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Getting a job in shop work

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
I'm thinking of changing type of employment and applying for jobs in High street stores. Any advice from people already in this area? conditions of work available, rates of pay, unsocial hours, what meeting customers is like, a typical management style overhanging shop floor, what they look for in CVs when deciding whether to response and give you an interview , plus examples of work place problems

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I am currently volunteering in a charity shop. Depending on whose around (I sometimes cover for a lady) depends on whether I'll meet customers or not. If she's in, I'll be upstairs helping sort out stock for the morning. If I'm downstairs, I may help put out stock.

    I've found that sometimes we get the same people come in quite a lot.

    Obviously, I can't speak for every single shop; but it's mostly 9-5 and Sunday is 10-4.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Shit pay, shit conditions, shit from customers and shit from senior management. That pretty much sums it up. If the shop's in a bigger city you can expect early mornings and late nights too- Newcastle's main shopping centre is open from 8.30am to 8pm.

    You'll be doing very well if you get anything other than a zero hours contract in the current economic climate. Even shops like Debenhams have put their staff on reduced hours.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Arctic Roll wrote: »
    Shit pay, shit conditions, shit from customers and shit from senior management. That pretty much sums it up. If the shop's in a bigger city you can expect early mornings and late nights too- Newcastle's main shopping centre is open from 8.30am to 8pm.

    You'll be doing very well if you get anything other than a zero hours contract in the current economic climate. Even shops like Debenhams have put their staff on reduced hours.

    This. I was in retail until 12 months ago.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Arctic Roll wrote: »
    Shit pay, shit conditions, shit from customers and shit from senior management. That pretty much sums it up

    Sounds like not a promising career change, unless I find a good shop. Believe every work environment suffers problems with overbearing management, just takes a different form depending where you are and whether you can cope month after month with atmosphere overhanging. That's why the socialists say capitalism is shit with workers open to exploitation
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My sister's a store manager for a clothes retailer and she says the same about it. Shop work's fine if there's nothing else- it pays the bills- but I'd hardly call it a career change.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Arctic Roll wrote: »
    Shop work's fine if there's nothing else- it pays the bills

    yeah, can't get rich on shop work wages- after bills paid and other expenses chances not much money left to add to your ISA account
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    KiwiFruit wrote: »
    yeah, can't get rich on shop work wages- after bills paid and other expenses chances not much money left to add to your ISA account

    In my experience (I was living in London), I didn't manage to save anything at all. I'm not particularly extravagant, and at that time I didn't even have much of a social life, but there's so little left after bills that it all went on travel.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    piccolo wrote: »
    In my experience (I was living in London), I didn't manage to save anything at all. I'm not particularly extravagant, and at that time I didn't even have much of a social life, but there's so little left after bills that it all went on travel.

    Think with the bulk of working people, unless they have well above average salaries, in this economic climate there isn't much money left after monthly outgoings. Some people find money so tight they have mushrooming credit card balances and keep signing up for loans. I was there in that scenario once
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    LauraOLauraO Posts: 535 Incredible Poster
    :wave: KiwiFruit,

    If you're still considering this career change you might want to have a look at the case study of a retail manager on TheSite.org.

    This time of year is a good time to start looking for retail work as Christmas is approaching, but this usually means longer hours, harder work and it may only be a temporary contract, so make sure you know what you're getting.

    There are also lots of different jobs in retail in addition to working on the shop floor. Prospects have some good information about this and is a useful website to use.

    Good luck with it :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    LauraO wrote: »
    :wave: KiwiFruit,

    If you're still considering this career change you might want to have a look at the case study of a retail manager on TheSite.org.

    This time of year is a good time to start looking for retail work as Christmas is approaching, but this usually means longer hours, harder work and it may only be a temporary contract, so make sure you know what you're getting.

    There are also lots of different jobs in retail in addition to working on the shop floor. Prospects have some good information about this and is a useful website to use.

    Good luck with it :)

    thanks -just want to keep my options open
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