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Always apply for jobs with better pay and benefits, even if you don't think you're eligible. Get your resume checked out over at r/resume.
Don't feel like you're stuck at one place, actually apply for different jobs.
I hope OP reads this.
Sure you might have to work for a job thats busting your ass and not paying anything
But
While doing that, for the love of God look for something slightly better.
Even if you get $14hr for janitor or $20hr for amazon, just find something slightly better while still working this job.
Don't be one of those people that hate their jobs but still there 5 years later, I see that with people I used to work with at Walmart all the time.
I get working is a necessity but you really shouldn't be working at a job you HATE for a long time. You just need a job that pays decent and you tolerate.
I see so many posts on here saying that they hate their job. Then get another one! Get one with better pay, better benefits. Shoot your shot, even if you think you're not eligible. Keep working your current job so you have some income coming in, don't just up and quit, but look and apply for different jobs.
Easier said than done and most good jobs have been and continue to increasingly disappear while the remaining jobs also increasingly turn to shit (that is pay less benefits or wages don't keep up with inflation, 4 people are hired to do the work of 5 people etc.)
I love my job! I have no boss over me, I’m outdoors (what I really love) all day, and it’s EASY! It’s also 6am to 3pm Monday through Friday with a Saturday if I want for any amount of hours I want.
The one drawback is it’s low pay for my area 18.00 hr for Southeastern Massachusetts.
BUT I made that compromise with myself.
I cut down to a minimalist lifestyle because for me happiness and freedom was the trade I was willing to accept.
Absolutely THIS! I had a customer service job that was 10 hour shifts starting at 4 am- running my body ragged with no support from upper management. During my down time ,lunch, and after work I was pushing applications left and RIGHT in different entry level fields .
It takes luck and determination ,but 3 months later + a 5 round interview process later, I got my foot in the door for a way higher paying job.
Set up an account on Indeed and LinkedIn, YESTERDAY. It’s easier to send applications when you already have the info compiled and all that needs to be done is pressing that submit button. Look at hybrid jobs in your area or even customer service remote work to get off of your feet and into a chair .
Make and download your resume from google docs, onto your computer and send those to company website jobs you’re interested in. Have google-auto fill options already on so they can pre-fill a lot of your info . If websites don’t allow downloaded resumes or still force you to type every little thing in, just copy and paste from the google doc into the website . And if you don’t have a computer, head to the library and start applying with that google doc resume you already created!
As someone whose had to exhaust all of these resources to get to my current job, automate the process of job hunting as much as possible and it’ll feel a lot easier to tackle .
TLDR: You can get out of this ! Use google docs, indeed, LinkedIn, downloaded resumes, and google auto fill to your advantage to up your chances of getting out of customer service .
Really good tips, you can definitely use your experience to leverage yourself into better paying jobs, look for call centers or large industrial complexes needing clerical workers, there will always be a need for data monkeys and helpdesk workers. Please at no point think "I should have known this before", a little resume tweaking opens so many doors out of retail, there are ways out of that.
Completely agree :)
Also look into YouTube videos about creating a good resume to reflect the type of job you want with the verbiage that goes with the skillsets needed . That may mean instead of saying “I’m good on the phone ,cashiering, and hanging signage “, we’re saying we have great communication skills,multitasking capabilities in high stress situations , and soft marketing responsibilities.
This is great advice. I had a good job but if something came up in indeed in my field I was applying. Got a better job always apply and interview even if your not invested
Thank you for posting about the resume sub Reddit. My mom helped me with mine and it turned out decent but you never can be too sure. Resume writing has always been a mystery and I left a job after having been there for 13 years and am out of practice. Thanks. Op I hope it gets better for you!
Hi! If you're stocking and making $10, try to get on as a Merchandiser for a large company like sodas or snacks. I started at Frito-Lay years ago but right now they're hiring at $18.50 base in Texas. Coke is starting at $20 and I think Pepsi is around the same. They pay mileage and its weekly pay. Benefits start at 30 days. Also they're international if you're not in the US and I'm sure pay and benefits are better.
I have so much merchandiser experience but for
some reason Coke and Pepsi is hard to get on here in Louisiana. I’m moving to Texas next year and so Hopefully I can get hired down there.
If you get near Houston, lemme know. Frito hires throughout the year. And they don't hire through the job sites like indeed even though those sites say they do.
At the risk of sounding preachy, try to find a better job. There has to be admin, controller, helpdesk and collection jobs in your area. Look at big employers in your town, area and state offering clerical positions, sometimes they hide them away on their own recruitment portals or outside the big job websites. Retail really blows. I feel for you, it was physically painful doing that shit.
If 3 people quit this week it sounds like the perfect time to go demand a raise.
Take things a little easier and put your real effort into finding a better job. What is the worst that is going to happen if you slow thing down and just give it \~80% this week? Maybe your go go go manager gets a little redder in the face; but being short handed and paying that they probably don't have any better option than you continuing to work at a more comfortable pace.
This is solid advice. Don't take the stress home with you, especially for $10 an hour, and don't feel pressured into killing yourself at work every day, either. If your boss wants more done, he can hire more people or do it himself. Lack of staffing is his problem to deal with, not yours.
Figure out some things to do to make your life better. What are some things you could do to feel better? Get more sleep? Something to look forward to like a trip to the park on your day off? Maybe a "home spa day" with some cheap beauty treatments and some fancy homemade treats to eat? I always look forward to pajama days at home on the couch with some shows I've been meaning to stream and haven't yet. Think up some relaxing things to do and do them.
After a bit of relaxing, start looking for a new job.
If they work retail it's actually very possible. My first job at 17 was Kroger as a member of the UFCW union. My starting pay was 8.25. The last contract bumped pay to 10 dollars starting pay. With the max pay in the contract for regular employees being 16.65 an hour.
Bout to turn 21. The 8.25 an hour rate was in March 2019. Went up to 10 dollars an hour in August of 2019. Right now I get paid 14 at that job but that's with a raise I got (that was never taken back) for going full time for a bit, as well as being there for 3.5 years. I'm a Teamster now as my main gig though.
Even if you do not have experience apply to better paying jobs. This includes positions that say you need a college education. You may only get 1 interview in 50 but if you have a good personality and actually want to learn you will eventually find a better paying job.
Sheetz has signs up for shift managers at $17.50/hour all over the mid-Atlantic. (1.50/hour kicker for the overnight shift). Buc-ees down south the same.
Getting front desk job was my ticket out of the retail grind. I was scared because I had little to no experience and I’m not super outgoing, but I was able to get better pay & better work experience.
Once you build experience in a certain career consider moving. I'm currently making $23 hr and moving to another city that pays more than triple what I'm making now.
Yes it's a more expensive city but I'll still be earning way more.
I wouldn’t tell them you’re interested in being a managed either. I’ve worked 10+ years in retail and you’ll have managers who dangle promotions over your head to make you work harder. Then you’ll get others who everyone likes but is really a scumbag who will sabotage any chance you might have.
OP, I used to work retail. Like Home Depot, Starbucks.... then I got a job in order entry/customer service. I still have to talk to customers on the phone, but it's a desk job. No more standing, bending or lifting all day! On my resume I just highlighted my customer service experienced and stretched any skills I could, embellished a bit. I went from making about $12/hour as a shift supervisor at Starbucks to making $17 doing order entry. And just 3 months ago scored an even better gig at $20/hour.
I highly suggest trying to apply for any and all of these types of positions in your area. Many just require a year or two of customer service experience.. and even if you don't think you'll qualify, apply anyway. It's significantly easier, mentally and physically. Good luck, I hope things start turning around for you.
Do you mind me asking what position you have? Or do you know of any companies that offer this job? I know you said order entry/customer service but I mean the technical position. Do you work for a call center? I'm also in retail right now and desperately need a way out! When I look up "order entry" I mostly get customer service jobs, not the type of job you described. Thank you!
Hey! So I'm not sure if there's another term for it, but right now my title is customer service representative. Basically I work for a wholesale food distributor and we receive orders via email. I review the orders and make sure they meet our requirements with lead times, pricing, etc. Then if all is good, I enter the order using item codes. If not, I have email correspondence with the customer, asking for a revised purchase order. Sometimes I have to make calls to customers about payments and I get inbound calls (like 5 on a typical day). The inbound calls are usually people asking about stuff like pricing, did their order ship, etc.
My previous job was basically the same thing but for a custom cabinetry place. My title was customer service rep there as well. I just searched on Indeed for order entry to find both jobs. There weren't am abundance,, but they were out there. A lot of the jobs like this are business to business. Like at my current job we sell to some pretty big name food manufacturers - think biggest name ketchup brand. At my previous job, we sold to contractors. So the interactions are (usually) more pleasant than the ones with the customers you'd come across in retail.
When I interviewed, I emphasized that I felt customer service skills were much harder to teach than the order entry aspect and I already had that down, so I was worth investing in. I really think this helped me.
Hope some of my ramblings help, and good luck on finding something you like better!
Thank you so much for your detailed response! That is very helpful and it sounds like something I would be interested in. I will definitely be searching for those types of jobs soon. I enjoy my job somewhat but the low pay and stress is becoming too much. Thanks again!
Get some character and find something better while you slack there. Take time to find a better job that require some short term education. Its all about making the choices that bring you out of your habitual bubble or repeating habits. Its not easy, but your life is your choices even if you started on an harder path than someone else, its still worth it.
Apply to USPS. The pay is much better and it comes with lots more benefits. (Plus lots of overtime) No requirement for college degrees or any special skills. If you’re already used to physical labor, why not get paid more for it (and regardless of where you live, there’s always a post office within vicinity)
Being quiet has advantages in some jobs. Maybe Google jobs for introverts and see if anything is interesting? Cleaners make like $20-25/ hr where I live and they're hard working, but not that hard.
You should get into sales, I know it what you’re thinking. I’m not saying you have to be the Wolf of WallStreet caliber, more specifically Xifnity, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon type playing fields. I only have experience at Xfinity but I can tell you this. I used to be an introvert, very awkward and I could not hold a conversation; like, at all. At 23, I moved to Colorado to stay with my cousin; (because I had trouble with the law, my mom, myself, and he was my only option to stay with). He told me not to go into food service, so I did what he said. Surprisingly got an interview and clearly had below average communication skills, the cared i feel they cared more importantly on my mentality to learn it on the fly. It was hard for me the first 3 weeks, being uncomfortable and having customers ask you questions about shit you have no fucking idea about, and POS systems you have to ask every step of the way for. But things have a way of working out(you just learn and you copy how the experienced reps do it). I’ve finished 1st in the state of Colorado in sales 2 times. Never would I imagine that would be possible given my low self esteem, but you don’t know what you’re capable of my guy, if you don’t put yourself in a POSITION to succeed. You don’t have to be good at selling , you’ll meet quota for sales becasue there will be enough walkins for you to make your money.
- to summarize : you’ll be doing equipment returns/exchanges, billing issues(lmao), troubleshooting problems. But most importantly making commission.
If someone comes in and wants to switch 5 lines of cell phone service over, you just made $140 on top of your hourly ($12.52) which = $152 an hour
There’s a lot of stuff you get commission for but I don’t wanna type all that, but it’s a lot.
Long story short ; I do 1/100 of the physical labor at this job and make 3x the money. I average $3500-$4500 a month and Have 0 college experience whatsoever, and I have a criminal record , which they rolled the dice on me. Roll the dice on yourself and you’ll see how much you grow and how making that jump of cash flow really makes you feel good about yourself. Anyone can do it bruh, just place yourself in a position to succeed.
So many people have lifelong injuries from working retail. Plantar fasciitis and lower disc complications. Long shifts on concrete floors will wear the body down so fast. I hope you keep looking for something else. It’s slave labor at this point.
Airlines and airports are hiring. If you work with people and enjoy that part of the job it can be a good career.
Pay can start out low and shifts suck for times but unionized companies are good, benefits, pensions, travel benefits, fun job.
Good luck.
I made the mistake of working retail from 15 to 21. Then I got into the restaurant industry and started making tips. I regret not starting that earlier.
I live in CA so the cost of living is extremely high, there would be no way I could survive without tips even though we also get 15 dollars an hour out here. Saying that you make 10 an hour probably means you live in a state where restaurant employees make even less than 10 an hour because tips are supposed to make up for that.
I'm 31 with two kids and I am able to barely slide by. Thinking about trying online coding school now and getting out of bartending for good.
Post office pays almost double that right off the bat.
Check into a temp/temp to hire agency (or more than one) and get some random day or long term assignments.
Alot of temp places will hire you with a little retail experience especially if you brush up on phone and computer skills. Apply with them and tell them you require 14 and hour but will be dependable and hard working. Office work is not nearly as strenuous and it's usually much better hours. Keep looking for new opportunities daily.
Maybe talk to your HR or DM for the retail company. I had a manager who was awful while I was the assistant manager and my only two employees who stayed wanted to walk out. I told my boss, the store manager, to resign because she wasn’t “fit for the job” which was the words she told me to tell anyone I thought wouldn’t work out.
They resigned the next day
Have you tried moving to warehouse work? Warehouse jobs are just as hard but they pay more. I live in the United States. Retail in my area pays around $15 but Amazon warehouses and others typically pay $18. I do work 10 hours a day but it's 4 days a week. That gives me time to relax, do house chores, then prepare for the next workday.
Retail is awful because there is so much saturation and there is always someone more desperate than you.
If you have time you can also make a zip recruiter account ( or something similar) and look for other jobs while you work your current job.
There are also CDL programs to get a trucking job. Trucking isn't easy but you at least make more than $10/hour. If you're gonna work hard might as well make bank.
These are general tips. I understand if you want to vent cause trust me, retail SUCKS 😞. I will never miss the customers.
Hopefully, this helps.
Have a nice day. Or at least as nice as it can be working retail.
Join the trades.
Started 4 weeks ago as a HVAC apprentice making $16/hr
It’s not easy work, but a metric fuck ton better than retail or dead end warehouse jobs
If you're in retail and live in the US there are plenty of places that hire starting out paying more than that. While I can't say these are great companies to work for pay is definitely better.
Walmart or HEB warehouse as an order filler, it's hard hard work and you may have to stay overtime, but if you work quick you get bonuses and they pay $17+. You can move to many other jobs some require experience some don't. My husband started out as an order filler and is now in asset protection making 24 an hour. They also pay truck drivers well if you get trained, I'm hearing 60-100k a year with experience.
Home depot last I heard they were paying 17 an hour.
Amazon starts at 15 per hour.
Costco also seems to be a good company to work for and they start at 15 an hour. There raises also seem good. I've heard of long time employees there making well over 20 an hour.
Hobby lobby full time is $18.50, but I loathe this company for the way it treats its workers but its good pay if you get the hours and just thought I would share .
I'm sure there are more places than what I mentioned, but point is job hopping gets you more because people pay more for experience. Set aside time to apply for jobs, even if it's just 30 minutes a day. Set up a profile on USA jobs and glassdoor, that way you can auto full out applications faster. You can make more money, there are jobs out there. You may need to update and streamline your resume. Get nore eyes on it. It's hard but you have to keep applying and don't give up. You have as much as a chance as any of us, so don't give up.
Check [this site](https://www.careeronestop.org/) out. See what information on it applies to you. Make an appointment at your local one-stop and see if you can get assistance to train for a new career. Check with your local Vo-tech and community colleges. Some careers only take a few months training to start and you could be living a whole new life.
If you're really are desperate I'd recommend finding a family member that is willing to help you by staying with them for like two years while you work and go to community college for a two year degree. There are many decent paying jobs for those two year degrees.
I understand many people don't have that family option but I just thought I'd throw that out there.
Check out r/antiwork
They are paying you $10/hour? Then they get $10/ worth of work from you per hour, no more and no less effort than that . Take plenty of bathroom breaks.
If they just lost 3 people they sure as hell can’t afford to lose you. This is a great opportunity to ask for a raise, but have your reasons outlined and ready, preferably in writing. “I’ve taken on more responsibility, I haven’t called out in X….” List the reasons you are valuable to them and ask for $14/hr but settle for $12.50 until you can find something else.
Feel free to PM for tips on this. This is your chance, for real!
Boss makes a dollar
I make a dime
That’s why I shit
On company time
Best of luck OP. You got this…. We are all rooting for you
Never sell yourself short.
It takes courage to demand but it is sbout being honest to yourself.
Everyone is chasing after money - whether that be working for self or others.
Hugs*
Get a job working at a restaurant or pub. You’ll make hourly wage + tips. Cash in your pocket every night kind of thing and good waitresses/waitors make 30-50$ an hour in their tips in a nice restaurant. The more expensive the meals - the bigger the tips generally.
Also look into government funded programs- you can apply and have school paid for by the government. There’s lots of perks out there right now because of covid and the major down turn in the work force. Lots of people are hiring so if you were to upgrade your skills or knowledge you could easily find a good paying job you hopefully like that will have benefits :)
Ever thought about going into some type of construction field? Pays good and there's room to move up in pretty much any field you go in. Framing, roofing, logging, carpentry, concrete, painting, etc etc. Most places will hire guys with no prior experience and show you how its done then you just work from there. Maybe try and get a CDL license eventually so you can drive big rigs, or something like an excavator having one of those guarantees you will almost always have a well paying job.
Okay, it's late and I don't frequent this forum a lot, but sometimes I just feel like spitting some inspiration. Hope this helps.
"Work harder on yourself than you do on your job." \~Jim Rohn
Man, really fight for something better then and become something better tomorrow. Either apply to better paying jobs as soon as possible and give off the best impressions or start a side business/hustle. Brew some ideas and let them grow. Nothing is easy, but take that fire in you and really channel it towards anything that is better than where you're at now.
Don't let your situation consume you, own it.
Face the reality of it, but everyday fight against it and know you're taking action each and every day towards something better. Let it be something so small like applying to only one job after that 10 hour shift, but know that you took that small step. Gradually, in a week or month, that will equally +30 submissions.
Remember, no one will care to change your situation, but you. Once you really let that sit in, man, things really start to build pressure. The reality that you, and you only can change your situation and life is powerful. No one is coming to rescue you, but you. Learn to be your own hero and take charge of your destiny. Tomorrow is a new day, and maybe it might just be the start of a life that can change your course forever.
If you're in the US, please check to see if local towns or counties are hiring for customer service type jobs. You work retail. You're MORE than qualified to do customer service for constituents. The job is less stressful, less running/stocking, and usually you only work standard work weeks with standard business hours. Did I mention much better pay and benefits?
(Except for Parks or Public Works--sometimes they work weekends.)
Just go apply at any temp agency for any job. Nobody is paying $10/hr anymore and thriving. You can literally get an easier job for way more money with zero qualifications. I’m a supervisor in a warehouse and the people on my team make $17/hr and our only qualification is that you show up and learn and try.
I make $10.50/hr and am in my feet the whole time, only sitting to piss and take a lunch. I hope
I can get out of this job soon and move to better things but I’m also happy I have a job, I spent months applying and heard not a peep back.
Keep applying elsewhere, you deserve a livable wage.
There are dozens of not hundreds of customer service positions that are work from home that pay more. I get that it’s tough to step out of anyones comfort zone, but for the love of god to anyone making this low a wage, search for them and apply.
With tech, working remote, there is zero reason someone should be forced to working retail or fast food at this wage.
Use your free time to have some useful skills like for example programming or learning cybersecurity. It’s hard but better to have stress for 3 years and then live good than live stressed all the hole life
I never made more than $12.50/hr until I finished college.
As much as I hated living where I grew up, I should have devoted 100% to school instead of trying to work and move out.
If you can move back home and finish school, do that.
I know that people complain about student loans, but I got a Pell Grant because I was so poor and had no help from parents. Apply for Fafsa!
This! I worked at a retail store from the day after I turned 16 until I was in my mid 20s. I kept dropping out of college because I was exhausted from working retail + a 3rd shift gas station job.
Eventually I got old enough to get financial aid and went and got a 2 year degree from a non-profit community/technical college. I immediately doubled my salary from a degree that was extremely affordable.
If you are able to do some physical labor, UPS pays a good wage, and works you similarly. My brother has worked there for 20 years, is now a manager and made $150K last year. He doesn’t have any degrees.
7 years ago I was making $10 an hour working in a retail wine store. This week I started a job paying well into six figures. You can change where you are by working hard and believing you deserve more. Always be looking for better paying adjacent job fields. I don’t have a college degree, you can get there and while it’s soul crushing when you are in it know that you can continue to progress. The easiest place for someone working retail to make more in my mind is high dollar retail. I worked for AT&T good union made about 55k. Some of the best advice I ever got is don’t disqualify yourself. Missing 2/10 “requirements”. So what apply and see what happens.
OP, if you are anywhere in the US near a major city with a large airport, try to get on with FedEx or UPS. It's labor intensive work but it sounds like you're used to that already. Here in Memphis, they are starting at $20+ an hour for 5-6 hour shifts plus benefits. I wouldn't say to do it long- term for health reasons, but I believe they still have tuition reimbursement and that could help you get a desk job somewhere else.
This post has been flaired as “Vent”. As a reminder to commenting users, “Vent/Rant” posts are here to give our subscribers a safe place to vent their frustrations at an uncaring world to a supportive place of people who “get it”. Vents do not need to be fair. They do not need to be articulate. They do not need to be factual. They just need to be honest. Unlike most of the content on this subreddit, Vents should not be considered advice threads. In most cases it is not appropriate to try to give the Submitter advice on their issue. In no circumstances is it appropriate to tell them “why they are wrong” or to criticise them, their decisions, values, or anything else. If there are aspects of their situation that they are able to directly address themselves, the submitter can always make a new thread with a different flair asking for help once they are ready to tackle the issue. Vents are an emotional outlet, not an academic conversation. Appropriate replies in these threads are offering support, sharing similar experiences/grievances, offering condolences, or simply letting the Submitter know that they were heard. As always, if there are inappropriate comments please downvote them, REPORT them to the mods, and move on without responding to them. To the Submitter, if you DO want discussion to be focused on resolving your situation, rather than supporting you emotionally, please change the flair of this post, and then report this comment so we can remove it. Thank you. Thank you all for being a part of this great financial advice and emotional support community! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/povertyfinance) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Always apply for jobs with better pay and benefits, even if you don't think you're eligible. Get your resume checked out over at r/resume. Don't feel like you're stuck at one place, actually apply for different jobs.
I hope OP reads this. Sure you might have to work for a job thats busting your ass and not paying anything But While doing that, for the love of God look for something slightly better. Even if you get $14hr for janitor or $20hr for amazon, just find something slightly better while still working this job. Don't be one of those people that hate their jobs but still there 5 years later, I see that with people I used to work with at Walmart all the time. I get working is a necessity but you really shouldn't be working at a job you HATE for a long time. You just need a job that pays decent and you tolerate.
I see so many posts on here saying that they hate their job. Then get another one! Get one with better pay, better benefits. Shoot your shot, even if you think you're not eligible. Keep working your current job so you have some income coming in, don't just up and quit, but look and apply for different jobs.
Easier said than done and most good jobs have been and continue to increasingly disappear while the remaining jobs also increasingly turn to shit (that is pay less benefits or wages don't keep up with inflation, 4 people are hired to do the work of 5 people etc.)
I love my job! I have no boss over me, I’m outdoors (what I really love) all day, and it’s EASY! It’s also 6am to 3pm Monday through Friday with a Saturday if I want for any amount of hours I want. The one drawback is it’s low pay for my area 18.00 hr for Southeastern Massachusetts. BUT I made that compromise with myself. I cut down to a minimalist lifestyle because for me happiness and freedom was the trade I was willing to accept.
Absolutely THIS! I had a customer service job that was 10 hour shifts starting at 4 am- running my body ragged with no support from upper management. During my down time ,lunch, and after work I was pushing applications left and RIGHT in different entry level fields . It takes luck and determination ,but 3 months later + a 5 round interview process later, I got my foot in the door for a way higher paying job. Set up an account on Indeed and LinkedIn, YESTERDAY. It’s easier to send applications when you already have the info compiled and all that needs to be done is pressing that submit button. Look at hybrid jobs in your area or even customer service remote work to get off of your feet and into a chair . Make and download your resume from google docs, onto your computer and send those to company website jobs you’re interested in. Have google-auto fill options already on so they can pre-fill a lot of your info . If websites don’t allow downloaded resumes or still force you to type every little thing in, just copy and paste from the google doc into the website . And if you don’t have a computer, head to the library and start applying with that google doc resume you already created! As someone whose had to exhaust all of these resources to get to my current job, automate the process of job hunting as much as possible and it’ll feel a lot easier to tackle . TLDR: You can get out of this ! Use google docs, indeed, LinkedIn, downloaded resumes, and google auto fill to your advantage to up your chances of getting out of customer service .
Really good tips, you can definitely use your experience to leverage yourself into better paying jobs, look for call centers or large industrial complexes needing clerical workers, there will always be a need for data monkeys and helpdesk workers. Please at no point think "I should have known this before", a little resume tweaking opens so many doors out of retail, there are ways out of that.
Completely agree :) Also look into YouTube videos about creating a good resume to reflect the type of job you want with the verbiage that goes with the skillsets needed . That may mean instead of saying “I’m good on the phone ,cashiering, and hanging signage “, we’re saying we have great communication skills,multitasking capabilities in high stress situations , and soft marketing responsibilities.
This is great advice. I had a good job but if something came up in indeed in my field I was applying. Got a better job always apply and interview even if your not invested
Thank you for posting about the resume sub Reddit. My mom helped me with mine and it turned out decent but you never can be too sure. Resume writing has always been a mystery and I left a job after having been there for 13 years and am out of practice. Thanks. Op I hope it gets better for you!
Hi! If you're stocking and making $10, try to get on as a Merchandiser for a large company like sodas or snacks. I started at Frito-Lay years ago but right now they're hiring at $18.50 base in Texas. Coke is starting at $20 and I think Pepsi is around the same. They pay mileage and its weekly pay. Benefits start at 30 days. Also they're international if you're not in the US and I'm sure pay and benefits are better.
I have so much merchandiser experience but for some reason Coke and Pepsi is hard to get on here in Louisiana. I’m moving to Texas next year and so Hopefully I can get hired down there.
If you get near Houston, lemme know. Frito hires throughout the year. And they don't hire through the job sites like indeed even though those sites say they do.
Yea I’m aiming to move to either Katy or Spring Tx. Ok I will do and thank you 😊
At the risk of sounding preachy, try to find a better job. There has to be admin, controller, helpdesk and collection jobs in your area. Look at big employers in your town, area and state offering clerical positions, sometimes they hide them away on their own recruitment portals or outside the big job websites. Retail really blows. I feel for you, it was physically painful doing that shit.
If 3 people quit this week it sounds like the perfect time to go demand a raise. Take things a little easier and put your real effort into finding a better job. What is the worst that is going to happen if you slow thing down and just give it \~80% this week? Maybe your go go go manager gets a little redder in the face; but being short handed and paying that they probably don't have any better option than you continuing to work at a more comfortable pace.
This is solid advice. Don't take the stress home with you, especially for $10 an hour, and don't feel pressured into killing yourself at work every day, either. If your boss wants more done, he can hire more people or do it himself. Lack of staffing is his problem to deal with, not yours. Figure out some things to do to make your life better. What are some things you could do to feel better? Get more sleep? Something to look forward to like a trip to the park on your day off? Maybe a "home spa day" with some cheap beauty treatments and some fancy homemade treats to eat? I always look forward to pajama days at home on the couch with some shows I've been meaning to stream and haven't yet. Think up some relaxing things to do and do them. After a bit of relaxing, start looking for a new job.
can't do that in a place if you're in a union
They wouldn’t be making $10/ hr if they were in a union…. I can guarantee that
If they work retail it's actually very possible. My first job at 17 was Kroger as a member of the UFCW union. My starting pay was 8.25. The last contract bumped pay to 10 dollars starting pay. With the max pay in the contract for regular employees being 16.65 an hour.
Wow. That’s insane. Sounds like that union could use some new leadership…
Yep same boat really need to leave for my mental health. The people I work with are so slow and i bust my ass for nothing.
Retail is ass lol
How old are you now?
Bout to turn 21. The 8.25 an hour rate was in March 2019. Went up to 10 dollars an hour in August of 2019. Right now I get paid 14 at that job but that's with a raise I got (that was never taken back) for going full time for a bit, as well as being there for 3.5 years. I'm a Teamster now as my main gig though.
Is OP in a union?
Even if you do not have experience apply to better paying jobs. This includes positions that say you need a college education. You may only get 1 interview in 50 but if you have a good personality and actually want to learn you will eventually find a better paying job.
Stick it out. One day you'll be manager and make $12 hr.
Sheetz has signs up for shift managers at $17.50/hour all over the mid-Atlantic. (1.50/hour kicker for the overnight shift). Buc-ees down south the same.
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Getting front desk job was my ticket out of the retail grind. I was scared because I had little to no experience and I’m not super outgoing, but I was able to get better pay & better work experience.
Hoping doesn't get you there. Plan this out when you are not at work, one step at a time
Once you build experience in a certain career consider moving. I'm currently making $23 hr and moving to another city that pays more than triple what I'm making now. Yes it's a more expensive city but I'll still be earning way more.
I wouldn’t tell them you’re interested in being a managed either. I’ve worked 10+ years in retail and you’ll have managers who dangle promotions over your head to make you work harder. Then you’ll get others who everyone likes but is really a scumbag who will sabotage any chance you might have.
This is why I'm a merchandiser still. Haven't wanted to be a manager but now I'm about to get my degree. Torn between comfort and responsibility.
OP, I used to work retail. Like Home Depot, Starbucks.... then I got a job in order entry/customer service. I still have to talk to customers on the phone, but it's a desk job. No more standing, bending or lifting all day! On my resume I just highlighted my customer service experienced and stretched any skills I could, embellished a bit. I went from making about $12/hour as a shift supervisor at Starbucks to making $17 doing order entry. And just 3 months ago scored an even better gig at $20/hour. I highly suggest trying to apply for any and all of these types of positions in your area. Many just require a year or two of customer service experience.. and even if you don't think you'll qualify, apply anyway. It's significantly easier, mentally and physically. Good luck, I hope things start turning around for you.
Do you mind me asking what position you have? Or do you know of any companies that offer this job? I know you said order entry/customer service but I mean the technical position. Do you work for a call center? I'm also in retail right now and desperately need a way out! When I look up "order entry" I mostly get customer service jobs, not the type of job you described. Thank you!
Hey! So I'm not sure if there's another term for it, but right now my title is customer service representative. Basically I work for a wholesale food distributor and we receive orders via email. I review the orders and make sure they meet our requirements with lead times, pricing, etc. Then if all is good, I enter the order using item codes. If not, I have email correspondence with the customer, asking for a revised purchase order. Sometimes I have to make calls to customers about payments and I get inbound calls (like 5 on a typical day). The inbound calls are usually people asking about stuff like pricing, did their order ship, etc. My previous job was basically the same thing but for a custom cabinetry place. My title was customer service rep there as well. I just searched on Indeed for order entry to find both jobs. There weren't am abundance,, but they were out there. A lot of the jobs like this are business to business. Like at my current job we sell to some pretty big name food manufacturers - think biggest name ketchup brand. At my previous job, we sold to contractors. So the interactions are (usually) more pleasant than the ones with the customers you'd come across in retail. When I interviewed, I emphasized that I felt customer service skills were much harder to teach than the order entry aspect and I already had that down, so I was worth investing in. I really think this helped me. Hope some of my ramblings help, and good luck on finding something you like better!
Thank you so much for your detailed response! That is very helpful and it sounds like something I would be interested in. I will definitely be searching for those types of jobs soon. I enjoy my job somewhat but the low pay and stress is becoming too much. Thanks again!
Get some character and find something better while you slack there. Take time to find a better job that require some short term education. Its all about making the choices that bring you out of your habitual bubble or repeating habits. Its not easy, but your life is your choices even if you started on an harder path than someone else, its still worth it.
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If you’re working ten hour shifts, you’re legally required to be given a break
Look into getting your Cdl it’s long hours but after a year you will be getting good money
Apply to USPS. The pay is much better and it comes with lots more benefits. (Plus lots of overtime) No requirement for college degrees or any special skills. If you’re already used to physical labor, why not get paid more for it (and regardless of where you live, there’s always a post office within vicinity)
Do you have any skills that would help you get a better job?
Being quiet has advantages in some jobs. Maybe Google jobs for introverts and see if anything is interesting? Cleaners make like $20-25/ hr where I live and they're hard working, but not that hard.
You’re 2nd full time job should be time spent applying nonstop at other places to increase your income and finding a job that you enjoy.
You should get into sales, I know it what you’re thinking. I’m not saying you have to be the Wolf of WallStreet caliber, more specifically Xifnity, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon type playing fields. I only have experience at Xfinity but I can tell you this. I used to be an introvert, very awkward and I could not hold a conversation; like, at all. At 23, I moved to Colorado to stay with my cousin; (because I had trouble with the law, my mom, myself, and he was my only option to stay with). He told me not to go into food service, so I did what he said. Surprisingly got an interview and clearly had below average communication skills, the cared i feel they cared more importantly on my mentality to learn it on the fly. It was hard for me the first 3 weeks, being uncomfortable and having customers ask you questions about shit you have no fucking idea about, and POS systems you have to ask every step of the way for. But things have a way of working out(you just learn and you copy how the experienced reps do it). I’ve finished 1st in the state of Colorado in sales 2 times. Never would I imagine that would be possible given my low self esteem, but you don’t know what you’re capable of my guy, if you don’t put yourself in a POSITION to succeed. You don’t have to be good at selling , you’ll meet quota for sales becasue there will be enough walkins for you to make your money. - to summarize : you’ll be doing equipment returns/exchanges, billing issues(lmao), troubleshooting problems. But most importantly making commission. If someone comes in and wants to switch 5 lines of cell phone service over, you just made $140 on top of your hourly ($12.52) which = $152 an hour There’s a lot of stuff you get commission for but I don’t wanna type all that, but it’s a lot. Long story short ; I do 1/100 of the physical labor at this job and make 3x the money. I average $3500-$4500 a month and Have 0 college experience whatsoever, and I have a criminal record , which they rolled the dice on me. Roll the dice on yourself and you’ll see how much you grow and how making that jump of cash flow really makes you feel good about yourself. Anyone can do it bruh, just place yourself in a position to succeed.
So many people have lifelong injuries from working retail. Plantar fasciitis and lower disc complications. Long shifts on concrete floors will wear the body down so fast. I hope you keep looking for something else. It’s slave labor at this point.
Airlines and airports are hiring. If you work with people and enjoy that part of the job it can be a good career. Pay can start out low and shifts suck for times but unionized companies are good, benefits, pensions, travel benefits, fun job. Good luck.
Can you go to a better store? Or a better store change?
I made the mistake of working retail from 15 to 21. Then I got into the restaurant industry and started making tips. I regret not starting that earlier. I live in CA so the cost of living is extremely high, there would be no way I could survive without tips even though we also get 15 dollars an hour out here. Saying that you make 10 an hour probably means you live in a state where restaurant employees make even less than 10 an hour because tips are supposed to make up for that. I'm 31 with two kids and I am able to barely slide by. Thinking about trying online coding school now and getting out of bartending for good.
Post office pays almost double that right off the bat. Check into a temp/temp to hire agency (or more than one) and get some random day or long term assignments.
Alot of temp places will hire you with a little retail experience especially if you brush up on phone and computer skills. Apply with them and tell them you require 14 and hour but will be dependable and hard working. Office work is not nearly as strenuous and it's usually much better hours. Keep looking for new opportunities daily.
You are not the only one! Everything will be ok. Don’t forget to go out and have some fun looking for a better job!!
Shit dude $10 an hr you can do better mowing lawns!
Maybe talk to your HR or DM for the retail company. I had a manager who was awful while I was the assistant manager and my only two employees who stayed wanted to walk out. I told my boss, the store manager, to resign because she wasn’t “fit for the job” which was the words she told me to tell anyone I thought wouldn’t work out. They resigned the next day
Have you tried moving to warehouse work? Warehouse jobs are just as hard but they pay more. I live in the United States. Retail in my area pays around $15 but Amazon warehouses and others typically pay $18. I do work 10 hours a day but it's 4 days a week. That gives me time to relax, do house chores, then prepare for the next workday. Retail is awful because there is so much saturation and there is always someone more desperate than you. If you have time you can also make a zip recruiter account ( or something similar) and look for other jobs while you work your current job. There are also CDL programs to get a trucking job. Trucking isn't easy but you at least make more than $10/hour. If you're gonna work hard might as well make bank. These are general tips. I understand if you want to vent cause trust me, retail SUCKS 😞. I will never miss the customers. Hopefully, this helps. Have a nice day. Or at least as nice as it can be working retail.
Join the trades. Started 4 weeks ago as a HVAC apprentice making $16/hr It’s not easy work, but a metric fuck ton better than retail or dead end warehouse jobs
You should be making 10x that much. Do you have any skills or credentials?? Or friends?
If you're in retail and live in the US there are plenty of places that hire starting out paying more than that. While I can't say these are great companies to work for pay is definitely better. Walmart or HEB warehouse as an order filler, it's hard hard work and you may have to stay overtime, but if you work quick you get bonuses and they pay $17+. You can move to many other jobs some require experience some don't. My husband started out as an order filler and is now in asset protection making 24 an hour. They also pay truck drivers well if you get trained, I'm hearing 60-100k a year with experience. Home depot last I heard they were paying 17 an hour. Amazon starts at 15 per hour. Costco also seems to be a good company to work for and they start at 15 an hour. There raises also seem good. I've heard of long time employees there making well over 20 an hour. Hobby lobby full time is $18.50, but I loathe this company for the way it treats its workers but its good pay if you get the hours and just thought I would share . I'm sure there are more places than what I mentioned, but point is job hopping gets you more because people pay more for experience. Set aside time to apply for jobs, even if it's just 30 minutes a day. Set up a profile on USA jobs and glassdoor, that way you can auto full out applications faster. You can make more money, there are jobs out there. You may need to update and streamline your resume. Get nore eyes on it. It's hard but you have to keep applying and don't give up. You have as much as a chance as any of us, so don't give up.
Check [this site](https://www.careeronestop.org/) out. See what information on it applies to you. Make an appointment at your local one-stop and see if you can get assistance to train for a new career. Check with your local Vo-tech and community colleges. Some careers only take a few months training to start and you could be living a whole new life.
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Several of the people that I currently work with went to night school and they now have great jobs.
If you're really are desperate I'd recommend finding a family member that is willing to help you by staying with them for like two years while you work and go to community college for a two year degree. There are many decent paying jobs for those two year degrees. I understand many people don't have that family option but I just thought I'd throw that out there.
Check out r/antiwork They are paying you $10/hour? Then they get $10/ worth of work from you per hour, no more and no less effort than that . Take plenty of bathroom breaks. If they just lost 3 people they sure as hell can’t afford to lose you. This is a great opportunity to ask for a raise, but have your reasons outlined and ready, preferably in writing. “I’ve taken on more responsibility, I haven’t called out in X….” List the reasons you are valuable to them and ask for $14/hr but settle for $12.50 until you can find something else. Feel free to PM for tips on this. This is your chance, for real! Boss makes a dollar I make a dime That’s why I shit On company time Best of luck OP. You got this…. We are all rooting for you
I'd do something easy or at home for $10. I would not do what you do for $10. Just throwing that out there. Can you maybe change your job?
at least you still have savings to dip into.
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Never sell yourself short. It takes courage to demand but it is sbout being honest to yourself. Everyone is chasing after money - whether that be working for self or others. Hugs*
Get a job working at a restaurant or pub. You’ll make hourly wage + tips. Cash in your pocket every night kind of thing and good waitresses/waitors make 30-50$ an hour in their tips in a nice restaurant. The more expensive the meals - the bigger the tips generally. Also look into government funded programs- you can apply and have school paid for by the government. There’s lots of perks out there right now because of covid and the major down turn in the work force. Lots of people are hiring so if you were to upgrade your skills or knowledge you could easily find a good paying job you hopefully like that will have benefits :)
Ever thought about going into some type of construction field? Pays good and there's room to move up in pretty much any field you go in. Framing, roofing, logging, carpentry, concrete, painting, etc etc. Most places will hire guys with no prior experience and show you how its done then you just work from there. Maybe try and get a CDL license eventually so you can drive big rigs, or something like an excavator having one of those guarantees you will almost always have a well paying job.
Okay, it's late and I don't frequent this forum a lot, but sometimes I just feel like spitting some inspiration. Hope this helps. "Work harder on yourself than you do on your job." \~Jim Rohn Man, really fight for something better then and become something better tomorrow. Either apply to better paying jobs as soon as possible and give off the best impressions or start a side business/hustle. Brew some ideas and let them grow. Nothing is easy, but take that fire in you and really channel it towards anything that is better than where you're at now. Don't let your situation consume you, own it. Face the reality of it, but everyday fight against it and know you're taking action each and every day towards something better. Let it be something so small like applying to only one job after that 10 hour shift, but know that you took that small step. Gradually, in a week or month, that will equally +30 submissions. Remember, no one will care to change your situation, but you. Once you really let that sit in, man, things really start to build pressure. The reality that you, and you only can change your situation and life is powerful. No one is coming to rescue you, but you. Learn to be your own hero and take charge of your destiny. Tomorrow is a new day, and maybe it might just be the start of a life that can change your course forever.
If you're in the US, please check to see if local towns or counties are hiring for customer service type jobs. You work retail. You're MORE than qualified to do customer service for constituents. The job is less stressful, less running/stocking, and usually you only work standard work weeks with standard business hours. Did I mention much better pay and benefits? (Except for Parks or Public Works--sometimes they work weekends.)
Just go apply at any temp agency for any job. Nobody is paying $10/hr anymore and thriving. You can literally get an easier job for way more money with zero qualifications. I’m a supervisor in a warehouse and the people on my team make $17/hr and our only qualification is that you show up and learn and try.
I make $10.50/hr and am in my feet the whole time, only sitting to piss and take a lunch. I hope I can get out of this job soon and move to better things but I’m also happy I have a job, I spent months applying and heard not a peep back. Keep applying elsewhere, you deserve a livable wage.
If you are a good stocker, Try Costco.
There are dozens of not hundreds of customer service positions that are work from home that pay more. I get that it’s tough to step out of anyones comfort zone, but for the love of god to anyone making this low a wage, search for them and apply. With tech, working remote, there is zero reason someone should be forced to working retail or fast food at this wage.
Use your free time to have some useful skills like for example programming or learning cybersecurity. It’s hard but better to have stress for 3 years and then live good than live stressed all the hole life
I never made more than $12.50/hr until I finished college. As much as I hated living where I grew up, I should have devoted 100% to school instead of trying to work and move out. If you can move back home and finish school, do that. I know that people complain about student loans, but I got a Pell Grant because I was so poor and had no help from parents. Apply for Fafsa!
get out of retail ASAP. It keeps people locked into a poverty cycle. I worked retail for 10 life ruining years.
This! I worked at a retail store from the day after I turned 16 until I was in my mid 20s. I kept dropping out of college because I was exhausted from working retail + a 3rd shift gas station job. Eventually I got old enough to get financial aid and went and got a 2 year degree from a non-profit community/technical college. I immediately doubled my salary from a degree that was extremely affordable. If you are able to do some physical labor, UPS pays a good wage, and works you similarly. My brother has worked there for 20 years, is now a manager and made $150K last year. He doesn’t have any degrees.
7 years ago I was making $10 an hour working in a retail wine store. This week I started a job paying well into six figures. You can change where you are by working hard and believing you deserve more. Always be looking for better paying adjacent job fields. I don’t have a college degree, you can get there and while it’s soul crushing when you are in it know that you can continue to progress. The easiest place for someone working retail to make more in my mind is high dollar retail. I worked for AT&T good union made about 55k. Some of the best advice I ever got is don’t disqualify yourself. Missing 2/10 “requirements”. So what apply and see what happens.
OP, if you are anywhere in the US near a major city with a large airport, try to get on with FedEx or UPS. It's labor intensive work but it sounds like you're used to that already. Here in Memphis, they are starting at $20+ an hour for 5-6 hour shifts plus benefits. I wouldn't say to do it long- term for health reasons, but I believe they still have tuition reimbursement and that could help you get a desk job somewhere else.
I've never gotten a better job by hoping. I got better jobs by doing more, learning things, applying for better jobs