retail assistant manager

International Clothiers

I worked my way up to being a store manager at International Clothiers over several years. It actually wasn't hard to get in on the entry level, you basically have to have a pulse and know some English and they'll hire you. They paid us all minimum wage with no benefits until you reached Manager or Assistant Manager. Higher management has no regulation so different destinations will have wildly varying levels of support. Head office basically didn't exist other than "this sale, now", even when it came to supplies, so you were often left in the dark as to what was happening in the company. You also were the only resource for customer complaints, I didn't even know what the head office number was and I was the manager. Shrink was huge, but mostly because you were left for four to five hours watching a rather large store, completely alone due to lack of hours they would allow for staffing. They would often mislead customers with sales as well, things were never EVER sold at full price (always bogo or half price) and we would have "STORE CLOSING" events that were big lies at least twice a year. I adored the staff I worked with, because things were so chill, but customers were a nightmare with the No Refunds Ever policy and general bad quality of the garments (we bragged about being the cheapest menswear in the mall!) It is great to pad up a resume or get into retail experience, but not a good company to make a long-term career with.

This job is not one you can live off. Unless you are the store manager you get around 15 hours or less per week and only minimum wage. Even the store managers make only slightly above minimum wage only. Stores are intentionally staffed as minimal as possible. Some stores have the store run with 1 person alone all day and if you are a lucky store who meets sales goals you might get a second person on the floor for 3 hours in the afternoon but you will still be alone all morning and evening. People know this making their stores a prime shoplifting target. Most of the people I dealt with on the store level are great but once you get beyond the store manager most of the people in the office couldn't care less about you. Their scanning system doesn't always adjust prices of items automatically so you are expected to remember every items price to ensure you charge customers appropriately. It is a fine job for a teen who just wants a few hours each week but if you have bills to pay like rent it wont be enough.  

Start off by clocking in, cleaning up the store if it was not properly cleaned the day before, and walk around and check the entire store. When there were customers who came into the store I would have to help them to the best of my abilities. Throughout the day I would help customers and after I finished I would go back to keeping the store clean.
I learned a lot about customer service, how to talk to people, and it improved my problem solving skills as well. 
My co-workers were all friendly, and we all got along. I am a friendly and easy going person so it is not hard talking to me. 
Hardest part of the job was when I first started off and I had to work under pressure because it was new to me. However now I have gotten use to it, and I have obtained the skill of being able to work under pressure. 
Finally the most enjoyable part of the job was helping and communicating with customers. I genuinely enjoy helping others so that was a great part of this job.

Had the opportunity to work with INC. Went in with a positive attitude, clear mind and hopeful future-- not so much how I left. The store is 100% poorly managed. Whilst the job allows you to provide customer service- that's about all you will do. There is NO room for advancement. The manager I worked with was extremely nasty and spiteful; often spreading rumors behind employees backs to gain the trust of others. Other management--keyholders etc--were kind and helpful. I would NOT advise to work with this company. Your work is not assessed, recognized, or appreciated. And without that employee appreciation and recognition, what you are is basically a slave. Do yourself a favor and find a place that appreciates ALL employees and not just those at management. PS, that manager at the Toronto location needs to be sacked, he is weighing down and diminishing the name of the company.

Working at International Clothiers Inc. has increased my communication skills with customers as I am constantly approaching them for any questions or concerns that need to be answered. I work with a great group of people who are very helpful and kind. The hardest part of the job is keeping the store organized. I work at a huge location and when it comes to the busy hours, it is difficult managing to keep the story tidy while helping out the customers. The most enjoyable part of the job is being able to interact with customers and getting to know them on a deeper level. Customer loyalty is a way for the employees to treat the client in a comfortable fashion.

You’ll be able to find decent employment here (as students). There is barely any opportunity for advancement.

Eventually you’ll be required to perform and complete manager work but will get paid the same rate without any yearly raises or commission.

Certain stores are severely under-staffed and the upper management seems to not be in a rush to find anyone. So if you work at stores with no management, you’ll be expected to manage the store.

At the end of the day it is a satisfying feeling of accomplishment to have served customers and make them happy. One of the reasons I took this job was to make a difference in service and challenge myself on a higher level. Being at a management position has always been my number one aspiration from the first day on the job as a sales associate. The hardest part of the job is, sometimes you may not be in an authoritative position to make a customer feel satisfy with their purchase. Where exchanges are concerned, a company's policy has to be followed. The most enjoyable part of my job is meeting and talking with the customers.

I really love working during week ends because it was so busy. I feel that I had accomplished more for the day. I learned a lot of things working in retail, this includes dealing with customers, using cash register, display of merchandise, floor moves and the system itself. The management is good and my co-workers as well. I could not remember any hardest part of my job because I always follow instructions and ask for clarifications if something is not clear. The most enjoyable part of my job was assisting customers.

I wasn't given a training period, I was thrown in the deep end right off the bat. By the time I stopped working there, I still hadn't learned all the aspects of the till. Within a week, I was in the store by myself. The communication between staff was really lacking. And when it came time for me to go to college, there was almost no willingness to work around my schedule, so they just stopped giving me shifts. I wasn't fired and I didn't quit, but they just stopped giving me shifts.

Also, I was required to help train Job Placement Students when I still had next to no idea of half of the stores going-ons.

The good thing about my job is that I meet lots of different people of all backgrounds, some days I am speaking in French with a customer,then I switch to Portuguese because a Portuguese client greeted me ,then another client is asking  me a question in English ...so I learned to respect the differences and to understand them. I like to have a fun atmosphere to work for me my clients and my team.

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