I was desperate for work. I was nineteen and my plans to go back to school had changed. I tried to keep my job in the Safeway deli, but I came in one day and hadn't been included on the schedule. So, I had to find work elsewhere. There was a new mall opening, so I went out and picked up as many applications as I could.
I got a call for The Shoe Pavillion. I started work immediately. The mall wasn't open yet, so the first two weeks we were pricing and stocking shoes, and they trained us how to sell shoes. Pretty much they told us to follow a shopper around endlessly, ask if you could get them anything, and keep following them around. This advice came from the store managers and the owner himself.
So when the store finally opened I did what I was told. One lady asked me if I had to keep following her around. I wanted to say yes, but backed off, as you know, sales nor people really being my forte in the first place.
Then one day, the owners wife came into the store, oh was she a bitch. She said, "I don't think you should be following people around like that." She had this crazy accent, I don't even know where they were from. Maybe somewhere close to Turkey, who knows.
I felt like saying, "I'm just doing what YOUR husband TOLD me to do!!!"
You've got your managers telling you to do one thing, your customers hating it, the boss' wife coming in making demands, and people that try on 500 pairs of shoes and don't buy anything.
After a couple weeks went by, they realized they had too many staff and laid off the lowest man on the totem pole. Me. Needless to say, I was relieved. I will never work in shoes again. Ever.
Ah, looks like you've already gotten one of these, but I'm going to nominate you again. That just means you're twice as kreativ. :)
ReplyDeleteI've nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger over on my blog. Pop over there and have a look when you get a chance if you'd like.
Thanks Nic. :)
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