10 of the Most Annoying Things about Working in Retail

10 of the Most Annoying Things about Working in RetailEven if you love your career in retail, the common truth is that it can really be a thankless job. Its wrongly considered a job that anyone could do, but it takes a lot of stamina, skills, and smarts to juggle the many elements of the gig successfully, and with grace. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1472832672400-0) ) Here are some of the biggest annoyances that often come with retail gigs.1. The Customer is Always Right.Thats just not true. Youve seen rude customers in stores before, right? As the poor employeeworking behind the counter, you have to smile and appease that rude person. Youhave to keep your cool while being berated. Its hospitality under fire. And if a customer walks in five minutes before youre scheduled to close, then thats your problem.2. Working Double ShiftsYoull often have to work a 12to 16hour shift for minimum wage. And youll be standing. The whole time. And a lot of opening hour s are early. That means you need to be there two and a half hours prior to open to make sure inventory is done and things are spic and span.3. Old PeopleOld people are lovely, but sometimes someone will come in and pay with a combination of pennies and coupons that they dig out of their purse. Meanwhile the line backs up around the aisles or jeansstoff displays and the other customers are growing increasingly irate.4. The SoundtrackSeriously. You get sick of the music within five minutes of shopping. Imagine having to listen to it for hours on end, day after day, month after month.5. Mandatory UniformsYou cant afford the clothes you sell, even with the 10% employee discount, but still youre required to wear them. Maybe the company should be required to pay you more, hmm?6. Working HolidaysYou know how you look forward to holidays and three-day weekends and vacations? Yeah, you dont get those in retail. Because those stores never close. The world doesnt care if you are fasting for Ra madan, or missing Christmas dinner. Youre working.7. Being Treated Like Youre InvisibleCustomers, even nice customers will often treat you like you arent a real person. Theyll be on their phones. Theyll be mumbling at you like you arent human. They certainly dont bother looking at your name tag to ask how your day is going.8. Silly RulesSometimes your company will require you to show up 10 minutes before your shift startsbut wont compensate you. Sometimes they make stupid rules like outlawing talking between employees. Like that makes employees more positive in their demeanor.9.Misplaced AngerCustomers hold you personally responsible when things run out of stock. Do they realize youre not the one that does the ordering? They also get mad if an eintrag was put back on a sale rack by accident, but gets rung up at full price.10. The Pile of Clothes in the Dressing RoomSeriously. Theyre not even right-side out.

Women Are Calling this Program a Fantastic Way to Pivot Careers

Women Are Calling this Program a Fantastic Way to Pivot Careers Kenyetta Jeter, a Software Engineer at JPMorgan Chase Co (JPMC), swears by some career advice we shouldallbe following Always take dienstgrad of yur career, and do not be a backseat driver. Let yur voice be heard, and never be complacent. She picked up this wisdom while participating in Tech Connect, a JPMCprogram that targets non-traditional technology talent and works toward making the company mora cognitively diverse and inclusive.For Dana Wheeler, a Software Engineer at JPMC, Tech Connect has been equally rewarding. As she puts it Tech Connect welches the bridge I needed to fully immerse myself into the application development world. It gave me the confidence and Java skills to make that leap. Both Dana and Kenyetta say that the program has been invaluable in helping them pivot career paths into technology with confidence.Tova Weingarten, a JPMC Software Engineer Associate, feels the same. Tova says Tech Connect em powered me to realize that I can achieve anything and to set my goals high and the program also made me realize I want to be a leader and that I would not feel accomplished if I plateaued.JPMorgan Chase Co. is Hiring Browse Opportunities.Jeter, Wheeler, and Weingarten recently spoke to Fairygodboss about why theyre so energized by their careers and why they suggest women consider following their path.How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?Dana Wheeler. Photo courtesy of JPMCKJ Ive been in my current role for five months. Previously, I developed full-stack software solutions and maintained stability, availability, and remediation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities for multiple web applications.DW I have been in my current role for a little over a year. Previously, I was a student, double majoring in management information systems and marketing.TW Ive been in my role for two and a half years. Previously, I was working as a cybersecurity Analyst. Tell me a bit about your first day (or week) in the Tech Connect program. What kinds of things, whether formal onboarding programs or casual interactions, made you feel comfortable?DW On the first day, we were introduced to the instructors, and I immediately noticed that they were patient, friendly, and talented. This helped suppress any anxiety I had about my decision to pursue software development as a career, and I became more optimistic about becoming an engineer.There was also comfort in knowing that, within our cohort, people had all different backgrounds. I remember meeting my classmates and learning that some people had never seen a line of code before some had studied English and, for others, English was a second language. I was pleasantly surprised by our group it was extremely diverse, but we shared a common goal.TW I remember walking into the building on my very first day and being immediately greeted by one of the program managers by my name. It immediately dissolved an y feelings of intimidation and solidified the first of many long-term friendships and partnerships in the firm. I still keep in hauch with him. That day I also was greeted by my interviewer, who introduced me to some senior leaders and even recalled some of the topics we had discussed over three months prior.Kenyetta Jeter. Photo courtesy of JPMCTell me a bit about your current role. What are your priorities, and what about it excites you fruchtwein?KJ In my current role, Im working on developing backend services that automate current manual business processes. The fruchtwein exciting part is being able to experience and be a key value contributor to delivering a product throughout the entire Software Development Lifecycle.DW I work on an application development team in the Consumer and Community Banking line of business. We work with multiple home-lending applications in the correspondent space. My priorities are improving the customer experience, reducing processing time, and main taining overall stability and quality of our apps. The most exciting part of my job is that I am constantly learning. I have had the incredible opportunity to build frameworks from the ground up, use both old and new technologies, and learn about the mortgage business in general.TW I currently am a Java and Python developer for the JPMorgan Chase Cloud Infrastructure Program. My priorities include security of sensitive data, programmatically managing cloud inventory, and ensuring code and infrastructure stability. I love the team that I work with, leading engineers exploring cutting-edge technology.What about JPMorgan Chase Co. stood out to you and made you want to join? Whats been your favorite aspect since joining?KJ JPMorgan Chase stood out as one of the largest financial institutions and, most importantly, as a company that recognized the underrepresentation of diverse candidates in technology and acted with a purpose to captivate qualified candidates, promote diversity of thou ght, and provide skill training to counter this gap. Ultimately, my favorite aspect is the amount of investment concentrated on employee interests and skill development, technological innovation, and endless opportunities for internal mobility.DW I was attracted to the unwavering commitment to growth and diversity. The Tech Connect program demonstrated this by providing the skills for female technologists to succeed in a male-dominated industry. JPMorgan Chase empowers its employees to learn new things and encourages personal development, which is something I feel strongly about.TW I was immediately drawn to the fast-paced environment and motivated culture. Despite the firms size, I truly feel that I personally can make a difference.Whats something you think most people (perhaps even current employees) dont know about your company that you think they should?KJ We have several special weeks through the year where employees can step away from the day-to-day tasks and join an education al session on innovation and technology in the financial sector. Another exciting opportunity is the endless amount of Business Resource Groups, which serve as clubs for employees who share similar interests, culturally or socially.DW Marianne Lake, the CFO, described JPMorgan Chase as not only a bank but as a technology company. This is partially evident by our annual 10+ billion dollar technology investment. A lot of people also probably dont know that technologists at JPMorgan Chase can give back to nonprofits during their regular work hours through our Force for Good program. I was able to spend about 10% of my work week collaborating with other software engineers and building technology for a local nonprofit in my community.Tova Weingarten. Photo courtesy of JPMCTW Other than the Nintendo Wii on the 8thfloor? Our senior leaders are extremely accessible and open to meeting with even the most junior of employees. In fact, I have a standing meeting with a Managing Director every f our weeks, just to discuss current events and my ongoing projects.Whats the most memorable piece of career advice youve received?KJ Never limit yourself because of what you dont know right now or allow others to place limitations on you. Learning is a lifetime task. Frequently ask for feedback.What advice would you give to other women interested in Tech Connect?KJ Dont let fear deter you from maximizing your potential. Be confident, define success on your own terms, and never stop learning and innovating. The hardest part is taking the first step, but, once the first step is taken, there is a team beside you to help you along the way. DW If you did not major in computer science but are passionate about tech and willing to put in the hours, the Tech Connect program is a fantastic way to start (or switch into) a technology career. The technology industry needs more female talent for innovation, leadership, and diversity of thought. Dont shy away from developing because you dont fit so me artificial social stereotype go for itTW Tech Connect is challenging, but youll be able to learn a new language in a few weeks and transition to a different career path in a massive firm. This will open so many doors. Your greatest challenge can also be your greatest opportunity--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with JPMorgan Chase Co. Find a job there today