How Retail Experience Can Propel Your Tech Career Forward
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Chapter 1: The Value of Retail Experience
Are you gearing up to apply for your first job, considering a career shift, or perhaps taking a breather from your current position? Regardless of your motivation, you’ve come to the right spot! Having spent approximately three years in retail, I’d like to share the insights and skills I’ve gained that are now instrumental in my tech career.
To be frank, some of the key skills I’ll discuss here are universally beneficial, regardless of the career path you choose, and they can also enhance your daily life. You may be wondering how retail could possibly aid you in your professional journey.
While it might appear to be a straightforward career choice, it often involves more complexity than one might assume. Just as you wouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the same applies to retail jobs. Even if your role involves operating a checkout counter, as we refer to it in the UK, it can be quite demanding.
Having worked in both an electronics store and a supermarket (or grocery store, for our international audience), I want to highlight the competencies and experiences I acquired that continue to support my endeavors in IT.
Without further ado, here are the ways my retail job has been a stepping stone in my career...
1. It Builds Your Confidence
One of the primary reasons I advocate for retail work is the substantial boost in confidence it offers. I vividly recall starting my first role in an electronics store as a timid individual with no prior experience in customer service. By the time I left, I had transformed into a confident person, eager to deliver outstanding service and exceed customer expectations.
Witnessing customers return due to the exceptional service I provided was one of the most fulfilling aspects of my retail job. Overall, retail employment significantly enhances your self-assurance; you learn to assert yourself when customers believe they are above the rules and to deny requests for unauthorized discounts.
2. It Toughens You Up
There will inevitably be customers who treat you poorly, and I’ve encountered my fair share of challenging interactions where individuals took their frustrations out on staff. While such situations are not part of the job description, they do occur, and they can be daunting.
However, I always viewed these experiences as opportunities for growth. People will behave as they do, but it’s these challenging encounters that ultimately helped bolster my confidence. That said, it’s important to remember that employees are facing enough challenges already!
3. It Teaches You Sales Skills
A significant aspect of retail involves engaging with strangers, which can be intimidating, yet this experience can drastically improve your confidence. My initial retail position was sales-oriented, requiring me to approach potential customers and promote products and services.
This foundational experience has proven immensely beneficial in my IT career. My sales background has equipped me to present new offerings effectively in meetings and devise solutions that I can pitch to managers and executives.
For instance, in my electronics store, selling was not merely about assisting a customer with their existing choice. It involved identifying a solution to their problem. If a customer came in for a computer, I would offer to compare broadband deals to potentially save them money.
4. Working Towards KPIs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are metrics used to evaluate your team’s performance against sales and organizational objectives. While these goals can be quite high and challenging to meet, they provide invaluable experience.
Personally, I found working towards KPIs to be both rewarding and, at times, a bit stressful. For example, one KPI involved selling HDMI cables alongside televisions. Each successful sale added a point toward my performance metrics, and customer feedback also contributed.
5. Managing Pressure
Retail jobs often require you to function under pressure, whether it’s meeting sales targets, managing difficult customers, or ensuring timely deliveries. These experiences are not just part of the job; they prepare you for similar situations in any career.
The skills I honed in retail have enabled me to maintain composure in high-stress scenarios, which is a valuable asset in any profession.
6. Seeing Different Perspectives
Whether you’re starting in an entry-level IT position or stepping into management, understanding various viewpoints can be incredibly beneficial. As a tech enthusiast studying computer science, I gained insights into how IT systems function within a business context.
For example, I learned how data could be leveraged to benefit both the store and its customers. The point-of-sale system could generate reports to inform management about seasonal product demand, helping to optimize inventory for future sales.
7. Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills
In tech, the ability to troubleshoot issues is crucial. Whether it’s resolving customer inquiries, repairing hardware, or debugging code, effective problem-solving is essential. A retail position will immerse you in problem-solving scenarios, whether it’s assisting a customer or optimizing store displays for better sales.
These experiences will serve you well in advancing your tech career. If you enter a technical role with established problem-solving skills, you’ll not only stand out but also find solutions more efficiently.
Final Reflections
Overall, I truly value my retail experiences. While it may not be everyone’s preference, the skills and knowledge gained are invaluable and can be applied later in your career. You’ll learn to offer excellent customer service, manage difficult interactions, and work towards goals—competencies that are essential in the tech industry.
Retail also allows you to navigate pressure situations and adopt different perspectives, both of which are invaluable in any job. Most importantly, my confidence grew tremendously, transforming me from a shy individual into a service-oriented professional.
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