When I look back at when I started to work in retail, one of the things I remember was thinking that it was not going to be a permanent profession. Who grows up wanting to do this for a career? This was back in 2006. Fresh out of college and newly implanted in Wichita, Kansas I just needed money and a job. Yes, my wife was working but I did not want to just sit around all day. I went from October (2005) to February (2006) without work. I was applying for jobs in the field I went to school for, history and museum studies, but could not find a job. I couldn't even get a call back. After the new year, I just wanted to find work. So I did. The rest, as they say, is (work) history.
I received a promotion earlier this week to a position World Market calls Lead Supervisor. This is one step below store manager and for the most part is the person in charge of running the show on a day to day basis. This is something that I have been working towards for the past year and a half. The ultimate goal is to take that one last step and become a General Manager, but that is still several years down the road and honestly, I don't even want to think about that right now. That is a large looming idea that will only distract from the now. I have my annual hunting trip planned at the end of October, so this promotion is not going to happen until I get back from that.
My wife and I joke quite a bit about how there are two of me. One is the goofy, lackadaisical person that just kind of goes with the flow with whatever is happening. The other is the professional me. Whenever she comes in to shop around the store, the employees tell her how much they enjoy working with me and that I am constantly working on something or helping someone out with a project. It is humorous. I usually get the 'who are you?!' look from her. She knows though. All kidding aside, I do my best to keep everything professional at work but still have some fun. The results are paying off.
The position will be at another store here in the Twin Cities. It would have been great to stay where I am at now as this is the only store I have worked in, but that presents it's own challenges. In order to develop myself into a more well rounded manager, I need to get somewhere new and different. Is it optimal? No. I really enjoy working with the people I work with now, but it is time to move somewhere else outside of my comfort zone and familiarity and develop new traits and aspects of being a manager.
