Working in the fashion retail industry is not as glamorous as it may seem. Sure, it may look like all the employees do is fold clothes and ring a purchase; it’s not true that’s all they do. It goes beyond that. There are certain quotas that need to be met, and trying to beat last year’s sales is a challenge especially in times of economic crisis. If these sales are not met, then the hours available for the employees are reduced which leaves them unhappy and may lead to them quitting the company to go where they can work more.

Also, an associate must be willing to work long and abnormal hours over the holiday seasons. Employees have personally experienced this in the many retail jobs that they have had. When my mother worked at Kohl’s she had to be in at six a.m. and would leave around three p.m. That is only a nine hour day, but many people would not wake up that early. She had also worked from one p.m. until one a.m. After the store closes it takes a long time to count the registers.

Cleaning the store is not a glamorous task. There is dust everywhere, children drop candy and food on the floors, and most of the time customers do not fold their clothes back to the way they found them. Depending on how big the store is, sweeping or mopping takes a lot of time. Refolding clothes to the company standards is time consuming as well. If the store is not neat in the morning then the manager will not be happy with the closers. Suddenly, for a teenager, cleaning their bedroom is better than it sounds…

In addition, dealing with customers’ needs and demands can sometimes be difficult. Some customers treat employees as their personal shoppers, which is fine until other customers need assistance. Being helpful to a customer is always the right thing to do, however; when a lot of time is focused on one person, it takes away from time with others. Selling and persuading is the key to success in retail. If every customer is not talked to or offered help by an employee then they will most likely not buy something. If the associate approaches them with a warm welcome and offers assistance, there is a higher chance of being able to build a sale.

Working in retail can ultimately be rewarding. The most obvious reward is knowing what the fashion trends of the season are. Kourtney, an employee at Forever 21, enjoys working with clothes. “I would always count on magazines and the internet to tell me what current trends are. Now all I have to do is go into work and see what merchandise we have” she claims. Amanda, full name a store manager at Motherhood Maternity, said, “Pregnant woman want to look good too! It’s really hard to find clothes that fit, let alone ones that are semi-fashionable. Working at my job has helped me in that area.”

One can develop excellent verbal communication skills by assisting customers. In retail, the customer is always right (if you want to drive sales, that is). It teaches the individual to respond directly and informatively. Megan full name, an associate at Men’s Warehouse, values communication and building a relationship with clients. “I have always wanted to help people, and this is a great way to do it” she said. “I like getting to know different people, even if it’s just about what type of suit they prefer. I feel accomplished when I make them happy.” Working with others to meet their needs benefits both parties in the situation.

Samantha, an associate at Kohl’s, stated that she likes working in a bigger department store than a smaller one. “I like working at Kohl’s because I get to help a lot of people. There are a lot of different ways I can help them, and I get to work in all departments of the store.” When asked why she left her previous job, she said “because it was too boring. The place was too small and geared towards a specific audience. There wasn’t a lot of room to work and the customers didn’t really want help since they already knew what they were coming in for.”

Also, once someone has worked for a certain company for a while, it is easy to advance your career within that company or elsewhere. Many of the store and assistant managers were hourly paid sales associates before they got to where they are today. After becoming a manager, it becomes easier to transition into corporate positions. Nikki full name, a store manager of Aeropostale, was an employee before her current position. She said, “It was just a job at first, but once I started working more I realized that I want it to be a career. It had to be a regular employee and learn more about the company and how it runs before I got promoted.”

If you walk into retail stores, there will mainly be teenage girls and women who are working. At Aeropostale, they have only had a handful of boys and men who have worked with me. Joe, an associate, says, “It is kind of hard to work with all girls. Sometimes I feel out of place, but then I remember that I'm making money and it doesn’t matter anymore.” When asked if he cared about fashion he responded, “I mean I like to look good, but I didn’t get this job to learn about it. It’s just convenient that we have a great discount and I can buy stylish stuff.”

Working in the fashion retail industry can be tough but rewarding. Working long hours and meeting sales goals are harder than it seems. The opportunity to develop communication skills, get promoted in the company, and knowing what is in style can be beneficial towards your future. So, it is more than just a way to make money, it is also fun.