Return to Retail

(Written 28^th October)

Coming home started a rather frantic job search, causing me to soon break the one promise I had made to myself when I left uni- I don’t care what I do, just do not go back to working in retail. I love working with people and the general public really isn’t that bad, but stacking shelves, working the check out and being spoken to like a second class citizen by customers who have their heads shuvved so far up their own arses they can’t see the sun, really isn’t the one.  However, with a good few years of retail experience under my belt, it was not surprising that within a couple of days and a few applications I soon found myself as a Christmas temp at Boots in Westfield. A big shop, interesting stock (beats clothes and shoes…), surely it won’t be that bad. HA. My first few shifts were spent positioned at the front of the shop, “selling” the ‘star gift’ to uninterested customers who frankly would be happier and potentially more interested if the display had been left unmanned, so they were not so fearful of being harassed when entering the shop. But hey, that was the job. After around 4 hours of doing this on my first shift I politely informed one of the managers I had lost the will to live, particularly as when I had had the will, most customers didn’t even let me finish my sentence (fair enough- I wouldn’t have much time for me either if I was them!). After a second and third shift that followed in a rather similar fashion (no-one seemed to be getting my point) I had successfully reassessed my short and long-term life goals, re-promised myself never to go into retail again and signed my contract and wrote my resignation in the same day. Sometimes you just need a wake-up call. For the remainder of my 2 weeks at Boots I was moved to the tills. Working with some lovely people (leaving the front of the shop provided me with the opportunity to actually meet a few colleagues) and getting a sneaky insight into the disgusting amount of money people spend on fad beauty products, my days started to pass ever so slightly faster. Nevertheless with all of my friends now still in uni or in full-time jobs I felt at a temporary all-time low. Cue- a job at a Spanish kids camp- yes please!