Blitzing shops

Denerick

I don't mean in the WWII sense here...

I'm going to go into town tommorrow with around 30 CVs and hand one in to every shop I cross. I have had some luck with this method before, but the way things are... Can anyone recommend a good strategy? How should I dress, for example? (Shirt and tie might be too much, but surely my trusty hoody with its several character defining holes is too little?) How should I pose the question? Normally I'll just go up and ask 'any work going hi?'. I sound like an uncouth bogman. (Especially so since I help out at a nearby farm for a few tuppence - and I mean tuppence)

Any advice appreciated. Retail work is not exactly the dream but after spending the summer looking for graduate jobs and getting rejected after interviews I really need to start figuring out a way to pay the rent...

Mr. Loverman

Make sure it's the manager/owner who gets your CV.

Personally I'd break the blitz into a couple of segments -- dress according to the shops I'm targeting. For example, if there are 10 shops where the staff wear suits, then I would wear a suit when I go into those shops. If there are another 10 shops where the staff are super trendy, I would go in to them looking super trendy, etc.

Best of luck.

Corruptedmorals

If you're targeting any department stores, hand it in to the customer service desk. It WILL get lost at a normal tillbank. Managers on the floor have no say/influence over hiring you, talking to them is a waste of time. In smaller stores, definitely talk to a manager if it's not too busy. Beware of asking too many questions if they're not friendly, could end up with your CV in the bin. have heard of it happening a lot.

What time are you going at? I'd suggest morning. Much quieter. I'd suggest 'Hi, can I hand in my CV?' and then if they seem friendly THEN say 'Do you know (staff are often the last to know) if you're hiring at the moment?' and/or 'Is there a manager around I could speak to.' I would say dress somewhere between casual and formal- obviously don't look like a slob or a knacker but not much point in a suit. Be prepared for temp contracts, ****e hours, understaffed places. Retail has changed a lot.

Denerick

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

Be prepared for temp contracts, ****e hours, understaffed places. Retail has changed a lot.

No, this is pretty much how I remember working in retail...

Corruptedmorals

Ah yeah, but working in the same place from 2007- the difference is ridiculous.

Denerick

Anyway, threw about 40 cvs into shops in two different towns (I live in Monaghan) Got talking to a few managers, was given some decent signals. Fingers crossed I get something. i did the same at the start of summer but maybe I'll do a bit better now, with people back to school and college.

NR04

Alot of people are also leaving their retail jobs to go back to college. So fingers crost. Lidl are hiring staff in Monaghan. Don't forget that Dunnes, Tesco and toy stores will need extra staff for the christmas season.

Denerick

NR04 wrote: »

Lidl are hiring staff in Monaghan.

How do you know? I left my CV with the manager there and though he wasn't dismissive or anything, I really didn't think much about it.

Was on the site there and it said it was recruiting in a number of places, including Castleblayney, but nothing about Monaghan Town...

NR04

oh sorry i thaught castleblaney was in monaghan?