Moving Up in Retail

I saw someone I know working in retail the other day.  He had been working retail as the manager of a video shop when I first met him ten years ago.   The video store had closed down though.   

As a young man that job seemed fun to him back then.  Now, still in retail; however, he thought he was working a dead end job.  He complained that he didn’t have a girlfriend because girls ran when he told them where he worked.

Now let’s switch to a young lady I know.  She is an assistant manager in a convenience store.  This store promotes from within and has vision, hearing and dental on the employee insurance policy.  A co-worker of hers had to have back surgery and was given paid leave.  This young lady’s quite happy.

She had tried college and did not like it.  She determined to get a retail job with a future and excel.  Her goal is to be an area manager or higher one day.

My brother had a friend in high school who didn’t want to go to college.  High school was hard on him and even if it was easy, he hated school.  He got a job working the french fry station at McDonald’s.  In his mid-thirties about fifteen ago, he was the area manager of eight McDonald’s.

My point in these tales of three workers is that attitude is a big factor in a job.  Retail is not a dead end career.  It can be a very lucrative career; as a matter of fact.  This is because a good worker is like gold in retail and will often end up being treated like gold by a good boss.  Also, you can get into commission sales in retail where the sky is the limit. 

Now, unlike the workers who treat a job as a resting point for dreams that they never pursue, a good worker will show up all the time on time, work other shifts and do thankless tasks.   They realize that people don’t care that you have a sick girlfriend so you are going to the hospital; they care that you show up. 

Being good at the job with a good attitude gets you noticed.  But you also have to, as a way of advice, make sure your boss knows that you want to move to a higher level at the right time.  Some bosses though, sadly, like to not promote good workers.  What better thing for them than to have an employee who will work from week, clean hot fryers, and open, close and work the middle shift.  That boss sleeps at night.   You, on the other hand, will watch less qualified people being promoted because if an opening to move up arrives, the boss doesn’t want to lose his or her sturdy right hand, do- it- all person.  So what should you do if this happens to you?

This depends.  If you are in a one shop town like many college towns, you have more employees than jobs even for jobs that are at the bottom of the pile.  If you have a lot of places that hire in your area, you have more optios,; of course.

I advise you talk to your boss.  He or she is not a mean person in most cases.  Your boss may be so preoccupied by business that he or she doesn’t realize how you feel.  If this doesn’t work though, then you need to put in enough time so you have something for a resume.  You also need to save money so you can move from your one shop town to a new town that has more opportunity if your boss doesn’t respond.  Remember one thing too; a job is better than no job, so plan.  Also, my advice to you isn’t perfect because I can’t write for every conceivable situation.   Only you can plan for every conceivable situation.

If you don’t want to move to the opportunity, no advice will help, by the way.  My friend who worked as a video store manager ten years ago never took advice then or now because it was easier to complain.