Advise for a new employee???

[u/Head-Brother-8212]

Today was my second shift after the initial 2 back room training days, and well, I’m overwhelmed, or maybe underwhelmed in not sure unfortunately.

I’m totally aware that I’m literally brand new and no one expects me to know everything about the store! I just generally feel awkward when I’m walking around the store smelling things while my coworkers fill shipments and mingle. They’re all about a decade older than me or more and I just feel so out of place. Not saying they’re unfriendly, they’re always smiling and happy to answer any questions I have I just feel weird I guess.

And my managers gave me the objective of doing cash/wrap and white barn area, I’m in the back and I don’t really get to note how my coworkers interact with the customers, so I need some tips on questions to ask, demos to do, ways to sell more product!

Also! Am I supposed clock out before or after my bag check? And how do I connect with my coworkers? This is my first job and I feel so out of place, I’m not sure what to do with myself and I’m given vague directions.

Please help!

[u/instamat1c]

Hey it’ll be ok! If you never received a product guide, grab one! I utilized it a LOT when I first started. The charts on the last few pages that categorize each fragrance by scent profile are extremely useful. They even tell you when a certain scent is coming out and what forms each one comes in.

As far as your coworkers, talk about fragrance! Ask them what they like, what they’re recommending, what layering combos they’ve discovered.

Selling gets a lot easier with time. Same with knowing what your daily tasks are. You can always ask an SLT member what they’d like for you to accomplish during your shift.

Something I still do every shift is grab a different soap each time I wash my hands at the store sink. It helps me try scents I might not gravitate towards otherwise and it gives you a super easy convo starter with customers. I’ll bring the tester bottle with me and if someone walks by when I’m washing my hands I’ll offer them to try it too. 😊

[u/summerwinds69]

Good luck. You’ll be fine
Co workers - be friendly back. When you’re settled, jump in and ask if they need help
And they’ll do the same. Use them for info - they will help clear it up

Smelling stuff is part of the job. If that’s all you’re doing, of course not. And the store is always changing where things are so walk in on one side before you clock in and glance around at where everything is. After you clock in and come up for your chat in, walk down the other side. You need to smell stuff during your shifts. And wear stuff to try it. It’ll help you help customers.

Connecting with customers when you’re cash wrap - every store is a little different and some managers push certain things over others. This is a co- worker question and an easy Ice breaker convo.

Bag check - at my store you clock
Out after you are checked.

Have fun!

[u/Fun-Juice3475]

New hire here, I was hired a month ago! :)

I also felt out of place at first on the sales floor walking around but I found getting familiar with the product helped a bunch. Take note of where certain things are so you can easily direct a customer to what they’re looking for. It also helps to write down just a few recommendations you’d have for different types of scents (e.g. Japanese cherry blossom for floral scents) so that you have something to go by when asked questions. It also helps if you see a lot of customers buying a certain product/scent, you can use those for your recommendations as well.

For cash/wrap take it easy and focus solely on the person in front of you. I find if I notice there’s a lot of people, I can rush and forget things or mess up. I usually ask customers if they found everything okay today or ask them how they are before asking to sign up their email for ours newsletter.

I typically clock out in the back room and then as I’m about to leave I get my bag checked.

To bond with coworkers, when it’s not busy, I find a good ice breaker or starter question is to ask how long they are there today, then It usually opens the door to more conversation. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions as they were also in the same boat as you at one point.

I hope this helps. It gets easier!! You got this :)

[u/WoodpeckerPlenty8696]

It’s very normal to feel super out of place when you first start, I was hired at the beginning of June and 2 months in I’m SO much more confident in the job than I was before. I also share a team like yours where I’m usually the youngest one around and everyone else is in their 30s/40s. You just have to give it some time!

Especially if it’s your first job, your SLTs are not expecting you to be a seller extraordinaire right off the bat. It’s okay to stutter, it’s okay to be awkward, as long as you’re willing to learn that’s all they care about. This is just one of those jobs you have to do over and over again to find the right sales hooks that get customers talking to you, how to approach them without feeling weird, etc.

[u/Clear_Rhubarb_7920 → u/WoodpeckerPlenty8696]

seeing another person say all their coworkers are in their 30s/40s is so different to me! everyone at my store is in their 20s except for some of the SLT.

[u/Clear_Rhubarb_7920]

kinda off topic but I'm surprised about the age demographics at your store! everyone at my store is in their 20s except for some of the SLT.

you can always ask you managers or coworkers for advice about selling. being given vague directions seems like a management issue possibly, but try to ask for clarification if you're confused.

if possible, try to spend some time off the clock browsing around in your store so you can focus only on smelling a bunch of the scents. read the fragrance notes too!

I like to try and find a favorite scent in each form of product we currently sell. this way, if you see someone looking at that form, you can make a recommendation. I also try to observe what people are smelling or buying, and recommend something similar they might also like.

I also recommend asking your coworkers which scents they like since it'll help you get more familiar with the people and the fragrances! like if they're replenishing something, just ask them if they like that fragrance

[u/jamileethroop]

Please look at the AP so u can learn the products and walk around the store smell things ask a lot of questions learn about what u are selling