When Applying for a Job

If you are going to apply for a cashier job, odds are that you don't have a lot of choice regarding where you apply. However, if you do--or if you are having a hard time making a decision--then make sure you pay attention to the details. Otherwise you will be regretting it later on.

(While most of this list applies to all jobs, I wrote this with cashier jobs in mind.)

Before you ever grab an application, snoop around as much as possible. Ask questions, listen to conversations, look at areas accessible only by staff.

Step one is to assess the people:

Are the Employees happy?
This may seem like a dumb question, but how often have you or someone you know worked where everyone was already miserable. How can you tell? Are they smiling, chatting, working? "Are they working" may sound counter intuitive, but sometimes people are lazy because they are "punishing" their employer--or even just the next shift.

Is the boss happy?
Come at a time when the boss is there--even better if it's the boss's boss. The phrase, "s--t rolls downhill" is truer than you may think. Another way to determine if the boss is happy: look to see if there are any signs posted saying, "don't do this," or "do it this way." The less signs, the better. One exclamation mark is okay, more is bad, and just a period is worse. Those are last ditch efforts to train employees; lazy at best, but more likely it's just that nobody cares anymore.

Are the customers happy?
I will never work fast food again if I have the choice, because hungry people are never happy until full. And what do they do then? Leave. If you have a customer service job, that's who you deal with--the customers. And if they aren't happy, you'll never be.

Is the store well-stocked, organized, and clean? If not, this store could have a number of things wrong with it. Maybe they just got slammed in a horrid rush and just didn't have time to clean. That's not bad. Some people like it busy. However, this could also mean...they don't have adequate supplies for cleaning...they don't have a system of organization in place...equipment is broken (either just for now or it happens all the time)...and maybe everyone just doesn't care.

Finally, listen for "office gossip." Gossip has never been a catalyst for success, so try to find employment as far away from it as possible. There are always going to be gossipy people no matter where you go, but if it's the boss doing it, turn right back around and leave.

That's enough for today. Next time we'll look at the ways to assess the store itself to help you with a decision.