Am I... am I that approachable?

[Ryowyn]

So I got some time while I'm on my break, and I decided to share some stuff.
Time for my first post, here we go.

So.
No matter where I go, people take me for an employee.

1. Anime Conventions

So for some reason, people mistake tiny old me (1,72m) for security at anime conventions. They always have the best reasons, like...

"You were watching the crowd, so I assumed you are part of the crew"
"You were wearing a headset[-> iPod earphones], so you must be security"
"You wear a black T-shirt, so you must be security" -> All other security guys wore yellow shirts with the con name printed on it.

2. The UK

While I was on holiday in the UK, I got talked to about 2 times a day.
People wanted to know if I had shirts in different sizes.
People wanted to know if I could tell them where to find certain pens.
People wanted me to open up a new register for them because the line was too long.
I was wearing jeans and simple T-shirts, but still, I was TRYING ON CLOTHES/TALKING TO MY SISTER IN GERMAN CASUALLY, why would you assume I'm working here?

3. My own country, Austria

Pretty much the same as above, just very rude and with more whining when I say I don't work here.
Plus, I get talked to by tourists all the time, but I don't mind that.
Greenpeace donation subscription hunters seem to love me as well, but I think those guys are actually worth a topic of its own.



Now tell me, is it my fault? Am I wrong for wanting to wear plain black T-shirts? Maybe it's the fact that I smile at people when I make eye contact...

[Slayer]

Argh, I get that, too. And I don't smile.

One day I was doing an errand day with a best friend. We had gone to three stores and were asked in every one. In the last one, mart of wall, we had our winter coats shoved on the top of a clothing rack and were trying on tshirts since the changing area was too long of a wait). We dealt with the first guy to ask but the second woman... Anyway, my friend snapped. We were both sick of it. Poor woman will double check next time XD. She asked my friend while she had her head in the neck of the shirt and was getting her arm through. Total sign of an employee.

My worst was being in my winter coat and scarf, with a cart, leaning on the handle with my elbows... And texting. I got asked where the soup mix is. I literally stopped moving and my jaw hung open a bit. My brain couldn't process it. Took me a few to get up to speed and say I don't work there. Really? Sigh.

[Ryowyn]

I guess I'm even worse at reacting, when I got asked about a different size shirt for the first time, I actually just walked to the rack, saw it was there, and gave it to her.

Just then did I realize I should probably tell her that I actually don't work here..

[Grumpy]

Maybe it's the fact that I smile at people when I make eye contact...

That probably explains most of it. That's pretty universal body language for "I'm friendly."

It doesn't explain why people would think you're security, though.

[Kogarashi]

That probably explains most of it. That's pretty universal body language for "I'm friendly."

It doesn't explain why people would think you're security, though.

Except that thanks to Walmart training and general friendliness, I smile when I make eye contact and I've only ever been mistaken for an employee anywhere once, when I was wearing a red fleece vest in Walmart (while the CSMs still had red vests).

[Ryowyn]

That probably explains most of it. That's pretty universal body language for "I'm friendly."

It doesn't explain why people would think you're security, though.

But I'm some kind of grinch, if his heart shrunk 3 sizes(or 6 sizes after the end of that story)! Maybe I should change my greeting from smiling+nodding to provokingly raising my chin.

I think the security thing happens because I tend to run around in simple black t-shirts, combined with a single headphone plugged into one of my ears.. and people are generally very blind and assuming.
(Doesn't help that every Tom, Dick and Harry tends to be security at these anime-type events over here, so you can't judge by body type or stuff like that)

[LillFilly]

Oh my gosh, THE DISEASE OF STUPIDITY HAS GONE GLOBAL! Oh my, forget zombies, watch out for the stupids!!!! Brrr, I can feel the icy tingles of stupid people waiting, watching, looking for the moment to pounce on their prey from here!

[Cat Herder]

I come from The Land of Call Centers
Where women glow and Bollywood thunders

Since I look very much like someone from that country, I sometimes get the you-must-work-here treatment at ...

*drumroll*

... what else? Convenience stores! Like you, my angry Austrian friend, I often get arguments from SCs as to why their assumption that I am an employee must be true. I usually let it roll off me, but I snapped one day when a persistent SC refused to believe me, and kept coming up with one argument after another as to why I must be an employee.*

I said, "Okay, look, let me make it really easy for everyone concerned: I. Do. Not. Work. Here. Okay? I don't care how clever an argument you come up with as to why I obviously work here; nothing you can say is going to alter the structure of reality and magically transform me into a store employee, okay? You're just going to have to come to grips with the reality of the situation and accept the fact that I don't work here!"

SC's reaction was something like, "Okay! OKay! It's cool, bro!" with a lot of hand-waving, followed by suddenly needing to be elsewhere.

*His latest argument was, "Well, I see you checking prices there." Totally makes sense, because it's not as if a customer would actually want to check prices. SC logic has so many manifestations.

[Crossbow]

I get this as well, and I've never really figured out why, especially since my usual expression is pretty close to that of my avatar... I'm not noted for being all that friendly or approachable to strangers.

Thankfully, it's very rare when I tell someone that I don't work somewhere that they don't believe me. I usually get a "Oops, sorry." and I'm fine with it. Give me any grief about it and Cat Herder's response is about the most polite thing you'll hear from me.

[raudf]

Oddly enough, it's when I'm in a bad mood that people seem to think I work at whatever store I happen to be shopping at. Guess the look of resentment at being interrupted in my browsing is what does it?

I've had people politely ask me if I worked there, and I usually tell them politely that I don't. Mind, if they are just looking for something that is supposed to be on the shelf, I might help. "Apparently I'm as blind as a bat, because I know it's here. I'm pretty sure if it were a snake, I'd be dinner by now." Or point them in the direction of the department or last place I've seen an actual employee.

But if they're rude or push it, I will let them make asses of themselves. Usually, I'll look at my clothing (baggy t-shirts, usually something with a skull, super hero, or Nightmare Before Christmas on it, with loose fit jeans or sweat pants) and back at them with a tilt of the head. If that doesn't back 'em off, I put them on my mental mute list and ignore them until they either get the lead pipe hint or go get a manager. What's the manager gonna do? Fire me? That'd be rich to watch.

[IvorTangrean]

I think it has a lot to do with body language.

Purpose, direction and knowing what you are doing / looking for can lead to people thinking you work somewhere. Something as simple as re-folding a shirt after you look at it or not looking at the signs on the aisles.

Over the years I have perfected looking lost while making a beeline for the break room. I have even seen people on the verge of asking a question while doing so.

[thatcrazyredhead]

This happens to me a lot, too (even when I'm not folding tables of shirts at the mall, which I have a habit of doing). One time, my husband and I were looking for something in the kitchen department at Walmart, talking to each other all the while. An older couple was also in that department, and the wife just started asking for help. Not having any idea she was talking to me, I didn't respond. Then, she looked at me a little more closely (not wearing anything close to the employee uniform) and asked if I worked there. She wasn't rude when I said no, which was nice. I had to laugh, though, because this isn't the first time I've been mistaken for an employee someplace where I've been obviously shopping.