You will make mistakes.
As I’ve started my new job in retail, I’ve learned quite a bit about myself and how I tend to learn. I’ve also learned that I will make mistakes, and I don’t need to apologize for necessarily every single one of them—though it is very difficult for me not to. I’m new, and I’ve never worked in retail before. I’ll live with a few mess-ups.
Graphic Design comes a bit more naturally to me, and I’m still learning every day how to design. I learn what I should or shouldn’t do within a design, and that sometimes the fiftieth version of the same thing still isn’t what the company is looking for. I have made many mistakes within my designs, and will definitely make many more in the future. What I need to learn is that my mistakes within Graphic Design aren’t less severe than the mistakes I make in retail. If I mess-up with a transaction, then I need to work to resolve it, just as if I mess-up on a design. It really goes back to learning through the screw-ups, which is partially why I took this job.
In retail, I need to remember that some people are in a hurry, and I need to give them the best service possible. If I need help, I can call one of the supervisors, and we can give the customer what they need quickly while I learn something new about the job. I have accidentally screwed-up on transactions in the past or special deals going on, and I’ve had to own up to them because I want my customer to be happy and return knowing that we have competent people working behind the desks and we can help them out. But you know what happens after these mess-ups? I learn not to do them again, and I learn new ways to avoid situations like these in the future. I’ve had to look at our deals online to make sure I can answer specific questions the customer may come in with. I’ve also learned a few things about specific products from customers as well. Just like Graphic Design, it’s a lot of learning, practice, research, and owning up when I mess-up. I just have to keep going and focus on not doing them again in the future.
I do know that this is the second week of retail and Graphic Design rambling from me, but with the lessons I’ve been learning thus far, I feel the lesson of “mistakes happen” needs to be said. I love what I do, and I love helping people, but I need to remember that I’m still learning every day, and that it’s okay if I do a few slip-ups. That is, as long as I make sure someone knows when they happen so we can remedy them in the future, and I aim to not repeat them. Again, for the people in the back: Mistakes do happen. I daresay it’s a part of almost any job description. The biggest thing is to continue learning this, and–through this learning–succeeding past said mistakes towards a very successful future.