Topic: Who loves their job?

[Mashiro]

So as some of you may now I recently got a job at one of Apple's many retail stores. I've been there for, oh, around 9 days now and I can honestly say it's been my favorite job to date. It's one of those jobs where you are actually happy to wake up in the morning and goto work (yes those job's exist apparently and I am super lucky to have found it).

It's weird, I went to school for 4 years for graphic design but now I am in love with this retail experience at Apple. I finally feel like I "belong" somewhere when it comes to a job and I just love having this feeling of "yeah I could see myself growing here".

Anyone else have a job they love? =)

[BlackNMild2k1]

I'm assuming this thread popped up because of the Eascure thread, so ....
Give it 3-6 months and then tell me you feel the same about your retail job.
I used to have a retail job along time ago(Funcoland) and I actually enjoyed it from time to time, but I can never say that I loved it.
Let the newness and excitement of being a Mac guy wear off, and let the reality of repetitiveness and customer satisfaction set in and then reevaluate where you stand as far a "loving" your job goes.

[Mashiro]

Well, the great thing is that I don't mind retail. I really don't. My personality *IRL lol* is really perfect for constant customer interaction (I've done retail at Toys R Us and Target) but the two most annoying factors of those retail positions were: 1) Not loving all the products I were selling and 2) not being appreciated by management.

Could things go south in the future? Sure, but the team we have at our store is just so awesome I couldn't see it happening. It's such a difference working somewhere where pretty much everyone, if not everyone WANTS to be there. It's great to have supporting associates who have your back and in turn you have theirs. It's a good feeling and it definitely makes your work day a lot better and less pressure filled which leads to helping customers more.

I did Toys R Us for like . . . a year and a half total time so this shouldn't be a problem at all when we're talking abut repetition. Unlike Toys R Us though, promotions seem to occur all the time at our store which is really cool. Mac Specialists becoming Mac Geniuses or Creatives or Assistant Managers or Managers or some of our people becoming our brand new "Concierge" staff. Each position is unique and it can really play to your strengths. Aside from selling for example, I love teaching and I am occasionally (even though it's just my 9th day) being asked to teach basic mac classes because of my prior experience on the platform. So I'm in the list of potential "new creatives" when and if the time comes (I think). So we'll see what happens.

To be honest, I am more excited to being part of such a great team and company than being just a mac guy =) I mean yeah it's cool and all but I am more excited about possibilities of advancement and growth than anything else.  

[GoldenPhoenix]

I like my job, I work at my own pace and I have a great small business environment.

[ShyGuy]

Yeah, promoting Microsoft gaming on various internet message boards would be enjoyable.

[Crimm]

My last job alternated between being great and terrible.

"Hey, we need you to come in to help the roll-out today."
"Okay, when is it?"
"Four AM"
"Do I get the day off?"
"Hmm...no."

[oohhboy]

I can't love my job, as I have no job. Reasons are termed complex and details will be spared. What I do now can only be considered an occupation.

STUDENT.

While it is great to hear that you love your job and the environment sounds excellent, wait for the new car smell to disappear then come back. If you make it through the coming trails and tribulations in one piece. We can come back to this then.

[18 Days]

I love my job. Unemployed.

[UncleBob]

Who knows?  I assume people who shop at an Apple store aren't ignorant, backwater rednecks.  Perhaps working retail there isn't so bad.

Now, try working in (near) the Electronics Department at a Wal*Mart in Nowheresville, Illinois.  When you constantly get questions like "Do you have Ethernets?" (Never did quite figure out what she wanted) or "Do you have pin jacks?" (This winner wanted some Component Cables) or my favorite "Can you come over here and read this box for me because I'm too dumb to do so."-customers (Seriously, I think a good 25% of the customers just can't even read - and I'm not just being mean, I seriously think that), your time spent in retail isn't as nice.

[UncleBob]

Oh, and to add, I forgot to mention the constant calls and customers asking:
"Do you have any Wiis in stock?"
"Do you have any Wiis in back?"
"Wii you ever get any more Wiis in?"
"When will you get more Wiis?"
"Can you hold a Wii for me when you get some in?"
"Can you call me when you get a Wii in?"

No, No, No, No, No and No.  First come, first serve.

Seriously, I made a f'in' sign that sits in the case where the Wiis go saying that we're out of stock.  People still ask - so I direct them to the sign (so in the future, they can save both me and them the trouble of asking again).  One person responded with "Do you have any in the back?" No.  "Well, I heard that you keep extra Wiis in the back."  Wha?  Why the hell would we do that?  Even if we were doing that, which I think we did once, for an ad, then we wouldn't be selling them, so why the hell are you even asking, you stupid whore?

Seriously, if I worked for a store that was like the restaurant where the staff treats you like crap, my job would rule.  At least I wouldn't get in trouble so often.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Or like the majority of Walmart electronics employees who are complete morons.

[UncleBob]

I don't think it's fair to say the majority of WalMart electronics employees are morons.  The issue is that the majority of all people are morons.

Oh, like the guy yesterday who wanted to return his MP3 player because it wouldn't work with his operating system.  I asked what he was running.  Windows 95.

I'm sorry, but we simply don't sell MP3 players designed to work with 10+ year old operating systems.

And he gets mad because we don't.

Jesus... at least it wasn't as bad as the older man who came in about a month ago asking for 8-Tracks.  Seriously.  Unless this guy was just seeing what my reaction was, I swear he was 100% serious.  I have two other employees who were there at the time - they can vouch for my story.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
I don't think it's fair to say the majority of WalMart electronics employees are morons.  The issue is that the majority of all people are morons.

I have yet to been to a Walmart with a competent electronics employee. I think you are the only one Uncle Bob!

[UncleBob]

They're out there.  2 out of 4 of the actual Electronics employees at my store know the merchandise well (mind you, I'm not in Electronics).  3 our of 5 of the Electronics employees at my old store also knew the merchandise well.

[Caliban]

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
"Do you have any in the back?" No.  "Well, I heard that you keep extra Wiis in the back."

I hate that so much. Sometimes I feel like stabbing my little produce knife through their eye socket straight to the brain...repeatedly. Am I violent? No I am not, but the astounding rudeness and stupidity from some people is mind-boggling. Luckily it is only a part-time job for me, my full-time job will be spent on a machine shop or in the office, heck yeah!

[Kairon]

I wouldn't take the "do you have it in the back" questions so hard guys. People are just being good consumers. There are stories of people "lucking out" because they casually asked if they "had any in the back" and employees discover that they've been mistaken. As a result, people are asking that question not to insult your intelligence, but to exercise pro-active consumer responsibility in finding the items they desire. They assume that retailers make mistakes, and they actively seek out any edge they can get in finding their consumer good.

Seriously, it may get repetitive, but you people have to acknowledge that these people are simply maximizing their chances of finding the desired product, and these are the extremes they have to go to to find hot holiday items like the Wii.

[UncleBob]

I don't mind them asking if we have any in the back of normal items.  But when there's a special sign made up that clearly states that we're out of stock, then it means we're out of stock - it doesn't mean that if you know the secret handshake, we'll poop one out for you.  Asking after reading the sign doesn't make you a proactive consumer, it makes you stupid.  

[GoldenPhoenix]

When the Xbox 360 Elite came out and I went to my local Walmart we asked if they had them in the back, and guess what. They did, except the guy couldn't find them lol.

[UncleBob]

That's not really his fault - I'm willing to bet he's not in charge of the back room flow of freight.  The Elite launch was such a clusterf*** from Microsoft, as they wanted a hard street date on all the Elite/Black merchandise, yet they completely failed to label the boxes (as every other merchandise with a hard street date does) - hell, we had no outside info on the release of a newer 360 - my department manager didn't even know about it until we got them in. Way to go Microsoft.

[NWR_pap64]

I'm training to be a teacher, but I think the word I would use is bittersweet. On one hand, it keeps me busy, I meet a lot of interesting people and I partake in some awesome events and experiences. On the other, its too much work, the kids can be little bastards sometimes and some of the teachers and co-works are major pricks.

In short, its something I would do in a heartbeat if I needed the money but would NEVER do it for the rest of my life...

[ShyGuy]

I remember back in the old days when I worked at Kmart people would ask if we had something in the back. What we would do is go in the back and sit around for a couple minutes then go back and tell them we didn't have any in the back. Trust me, this wasn't to be rude or do a disservice to the customer.

1. If they asked if we had something in the back and we said no, they would be insistent that we check. If we reassured then that in fact we had nothing in the back because we had looked 10 minutes earlier for a customer seeking the same thing, they would still want us to check in the back. If we refused the customer would get angry.

2. If we went in the back and looked at the empty shelf and came back in 30 seconds and told them we were out, they would get angry that you hadn't looked hard enough for it.

So to make the customer's happy, we would go back and stare at the empty shelf for a couple of minutes.

[EasyCure]

Nintendo World Store

Worked there from Nov-Jan last year and i never once had a bad day. Even when i went to work sick and got yelled at by people that didn't understand why we sold out of wii's everyday, i'd still be smiling.

Imagine going into work and seeing you're assigned to the Wii Sports station, or the Zelda demos. Even on days where i was stuck unloading shipments of wii's and ds' i'd be fun cuz everyone i worked with was cool. Its hard to find a job where on day one you already have a ton of things in common.

I miss being in the city everyday, playing make-believe Resident Evil or MGS with my boss in the basement and running into random celebrities on their way to the Today Show...  <3

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: UncleBob
That's not really his fault - I'm willing to bet he's not in charge of the back room flow of freight.  The Elite launch was such a clusterf*** from Microsoft, as they wanted a hard street date on all the Elite/Black merchandise, yet they completely failed to label the boxes (as every other merchandise with a hard street date does) - hell, we had no outside info on the release of a newer 360 - my department manager didn't even know about it until we got them in. Way to go Microsoft.

With situations like that cropping up, it's no surprise that consumer respect/confidence in their commercial outlets have dropped to the point of distrusting written signs.

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
So to make the customer's happy, we would go back and stare at the empty shelf for a couple of minutes.

This sounds like an awesome solution, lol.

[GoldenPhoenix]

What I hate is when they tell you they have looked in the back when they actually haven't. I've had that happen a few times.

[that Baby guy]

I used to ask about the back when I was younger.  I knew better when games would be out, and I knew better when shipments came in, at least as a child, I thought I did.  Eventually, I figured out that for the most part, people didn't check the back, and the information I received would be wrong, so unless there's a computer they can use to look up something right in front of me, I never ask if they have something, because most of the time, I've already figured out how much the person knows.

If it's someone that actually knows their department, well, that person is someone who would check the back to help the customer at least be satisfied, but since it's someone knowledgeable, he or she would already know the answer anyways, so in most cases, I think it would be useless to ask these people, too.