Working In Retail
If you've ever worked in retail, you will completely understand what I'm about to say. If you haven't, I really hope you learn something today...
We are treated like shit. Like we are uneducated and stupid. Like this is the only job we are capable of having. We are typically underpaid, lack benefits, work holidays, stand all day, and have to smile and be nice even when YOU'RE an ass!
What you don't realize, is who we really are. This might not be our only job. Or maybe this isn't our position in the company and we're just filling in. Maybe we OWN the place. Or maybe we're taking a break from our career and just want to do something fun and "brainless" for a little while. We might be in college studying to be a professional. You don't know who we really are and why we're here "just working retail" (said with the holier than though attitude). And quite frankly, you have NO right to judge us, criticize us, and you certainly don't have a right to be MEAN to us!
**I must insert here that MY "retail" job is quite different. We are a specialty store and most of our customers/clients treat us with MAD respect. We are highly trained in what we do - gait analysis, fitting shoes, and finding the highest quality gear for runners and triathletes. But working here has really given me a new perspective in the whole retail industry.** Hence the need to discuss it...
Because it does still happen.
Would you treat me different if you knew I served in the military at war? Would you talk to me like that if you knew I fought fires, saving lives? Would you talk to me like that if you knew I graduated from law school at the top of my class?
I'm gonna go with I DON'T THINK SO!
SO, props to the firefighters who work part time retail in between their full time jobs. Props to the lawyers who just need a break from their career for a few minutes. Props to the well educated business gal that just want to do what they love, train, coach, and inspire the world to be healthy. Props to the college peeps. Props to the hard working folks in retail that put up with the nasty, the ugly, the unkind. It's not a hard job...but it's not easy either.