# Alternatives to retail jobs?



## Robert2928

First off I'm a college student. I have been taking my core classes at a community college (Not only is it cheaper for the same classes but give me time to decide what I want my major to be ) I had been unemployed for a long time until I got this wonderful job as a cashier. Now after a month of working I feel kinda trapped. I'm looking for a consistent schedule opposed to opening this day and closing the next. I value working but I don't wanna become the "best" cashier lol I'm looking for something better however I don't know where to look

So I was wondering if any of you guys and gals knew of any alternative to retail jobs. Would be surprised if someone answered this actually!<=]


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## EdR

Go to temp agencies, they always have low paying opportunities (sic). Probably the same wages you are making now, so not much loss there. Also many jobs are 40 hours.


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## AndrewGonzales

Complete your college. You will get better jobs.


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## hela

I’ve worked a lot of random jobs that didn’t require a college degree, including:

- Call center employee
- Freelancer (copy and design)
- Keeper of small children
- Print shop employee
- Postal employee
- Horse sitter
- Office manager
- Landscaper

I usually did at least two at once; it's easy to find non-retail work, just hard to find work that pays enough to live on. I'd say just become a tradesman's apprentice and try plumbing or similar.


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## frenchie

Hotel front desk associate.

Best college part time job. I did it for half a year. It sucks putting up with entitled rich people, but the majority of people you meet are great.

Hospitality is a fun industry to be in. Not a lot of money, but you can major in hospitality management and get some swanky positions in really nice areas. Think general manager of a five star resort in Hawaii or the British Virgin Islands!


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## Antipode

Robert2928 said:


> First off I'm a college student. I have been taking my core classes at a community college (Not only is it cheaper for the same classes but give me time to decide what I want my major to be ) I had been unemployed for a long time until I got this wonderful job as a cashier. Now after a month of working I feel kinda trapped. I'm looking for a consistent schedule opposed to opening this day and closing the next. I value working but I don't wanna become the "best" cashier lol I'm looking for something better however I don't know where to look
> 
> So I was wondering if any of you guys and gals knew of any alternative to retail jobs. Would be surprised if someone answered this actually!<=]


Yes. Do not become the best cashier, trust me :/ The managers just keep you there haha--personal experience :dry:

You should look into your school for campus jobs. There are many at mine--one being a desk job; almost a sectary. 

After which, other "non-retail" jobs are hard to find, and easier if you know someone or know someone who has their own business. You might be interested in Lowes if you like home-improvement type of deals.


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## Mulberries

Pharmacy tech
Lab Assistant
Waiter
Tutor


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## jessaywhat

retail freakin' sucks. i know without a degree finding work that isn't retail means you have to be a bit creative, but until you get into something maybe there is something over the summer that won't give you a set schedule but you can do for friends of friends in between jobs like house sitting for your neighbors on vacation and walking/taking care of their pets?


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## CoopV

AndrewGonzales said:


> Complete your college. You will get better jobs.


Haha I wish! I graduated with a degree and 2 internships and after a year of job hunting am now working retail for FedEx Office :dry:


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## Paradox1987

If you've been working in retail, why not use the experience to move into a job that pay commision whilst using the skills of retail; estate agency, recruitment consultancy, B2B sales etc etc etc?


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## Devin87

I agree that finishing your degree doesn't mean getting a better job. I've got countless friends who've graduated and are still working in retail or in other jobs that used to be for high school drop outs. I work at an amusement park in the summer and I love it and even there there's not a single member of management who isn't at least working towards a degree. I don't think the manager takes people seriously who don't either have degrees or are in their 60s with ample life experience.


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## Einstein

Wait a minute...you can't think of any jobs out there other than retail jobs? Just seems like a stupid question. I'm not sure you're capable of much more than a retail job if you can't even come up with some other ideas without asking people on some internet forum.


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## Miso

Maybe I've been spoiled, but I have never worked in food service or retail. Even through high school and college I always worked office jobs. 

I've found the best jobs in technology. Best salaries, benefits, and incentives. I've known more college drop-outs that make well over $100k in the tech industry, than any other industry. Then again, you have to love it...and it's not for everyone. 

If you can find something in business, like office work, it is way more valuable than retail.


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## frenchie

Miso said:


> Maybe I've been spoiled, but I have never worked in food service or retail. Even through high school and college I always worked office jobs.
> 
> I've found the best jobs in technology. Best salaries, benefits, and incentives. I've known more college drop-outs that make well over $100k in the tech industry, than any other industry. Then again, you have to love it...and it's not for everyone.
> 
> If you can find something in business, like office work, it is way more valuable than retail.


Yeah, that's the caveat these days. If you have an interest in any STEM field (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) you will make gobs of money right out of school. Hence the position I am in since I worked 4 years in Desktop Support and now work at a publishing company in a mid level IT position. 

The problem I see with many college is this lack of any potential opening in fields that aren't related to that. Most of my friends majored in communications, business marketing, music, and theater. Crap, those areas are in a negative growth pattern right now.

College career centers aren't very good either. The hard fact of the matter is, unless you can find your niche in a field that falls under that STEM category or is a trade you will be stuck to the whims of the economic masters of wall street.



eros5th said:


> Haha I wish! I graduated with a degree and 2 internships and after a year of job hunting am now working retail for FedEx Office



What's your background in? 

I sent out over 400 resumes and cookie cutter cover letters and didn't get responses back. I decided it wasn't working. So I narrowed down my skills and decided IT was what I was going to go into. I cleaned up my resume and then I googled "effective cover letter" this is what I got.

http://www.askamanager.org/2007/06/what-does-good-cover-letter-look-like_13.html 

Read that. I then researched 5 companies in different industries that I wanted to work at. I narrowed down the industries to fashion, publishing, and entertainment since apart of me wants to be glamorous anyway 

I used Linkedin to apply for jobs that only had a few clicks on the "apply now" button. 

The five companies I picked were all well known and I had used their products in one way or another. 
It was perfect and I ended up getting five interviews back. 
I accepted the one with the best benefits, pay, and a relocation package. This is UNHEARD of these days for a recent grad. 

Good luck


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## Melle

Einstein said:


> Wait a minute...you can't think of any jobs out there other than retail jobs? Just seems like a stupid question. I'm not sure you're capable of much more than a retail job if you can't even come up with some other ideas without asking people on some internet forum.


You are dumb as dirt. Of course people know of other jobs than retail, but many of them aren't as easy to get an interview in as the retail industry.

I can't see any point to your post other than being a pain in the old rear.


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## EyesOpen

Melle said:


> You are dumb as dirt. Of course people know of other jobs than retail, but many of them aren't as easy to get an interview in as the retail industry.
> 
> I can't see any point to your post other than being a pain in the old rear.


Did you really join the site to berate someone on a nearly 2 year old post...? Lol


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## Einstein

Melle said:


> You are dumb as dirt. Of course people know of other jobs than retail, but many of them aren't as easy to get an interview in as the retail industry.
> 
> I can't see any point to your post other than being a pain in the old rear.


Ditto


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## Melle

EyesOpen said:


> Did you really join the site to berate someone on a nearly 2 year old post...? Lol


I joined because I was searching on the topic myself and this thread popped up and that comment happened to be one of the dumbest, most out of touch things I've ever seen in my life.

It being from a few years ago doesn't take away from the sheer stupidity of it. If anything, based on the current job market, even more so. 

The bigger question is though why would you be so quick to jump to the defense like that? Sock account perhaps?


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## EyesOpen

Melle said:


> I joined because I was searching on the topic myself and this thread popped up and that comment happened to be one of the dumbest, most out of touch things I've ever seen in my life.
> 
> It being from a few years ago doesn't take away from the sheer stupidity of it. If anything, based on the current job market, even more so.
> 
> The bigger question is though why would you be so quick to jump to the defense like that? Sock account perhaps?


Haha no, and I even hesitated to post as I don't usually care about something like that but I was just too surprised that someone would care enough to join and post just once for that, and with so much vigor for an old post. No one even cared about it enough to say something at the time. I agree his comment is silly, but there were enough legitimate answers. I had to know if that is really why you joined. That's all.


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## .17485

How about Field Marketing jobs? At the moment I'm a merchandizer distributing magazines and newspapers around local stations. Just doing for the maintime. Brand Ambassdor work is good too. If your a video games person, look into nintendo brand ambassdor work


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## Melle

EyesOpen said:


> Haha no, and I even hesitated to post as I don't usually care about something like that but I was just too surprised that someone would care enough to join and post just once for that, and with so much vigor for an old post. No one even cared about it enough to say something at the time. I agree his comment is silly, but there were enough legitimate answers. I had to know if that is really why you joined. That's all.


There were "enough legitimate answers" (what ever that means...) but that doesn't a post of full blown BS shouldn't be called out.

Regardless, I can join for what ever reason I want. 

My suggestion? Mind your P&Qs


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## EyesOpen

*tips hat*


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## Sovereign

I, of course, read the title from an employer's perspective. 

My first thought was: "Robots. Replace them all with robots."


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