at Starbucks this past year before law school--it has made me much more personable to difficult people, more tolerant of many coworkers, and more aware of the politics of the workplace. Plus, I'm much less likely to take law school for granted after working as a coffee slave for a full year