Why not retail?

[CodeOmega0]

Ok, so I recently applied to a job that one of my friends works at [in retail]. The job in retail wasn't available at the time, so I was placed into inventory. This seems like a step up, with the whole fact that I don't have to deal with customers most of the day, and when I do, it's only to hand them their brand new TV, and they're usually happy with me.

ANYWAYS, they recently had the opening in retail, and are trying to transfer me. I have worked one shift there, and it was actually kind of fun.
I mostly stocked the shelves, while helping a few customers find things, and it was interesting to say the least to try to help people find things, when I am just as new as them.
Was it a fluke that it was fun? Will it eventually drive me mad? What is the reasoning from which all INTPs I have talked to have told me to stay the hell away from retail?

 

[Toad]

I worked in backroom inventory at Target. I would occasionally come outside and help people. It was fun to help because I knew I didn't have to. But if I worked outside and I had to help them all the time, I think it would drive me nuts.

 

[SEPKA]

I have to do some work like that before as internship. It is kind of fun at the start but I start to get mad when I started to meet some REALLY STUPID CUSTOMER. Some just keep complaining when you are trying to do your job. Then there are people who asked for the stationary section when they are standing right at it. Then there are those who asked me to locate the exit! I can't stand it.

 

[Yossarian]

Why not retail?

Because it involves two things that are very difficult for intp's, people and people's stupid questions.


Really though, it might be ok if you weren't on commission. I've been told that people like us will talk customers out of buying things, or things they don't need. It's natural for us to spot errors in logic, and that goes for what someone is buying as well. I think you'd have to suppress your corrective nature quite a bit to be successful.

 

[ifelloverboard]

Okay, "INTP" is not an end all. *Clears throat* You could be on the fence of introverted and not extroverted because you don't like wild parties. I worked in retailesque industry, moved up fairly high and as such I had to deal with a lot of people within my company and with large accounts as well as plain jane people. How could an introverted misanthrope possibly love that? I have a huge ego which voids the whole "INTP" thing and made dealing with everyone from a client to a subordinate who needed my skills or expertise a quite enjoyable experience.

I think INTP is nice for explaining how you are but certainly don't let it plan out your life. Give retail a shot and as the most interesting man in the world said about careers: Find out what it is in life that you don't do well and then don't do that thing.

You won't know until you try.

 

[Beat Mango]

I was in retail for 10 years and didn't entirely hate it. If you get a good bunch of co-workers, and a boss who's not an asshole, it can be quite enjoyable. You don't feel as fenced in as an office job, for example.

 

[Cogwulf]

I took a job in retail expecting myself to hate it, and I am hating it. I'm fine with putting stuff on the shelves, and I even enjoy helping customers when they're nice people and fairly intelligent, but it isn't a job where customers just ask for help occasionally, I'm expected to actually approach customers and ask them if they want help.

There are often people who come in and say something along the lines of "I want this thing, I don't know what it is but a mate told me you sell them here." three quarters of the time the thing they want doesn't actually exist.

 

[walfin]

I had a retail job once before, and I run what could be considered a retail business (more service, though).

It isn't that bad, really. I don't know what's so bad about sales - they're complete strangers anyway. Now, if they were my friends, it'd be harder.

 

[CodeOmega0]

I've decided to not take the job, or.. rather, move around within the same job. I've looked back on the one day that I worked in that department, and.. all that's left of that day are these customers:
Bad-
1. Short fat lady looking for "the wiggles go bananas". We don't have it. No one does. Go find it somewhere else, you moron.
2. Short man looking for all of Michael Jackson's songs on ONE CD. ... Wow, are you retarded. You can find compilations of all his best work, and you might be able to find his entire discography SOMEWHERE, but jeez.
3. Emo kid looking for a CD by alphabetically looking for the artists FIRST name, not their last. He stumped me for a while, until I realized that he was a moron.
4. Short lady looking for wedding music. Listen lady. Sure. We have wedding music. Good luck finding it, because we don't have a section dedicated to it... so... have fun, and stop yelling at me for not having a section. I had nothing to do with setting it up.
5. Short man who looked for Michael Jackson again, except this time, he wanted bluetooth headsets. Dude. You have CDs in your hand. You are in the CD section. What makes you think that I know where bluetooth headsets are? Go over to the cell phone department, you moron.

Good
1. Short couple [or am I just tall?] who were looking for DS games for their niece.

When helping the bad customers, I smiled, and kept thinking, "I'll help them out, just to try to be nice, and get this job."
The last couple, I actually enjoyed helping discover what their niece liked, and what games would be good for her.

All of that being said. I think there are WAY too many dumb people where I live, and MAYBE if I could move to an all alpha plus city, where the epsilons are kept far away, [Brave new world, anyone?] I could work there. But as for now, I'll stick with inventory. Yay things. Also, not people.

 

[Ombat]

I would never voluntarily work in retail. I did work in my dad's store for a while, and it was fun at first, but I eventually began to dread it. It's a high-end clothing stores in a sports club, and the people that would come into the store were obnoxious and thought that because they could afford a $200/month membership fee that their s*** didn't smell.

I didn't cater to them which caused more problems for me than if I just went along with it, but now I know I don't like retail.

 

[Tunesimah]

I had a job working retail at kiosk that sold random junk, mostly yo-yos and 'sports plaques'.

The job was great because the mall was dead all the time and I used that time to study calculus. Most days I would get around 10 customers.

I just had to walk up to people, ask if they needed any help, they usually said no... and I walked away.

There wasn't much 'salesmanship' involved... and at the time I wasn't exactly as self-conscious as I am now... for the better. I was strange, but had no problems talking to people. Now I know I'm strange and just don't care... in the years interim I was more socially neurotic.