Want out of retail, need advice!

[RammsteinGirl]

Hi ya'll, I'm a longtime CS lurker finally coming out of the woodwork. Anyhow, I work at a large U.S. retail chain (starts with a K.. easy to guess) part-time and I'm also a full-time college student.

Long story short, I'm just sick of working at the K. I am barely getting any hours. That's not so bad when I'm in school, but now that I'm out for summer it sucks. When I do get hours, it's crappy shifts - for example, last night I had to work from 1p-10p in the garden shop and then I had to be back at work at 6 AM to work cash office. This is why I want to quit retail because I can't stand how they will work you until late in the evening one day, then have you come in at the buttcrack of dawn the next. Really bad for someone like me who is NOT a morning person!

Also, anyone familiar with my store chain knows that it's famous for just sticking people in new departments with absolutely NO training and I hate it. They recently stuck me back in Garden shop.. and I have NO knowledge whatsoever with plants and flowers. I told my HR manager this, and her reply was "Oh, you'll do just fine, there's a tag in every plant that tells you all the information you need to know about it!" Oh gee, thanks. When I was working back there, people would ask me if we had certain kinds of plants and I had no clue what they were talking about, and it was so embarrassing. It wouldn't be so bad if I had another co-worker working in Garden with me, but K is too cheap to schedule more than 1 person per department. All K stores are always severely understaffed, if you haven't noticed.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Florida for a week to visit my family, but when I get back I think I'm going to start putting in job applications elsewhere. I think I might put in a few apps at some restaurants. I have no restaurant experience, but I have a couple years of retail experience, and I think I could probably make better money off tips. Also, I'd prefer to work evenings because I'm more of a night person, and I know that is prime time for restaurants. Which do ya'll think is better - retail or waiting tables?

[AFpheonix]

I've never had to wait tables, so I can't comment. Is there work to be had at your college, perhaps? Also, there may be some internships that could be had from your school's student center that might be worth looking into, and could maybe get you some added mileage to go with your pending degree...

[RammsteinGirl]

The problem is, my college is a 30 minute drive from my home (it's a community college) and when I'm not taking summer classes it would be a huge waste of gas. Also, since it's a community college and I'm a history major (I'm transferring to a university in fall of 2008) there's really nothing in the way of internships (the only internships my school offers are vocational ones since it's a community college). Mainly, I just need money to pay the bills while I go to school.

[Sliceanddice]

I just applied to places around my home. And i set up a clear If you want me to work morning at 6 am i have to be home from work by 8 pm the night before rule, or im going to be no good for them, seeing as experience says ill spend half my shift puking.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I had a manager once who kept scheduling me to close (we got out at 11:30pm) and then open the next morning - which meant going in at 7am. I am a night person. This means by the time I get home and wind down enough to sleep, I'm lucky to get 5 hours before I have to get up again. Now, I don't mind doing this once in a while; I realize scheduling can be difficult sometimes, but she was doing this at least once, and often twice, a week. I finally told her I wouldn't come in before 9 if I closed the night before.

As far as retail vs. waiting tables, I really can't say. I've never waited tables, but I worked in my school's little fast food-type place when I was in college and I vowed never to work food again. But we were basically counter people/short order cooks and we didn't get tips. If you are in the right place the money could be really good.

[FloridaLizardQueen]

You should try registering with a temp agency where you can get a job that will fit your skills and knowledge better. I highly recommend Kelly Services because they are very reliable in getting you good assignments and those assignments could turn into permanent jobs! Good luck and I will be thinking of you!

[RammsteinGirl]

Forgive my dumbness is a temp agency just to help you find temporary jobs?

[powerboy]

Forgive my dumbness is a temp agency just to help you find temporary jobs?

Basically. They are temporary if the employers does not call them and let them, that they want you.

[SuperDan]

Forgive my dumbness is a temp agency just to help you find temporary jobs?

It depends. Some temp agencies give you a choice of short-term definite end date assignments (I did a four-day assignment once) and these are good if you just need to fill in a summer between school years or something. Some temp agencies ONLY deal in long-term assignments, which if you're worth two shits, will usually end up getting you hired into the company you're assigned to. They're more like employment matching services than temp agencies. It gives the employer the security of knowing they can send anyone back that they don't like. And some temp agencies do both short closed-ended assignments and long, open-ended ones.

[digilight]

Both my wife and I have been placed in perminant positions thru temp agencies (different agencies as well). My wife has been with her job now for a little over 5 years and I was with mine for over 7 before I bought the company.

My wifes company only uses temp agencies for their employee's (even if they hire them, they put them thru the agencie first). This makes it easier to let someone go if they don't work out. Personally I think that reason is stupid but to each there own.

Most temp companies want to try for temp to perm positions. These are long contracts (I believe something like 90 days) and it also earns them good karma in the eyes of the company so they will be called upon again when a need for staffing arises.

With temping you may find yourself a long term or a short term position it just depends on whats out there at the time. Also temp agencies are different, there are some around here that are real good, and some that suck monkey gnads.

[AirHostess]

What about admin type roles?

[Pezzle]

I've been wanting to get out of retail too, but my full time school schedule often stops that.

[Chanlin]

The nice thing about a temp agency as well is that you are under no obligation to accept the job they suggest to you. IE if you don't want to do it you don't have to. Or at least that was the way it worked with the temp agency I was at for awhile. Also the temp agency finds work for you and you can keep looking on the side as well. Just make sure to call the agency if you find a job on your own.

Another thing to try is go to msn careers and or check the website of your local newspaper. Its an easy free way to look for job postings in your area.

I to have never waited tables so I can't say whether retail or waiting tables is better. One thing I can tell you is I've been in call centers for quite some time and despite the crap you have to put up with the pay is usually better than most jobs and they generally require little to no experience to start.

[Becks]

I had to work from 1p-10p in the garden shop and then I had to be back at work at 6 AM to work cash office.

Well, some places have laws that say at least 8 hours between shifts, which 10pm to 8 am falls under.

Every once in a while, my boss will have me work until 10 pm and then come in at 6ish the next morning. He doesn't like doing that too often, though, because he takes pity on me. (I tell him, though, that if I have to work in the morning, I don't sleep well and wake up earlier than I have to anyway...)

[auntiem]

I've worked all kinds of jobs thru school (waitress, retail and nurses aid) and honestly the one that paid the best with steady hours was nurses aid - check your local nursing home - usually they will start you right away and pay for your training. Part time is two on/four off, but I worked it three on/four off while going to school (night shift). It isn't for everyone, and burn out rates are high, but good for while you are in school. Bonus, on night shift you have time to study as long as it is a "good" night.