It’s nothing earth-shattering. Just a retail position at Media Play, which seems like it would be a pretty fun job. I make almost enough to live on with my web stuff, but it’s fickle and unpredictable income and now that I’m on my own I need a more stable “job” job. Since it will be supplimenting my web income I’m not terribly stressed over the wage, but honestly? I have NO idea what that sort of thing pays. I don’t even know what minimum wage is anymore. I’m so out of the loop it’s just sad.
Anyone in the Atlanta (more specifically, Marietta) area know what a typical retail schlub makes, as a new-hire? I mean if they ask me how much I’m looking to make I don’t want to be laughed out of the building for guessing too far off the mark in either direction…
Also, I have virtually zero retail experience. I did work in a store once, in 1991 or so, but I did mostly clerk stuff in the back and was rarely on the floor. I can’t imagine it would be impossibly difficult to learn, though…
Anyway I’m excited and nervous about the whole prospect of starting this new life. New city. New job. New apartment. New boyfriend. New face-mangling injuries and missing teeth. Well ok I’m not excited about that part, that’s mostly just painful.
No real advice for you, but good luck. I’ve only been interned retail once and briefly at a Wal-Mart operation (which was the creepiest job I think I’ve ever had, and that includes working for a roofing contractor where every second coworker was either a crackhead or an aspiring cirrhosis sufferer) but the work seems pretty mindless, and after the first couple of panicy weeks where you are trying to get the ^%&# cash register to work properly[sup]*[/sup] and where the stock is located, it rolls pretty smoothly to griping about management and participating in or avoiding workplace politics…just like any other job.
Again, good luck to you. You’re a braver soul than I am.
Good Luck Opal! I hope it works out brilliantly for you!
I’m on the exact opposite track. I’ve been working for 10 years staright, and now I moved to AZ and I’ve decided to not work for a while. I’m going to do some writing, and some painting and spend as much time outside before it gets hot as I can!
But not in a creepy way. I mean smile… but don’t smile too much. And, oh forget it. Don’t listen to me. I’m afraid now that you’ll over-smile, and the employer will think that you’re creepy or something, and then you’ll blame me…
So… just ignore what I say.
Oh, that reminds me… the most important thing you should do for the interview is this:
And really, you should listen to me on this, because everyone I know who’s done this has gotten the job, and I mean, every, single, one has gotten the job because they have done this.
So keep this in mind, because its the one secret which will guarantee you the job.
Are you ready for this? This is one of those things which interviewers don’t want you to know, but I’m sharing it with you now,…
well good deal! I was out of work once for 8 months which granted, it’s not 10 years, but it sucked. Oddly enough when I finally got a job it was at retail too.
Anyway, I’m in Arkansas, so I don’t know how much different it is between there and here, but when I started at JCPenney 3 years ago they started me out at $5.45 and by the time I left four months ago I was making $6.13. Not much at all.
In my experience with job interviews (in retail) they never asked me how much I hope to make, usually it’s been on the application. If they don’t bring it up in the interview just ask them what starting salary is
Man I just rambled on didn’t I? Heh. Well good luck!
