Some people think retail is an underpaid and rarely glorified industry, but working in retail is educational and often enjoyable. I worked in the industry for eight years and while some of my experiences were challenging, most were rewarding. I made enough money to finish my two degrees, and I learned a lot about people and high-pressure workplaces.

Most retail positions are available during the summer and winter holidays when stores need extra staff to deal with the seasonal crowds. While the work may seem simple, there are lots of important and transferable skills to be learned from retail. 

Time management

Retail is really busy during holiday seasons, especially in smaller stores. In addition to assisting customers, you may be saddled with: restocking items, processing shipments, folding clothes, tracking inventory, cleaning, and more.

The best way to deal with a long list of to-dos is learning what Steve Korchinos, manager at Joe Fresh, calls the art of prioritization. Assess each situation to determine what's most important, which in retail is always the customer. Messy racks can wait, raving customers who may hurt business cannot.

You'll also learn to multi-task more efficiently by figuring out which things can be done at the same time. For example, organizing clothes by size while answering a customer's questions. Most positions will require you to manage multiple tasks, people, or projects, so it's wise to really hone this skill.

Adaptability

Static jobs are becoming rare. Korchinos says it's extremely important for employees to be open-minded to a dynamic working environment where expectations can'and do'change frequently.

Today you're a cashier, but tomorrow you could be a salesperson. You might not like the pressure, but it doesn't hurt to have charm and persuasion when selling things. You might even be good at it! When I worked at a LEGO outlet, part of my job was running birthday parties for young kids. It wasn't my favourite thing to do, but I learned which games were most engaging and how to deal with kids and their parents. Because many professions require you to adapt to new environments'such as management changes and acquiring new responsibilities'and having multiple roles on your resume is always a plus.

Coping with stress

Busy times in retail can be stressful. With cranky customers to deal with and a thousand other things to do, it's easy to get upset. You'll eventually learn to roll with the punches: a valuable skill for avoiding very public meltdowns.

We all want to be successful, but don't overdo it. Brad Wiersema, who worked at a book store to pay for his education, says to remind yourself: It's a store, not an ER. Take care of yourself to avoid burnout. Going on breaks, staying well rested, and taking on only what you can handle is integral to getting through any stressful situation.

Even on the busiest days, try to loosen up. Wiersema, who's about to enter his 20th holiday season, says that one learns to appreciate the positive. Ride it out, he says. Savour the moments in where you make the perfect recommendation or make a customer smile. If you can stay positive while everyone else falls apart, you'll succeed in any job and feel a lot better."

Dealing with people

When you deal with an unpleasant customer, it's hard to not take it personally. No matter how aggressive or toxic the situation, keep calm, genuinely listen to the customer's concerns, and never take the situation as a personal attack, advises Korchinos. 

This is key in any work environment. You'll have coworkers and clients to deal with and some of them may behave badly. A little patience and compassion will go a long way. If someone's lashing out at you, never fight fire with fire. Treat the customer as you would like to be treated, and things often turn around, says Wiersema. The same strategy works for anyone else you interact with.

While some customers and coworkers can be unpleasant, others can make your day and teach you something new. My job gives me daily reality checks and opens up new worlds of interaction, Wiersema says. You really do meet the strangest, most wonderful sorts [of people] and it colours your whole life.

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