Tag Archives: K-mart

For Sale (or hire): One self motivated, fashion obsessed wanna be writer (an 18 year old)


It seems like the job market involves selling your soul to the devil these days.  I have come to the conclusion that “For hire” should not be the tag line any more.

For sale sounds much more appropriate.

In a housing market, real estate agents bluntly inform you “It’s a buyers market”.  In a job market it’s the same way, just that statement might be too harsh for a sugar coating career center counselor to tell you.

If an hourly wage job in a retail or restaurant field (K-mart or Pizza Hut) strikes your fancy though you may be in luck.  Your references will rarely be contacted and as long as you aren’t too ambitious or expect to do something beyond the level of your average 7 year old (granted, they are teaching Chinese in elementary school now, so maybe I am being too generous with my wording) then you are a good fit!  If 6 months times 30 hours a week of “Have a nice day!” and “May I take your order?” is not monotonous or reminding you why you are pursuing a college education, then I am sorry to inform you that you have probably found your career.

Or maybe I am happy to inform you: you lucky Bastard.  

You have met your goal in life at the age of 18.  You may have actually met that goal at 16, I don’t think McDonalds needs a High School Diploma these days…  although that may be changing soon since College Degrees are being handed out to anyone poor and willing these days.

For the rest of us, (that were blessed by God with just a bit too much drive and dedication) 3 months at said above location is going to drive us mad and our goals are far out of reach.  We may be the 1%, but not that 1% everyone hates for having a lot of money or a penthouse in Manhattan.  We are just a rare breed of wanna-succeeders and many of us don’t acknowledge the curse until the age of 30 or 40 when we have an underpaid overworked job, no boyfriend, and all the plants in the house are fake.  The food is probably still in take out boxes and we don’t recall the oven as anything but extra storage.  While the friends are all getting married and spitting out babies like rabbits (or a Chinese Sweatshop manufactures iPhones), you don’t even have time for a cat.

For me, I get to have the realisation at 18.  I sometimes forget I even have a cat.

As I lay in the bed, doing something besides watching Sex and The City (purely because I can’t afford to buy more episodes and cry about being born in the wrong decade any longer) I turned to google, monster, indeed, jobvite, Ed2010 etc.  I applied for a handful of grown-up jobs because come May I will have a diploma for one rushed Fashion Buying and Merchandising Associate’s degree.  I can’t legally drink (all of the wine that I so deserve for taking 23 credit hours this semester), but I can legally accrue way too much debt from continuing on to a Bachelor’s degree.  

I had very little luck finding jobs that I can even apply for though, due to all the red tape and need for experience or an additional degrees these days.  Debt looks like the way to go, maybe the “Can I get fries with that?” is not that awful an option.

I asked my mother for the 15th time this week about why she couldn’t have brought me up to be happy with mediocre.  I can only wish that I would enjoy an hourly wage because I’m 18, and I have been told time and time again that it is a right of passage.

Kind of like dorm rooms, but unless you have been living in a box (or not reading my blog, Welcome by the way.) I don’t live in a dorm room.  

My room has a plastic chandelier and 57 pairs of shoes, mostly from Payless.

It’s kind of an oxymoron, that statement.  A chandelier is elegant and plastic is cheap.  57 pairs of shoes sounds like an expensive habit, until you hear they were from Payless (mostly bought with 20% off coupons of course).  I am 18 and self motivated.  That fits in with the shoes and room.  All of those statements are not supposed to be that way.  They even sound good in theory and to the defense of my lamp and shoes they are good in person too.  On paper when you submit job applications, 18 and self motivated leaves a gaping hole, the same way plastic chandelier and 57 payless pumps sounded better before you knew the material and brand.  According to 40 year old know it alls, you lack experience and knowledge at 18.  At 18 you’re supposed to be out screwing up your life and getting tattoos you will regret at 80, not contracts with Chanel to be an Assistant Buyer.

But why don’t these recruiters and resume sorters get it?  I’ve never done what I’m supposed to.

I was home schooled.  I skipped a grade.  I went to college in high school.  I went home when I was in college.  It’s only natural that in college I am supposed to have a real career.

Allison

 

It seems like just as soon as I clink the champagne glasses I notice they’re half empty.


Todays is a better day.  I am exhausted, bloated, and staring at $1000 dollars worth of textbooks on the couch.  Sounds like the ideal friday night, right?

Actually, it’s slightly refreshing to be completely worn out.

I finally finished my job hunt- I think.  I was asked to work for THREE different places.  It’s really flattering, but I forgot how much work, work is. If that makes sense.

I decided on taking jobs at Coach and BCBG, and thanking but declining Ann Taylor’s offer.  I was really excited about Ann initially, but did not expect the incredible response.

These job opportunities are making it easier staying home.  It gives me another purpose!  But, I have a feeling 2 20-25 hour a week jobs and 23 credit hours is going to make me declare an insanity plea.

In my Coach interview I did say my weakness was biting off more than I can chew.

Except you have to understand where I am coming from.  Coach only hired me for 2.5 weeks, seasonally.  And then they have to make the decision to keep me or let me go, and this goes through Coach headquarters.  The store is only allowed to ask a certain number of seasonal people to become part time employees, if any and I won’t know until February 3rd if I am one of them.  I couldn’t resist the job though, such a big job and a generous wage that I was unfamiliar with in small town USA!  I am taking the risk, but I changed my starting date at BCBG to February 4th in case Coach is not interested or I decide it isn’t for me.

I think it was a smart decision, that way I am not “looking a gift horse in the mouth” as my dad says.  I am happy with the outcome, although there are cons to working at such a strict serious company.  The dress code of indigo jeans, british tan or cognac shoes, white pressed and starched button down, navy cardigan or v-neck sweater (no sparkly buttons), light make up, only essie ballet slipper or really red nail polish, and understated jewelry is definitely preppy.. but I feel identity-less, even if it isn’t an atrocious blue pilled K-mart polo.  BCBG is flexible with leggings and dress pants, but there are cons to that too.

Don’t get me wrong, both stores are wonderful and as my contracts with both stores entail I am not revealing any company secrets or something..  I just forgot how nice not being told what to do was.  How working retail no matter the status is tedious and fake feeling..  It’s constantly about impressing people, and being treated like an ID number in some clock-in clock-out system.

I’m reading a book in Intro to Entrepreneurship about.. you guessed it: Entrepreneurship.  And I completely understand the appeal to being your own boss.  I don’t mind waiting on people, I just like being treated with respect.

And after a man rejected my 30% Coach coupon, because he did not need my pity cash (after purchasing nearly 1000 dollars worth of inventory, I think that’s incredibly dumb) and many people walked past me greeting them saying they were so happy not to have me job.. Respected wasn’t exactly what I was feeling.

So maybe that means I pay my 2.5 weeks dues, and move on to BCBG. But maybe it’ll be the same deal, just a little less pay. So is that worse?  I know I need to work, I need the money.

Or I want the money.

I need a thicker skin. I need a more positive attitude.

3 out of 4 locations I applied to at the outlet mall wanted me!

It seems like just as soon as I clink the champagne glasses I notice they’re half empty.

Bad habits.


When I finally have time to breath, it’s so hard to decide what to do. When all I have left is to study a little and my homework has been put to bed. What’s left? I’m just academically drained and it doesn’t seem to matter any longer how hard I try. A 4.0 is simply delusional for this semester.

I’m not good at that many things. So when one of them fails I turn to the other? School sucks so what do I do? Shop.

But after all of the damage has been done lately through my Poshmark app, mall trips, etc. I am not proud to say I have $10.62. And I am still working at K-mart as hard as ever. Thank God I get paid tomorrow.

I have an ever expanding list of items such as Sequined Sperry Top Sider Boat Shoes, an iHome, my hair recolored n cut in a bob (how would you feel about my face with an inverted bob?), a floral blue skirt, and Pink Sparkly Toms to purchase and no money to reinforce the desire.

When I can’t do well in school or shop, I am left with one option.

And you are a victim of it.

I will write and write and write and rant and rant and rant and when I’m done being inspired by absolutely nothing I may resort to cleaning my room, but don’t push your luck.

I have an iPhone that can distract me from that.

Hahahaha. My dad, who is simply untechy because he’s part of that dad age range that is.. well untechnologically advanced is debating becoming part of the 21st century and buying an iPhone.

Picturing his little bald head on FaceTime is slightly priceless.

I have tons of laundry.

UGH.

It’s the never ending To-do list, showing its face again.

I’m bringing Jenna to the store tonight to buy Crocs, she wants a pair of the unforgivable plastic/foam shoe. She has a yellow pair but the back strap came off and they can’t wear those in gym class if God forbid there isn’t a strap.

While she burns her 50 dollars of birthday money (which is more than I have, mind you) on those hideous shoes I will tease myself with Sperrys. I’m undecided as to what I will do with my money first when I get paid tomorrow, but whatever it is I better get the best therapy out of it.. because I need something to replace the terrible day I’ve had.

After I rant here I plan on ranting for my first article on Fashion Parkway. Where do I start though?! It’s always come so easy to me, ranting and raving at my own free will, especially when I am completely oblivious to who is reading this.. but on Fashion Parkway? They are ready have a large dedicated audience that I can impact and I feel like telling them what I had for breakfast will seem extremely tedious and insulting.

I’m sure I’ll have an epiphany as soon as I paint my nails. I have one hand of nails that are longer than the other. It’s extremely annoying, but I seem to only have the nervous habit of biting my nails on my right hand, so I need to paint my nails for 2 reasons:

1) I won’t bite them, as much.

2) I love seeing glittery nails flying across the keyboard.

And you know my nails will be glittery.

God.

Wait until I have a credit card… I am terrible at math. Which is a danger in itself, but if I had a credit card? I could own every sparkly nailpolish desirable. And multiple pairs of Sperrys.

And speaking of nailpolish and foreign things, I have to go the salon to get my eyebrows done with  my remaining money tonight.

When my eyebrows grow out, I am forced to wear my glasses because they hide them a little. The curse of dark thick hair means I fall into this habit every 2 weeks. I refuse to tweeze them because I have the pain tolerance of a baby.

Phew. I feel better.

I hope everyone else has a great 4/20 tomorrow, no weed involved. Make smart decisions, buy something like perfume it smells better anyways.

Allison