I'm so worried about my retail job!!

[Davidfizix]

I have just finished training for a retail job (can't say which store because of company confidentiality policy). I start on the sales floor on Saturday. Okay...so I've determined I don't have the mentality to be a teacher (having said that, I ALMOST got to teach math in a mountain/ski resort town, but I wasn't highly qualified enough under the NCLB act ...thanks a lot, NCLB ). But retail and teaching are alike in that I have to deal with different types of people in different situations. Students get angry at teachers, but sometimes customers also get angry at salespeople for some reason or another. I have to teach customers about certain kinds of products, which product would best suit their needs, etc. I'm worried if I screw up and give the wrong kind of advice, it won't be fair to the customer and that customer may come back to give me a piece of his mind. (Sound familiar to you teachers when it comes to dealing with parents? )

When I applied to this store and checked off which jobs I would like to do, I checked the ones that DON'T deal with people (such as overnight stocker and lot assistant (someone who gathers shopping carts and helps load cars)). But somehow I got the one position that DOES deal with people the MOST! Granted, nobody said life is fair, but that was a tad uncalled for.

If you're familiar with my previous posts, it's easy to guess that I'm a loner by nature. You'd ALWAYS see me sitting alone, not talking to anyone; I have no friends, have never had a girlfriend. I've never been diagnosed with anything, but it's possible I have social anxiety or some emotional disorder. I'm not necessarily "anti-social," but I do distance myself from people I don't know (which is bad when it comes to retail).

Sheesh, why can't I find a job that doesn't deal with people so much? I guess more people than I imagine want "non-people" jobs, because human beings are so annoying these days.

On the optimistic side, this job could help restore my faith in the human race (pessimists say that this job will make them hate the human race even more). I mean, I did have to deal with people at my summer camp job, but all I did was give petroglyph tours, and I usually didn't see their faces again after that.

I know nobody can help me in an Internet forum, but don't you think if I don't have the mentality to be a teacher, I don't have the mentality to work in retail? The only hope is that I have a 90-day trial period, and then after that, I MIGHT be able to transfer to a "non-people-oriented" department such as a stocker or warehouse worker. A loner by nature should not be working "people" jobs. Those two conditions are mutually exclusive.

[TeacherNY]

Just do the best you can for now. I have worked retail and I know how difficult it can be dealing with people. I would give it a few weeks and if you absolutely can't handle it talk to your supervisor and maybe they can work something out.

[Peregrin5]

Retail and teaching are a bit different in that you are now dealing with adults instead of children that HAVE to be there.

I've worked retail in the past as well, and I would have described myself as a loner (but maybe not as severe as case as yours). I think working in a retail position really helped me to come out of my shell and get used to working with people, and being friendly and providing great service.

I found out that I had a real knack for dealing with people and I was very patient with difficult customers. Having to deal with large amounts of socialization was one of the reasons I didn't want to become a teacher, but once I worked at it at my retail position and improved my social skills, I found that it was one of my strengths rather than something to avoid.

I believe you can learn something from any situation. Do your best to learn from your new job. Good luck, =]

[Kangaroo22]

I hated teaching and am not the most social person by nature, but really like working at my grocery store job. I very rarely have had problems with customers over the years I have worked there. For the most part if you're nice to customers and help them as much as you can you'll be fine. Just be understanding and avoid arguments with customers at all costs.

If you really do hate this job see if they can move you different position...a lot of times once you are in somewhere it is easier to move to a different job in the same company.

[czacza]

Most jobs are somewhat social in nature. that's why we teach kids to work cooperatively.

Are you seeking therapy? This seems to be a case of second verse same as the first. You are expecting different results while doing the same thing, time and time again.

[Missy]

Don't let yourself fail before you start. If you did ok in the training, give yourself a chance with customers.

[Davidfizix]

Hello, everyone at A to Z Teacher Stuff. My retail job is going okay (just "okay"), but does get really stressful at times. It turns out I'm really not a "people person"...for some unknown reason, I get irritated when too many customers ask me for help. I know it's in my contract to help all customers who need assistance, and I DO help them the best I can (refusing to do so would result in immediate termination). But for no particular reason, I just get angry and frustrated from being bombarded with questions/tasks all day, even though nobody means any harm for me; I've come close to sounding "cross" when a customer asks, "Can you (please) help me?" or "Can I ask you a question?". Usually, I realize the error of my ways and I try to "make up for it" by being super-friendly to the customer in the end. But I need to learn to be more friendly and helpful in the beginning!

An ideal dream job would be to sit at a desk all day and not deal with any people - just computers or merchandise. But for now, I have to deal with the situation I'm in.

Exactly three years ago today, I was sitting in the airport with a cancelled flight (due to a Northeastern snowstorm), waiting to go home for Winter Break after my first semester of teaching high school .

I really really really really miss that first year (well, really just "semester") of teaching! Why did the superintendent have to ruin my career by doing that to me?? I didn't mean any harm. There were NUMEROUS fun activities I wanted to do with my classes (such as educational games and films, and a "virtual" field trip to a historic site - by "virtual," I mean just show a documentary and pictures, and then have class discussion). If it wasn't for that superintendent, I could still be teaching in TX! (I know, I know, the past is the past, but I will probably NEVER get over it.)

Happy Holidays, everyone!

[czacza]

David...have you sought therapy yet? This still seems to be a recurring theme in ALL your posts. You get easily frustrated and angered with people. That concerns me for not just your emotional health, but the safety and welfare of those with whom you interact. Stop blaming your former Superintendant on your difficulties as a teacher...look within. And get some help. Now.

[Linguist92021]

David, you say you miss teaching, and you should be a teacher, but at the same time you're saying that you know you're not a people person, and simply people asking you for help gets you mad / irritated. Obviously students would irritate you 100 times more, so why are you still thinking about teaching? You, yourself said it that you should be working alone, away from people.
Your post just doesn't make any sense/

[czacza]

Linguist...do a post history for the OP.