People don't know how hard it is to work in retail- most specifically in grocery stores. Sure, it's not a job that consists of extreme calculus work or general surgery, but it can be demanding. Here's just a short list of some of the struggles of working in a grocery store.
1. You have a constant fake face and voice
If you have one, you know what I'm talking about.
2. You have to constantly smile
Because god forbid that you aren't smiling.
3. You have to know where everything is
Yes, I know exactly where that specific brand and flavor of sauce is, but if you don't want me to walk all the way over to the other side of the store to show you, I have no idea where it is.
4. You have to have good shoes
Otherwise, your feet will HURT.
5. You have to pretend you like people
Customers, coworkers and managers... There is no end.
6. You have to keep the gossip to a minimum
I don't care if our coworker failed a class or got in an argument with their spouse. No customer wants to know that much about our personal life.
7. You have to stay on your managers good side
If you aren't the managers favorite, then that can affect who you end up working with and when.
8. You can't just walk around all of the time
If anyone knows that, it's me.
9. You have to listen to the same music all day every day
I swear if I hear one more song sung by a whiny blonde girl from the 80's, I may cry.
10. You are on your feet all day
You only get to sit down if you're on a break, or if you're fortunate enough to be pregnant and get a stool.
11. You get blamed for things that aren't your fault
I'm sorry that you looked at the wrong sign and the chips that you wanted aren't on sale. Our HV truck comes in tomorrow, and you'll just have to come in if you really want that cereal. How busy our store is is not our fault. I'm sorry you almost got ran over in the parking lot. I would be so lucky.
12. You get yelled at because someone's card got declined
Not my fault you didn't check your bank statement, or you are visiting from another state and didn't tell your bank.
13. Not your department? Still your problem.
I have no idea how to tell if an eggplant is ripe. I cannot tell you the wait time for the rotisserie chickens. I have no idea if we even carry dairy-free macaroni, but it's apparently my job to know everything in the store. Referral to the department isn't good enough.
14. The specifics of coupons that you have to know alone is a struggle
Every small piece of the fine print has to match up.
15. Not even to mention the coupon con artists
Lady, I can read. I know this coupon says 16 count and you got the 12 count. The expiration date was clearly two weeks ago. I don't believe that you have a $10 off coupon on a product that costs $2.00.
16. Don't get me started on the jokes
17. Didn't scan? Must mean it's free
18. You need something to do?
19. Were you waiting just for me?
20. I just printed the bill before I got here
21. Yes, we do listen to what you say
It may not make a difference to me whether you are good or not, but I have to hold a conversation with you, according to my manager. I need something to go off of.
22. Yes, you are the story that I go home to tell my friends
If you cause a ruckus or or the nicest person ever, I will be talking about you later. I will forever be talking about you, lady, who bought and opened twelve bags of unsalted potato chips and was upset I rang them up because you wanted to return them since they were too salty.
23. We don't care if you're the most masculine person on the planet; let me take your groceries to your car! I need to get some fresh air!
Please, just let me go out now that way I don't have to be pulled away from the air conditioning when I have a down moment to go get the carts that are filling the corral.
24. 20 questions
There are always those people that do allow you to help them out, but then they decide that they need to ask a lot of questions on the way out. I feel like half of Columbia knows my major and what I want to do with it, or since I don't have the southern accent that many of my coworkers have, I'm sure they all know where I'm from, too.
