While in college, I began working at a retail store called The Children's Place. It was a great place for a full-time student looking for a part-time job. I'm especially pleased with having taken this job because it nudged me into the direction of studying fashion merchandising.
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I grew tremendously here. I began as a sales associate leading customers throughout the store, properly placing inventory, and learning the ins-and-outs of the day-to-day operations.
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I caught on very quickly which did not go unnoticed. After six months, I was promoted to part-time manager and sales lead. I was taught how to do pay-roll, open and close the registers, study daily sales plans, and pack online shipping or in-store pick up orders. I taught new associates everything I had learned over the previous six months which lead to one of them being offered a manager position as well.
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The work environment at The Children's Place was challenging yet rewarding. I was able to learn the value of patience, organization, communication, and leadership. I could not have asked for better experience in my future endeavors.
The High Hampton Golf Shop is a small sports boutique located in Cashiers, North Carolina, focused on selling golf apparel, sportswear, casual wear, and souvenirs. I was able to learn how to process orders and put invoices into inventory as well as make special orders for customers.
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In this fast-paced environment, I answered phone calls, voicemails, and emails throughout the work day. This allowed me to grow in simultaneously accomplishing multiple tasks. While using our Jonas software, I scheduled people’s tee times, checked out customers, and added new skews to our inventory.
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The most challenging thing was learning how to put the invoices into the system but with hands-on learning and constant repetition, I was able to quickly overcome this challenge. My favorite experience was getting to handle projects on my own. For example, I enjoyed setting up merchandise displays. It allowed me to use creativity and knowledge from the visual merchandising course I took in the Spring of 2022.
I found myself learning much more than I thought I would in one summer. The professional work environment, fast pace, and creative freedom allowed me to grow as a sales associate and merchandiser. My coworkers were amazing and very helpful throughout my learning experience. Their patience and hands-on work ethic allowed me to excel in the workplace.
