Job Responsibilities
Provide leadership for staff: train full-time, part-time and
student staff in their duties including cash register skills,
customer service, store cleanliness, practical solution-making
for problems that crop up.
Provide daily deposits for store, cafe, and vending on campus.
Create on-going communication with supervisor and the Center's
finance office on deposits, expenses, income, inventory count
and inventory valuation.
Review performances of staff members.
Order, purchase, receive, and stock cafe, store, and vending
sites daily and weekly. Organize invoices for accounts payable
on a weekly basis and submit to administration.
Create lines of communication with customers: students,
faculty, and staff of college and community ed program. Elicit
textbook and materials needs for classes and projects.
Research alternative programs for textbook fulfillment, point of
sale software and hardware, and other programs as necessary.
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Job Requirements
I have a master of science degree in environmental design, which
in very few ways prepared me for this position. As a former
researacher, I knew how to organize information for presentation
and reports. I applied for and received supplemental education
on retail management through a national organization of college
stores, which our school belonged to. Had the college not
closed recently, I was planning to attend more of these
programs, which were generally one or two-week workshops held
off campus. There were many other schools involved and other
managers of varying experience, and that variety helped me to
see my problems in a better perspective.
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Uppers
The best part was being able to solve problems for customers -- getting a
special product for a certain class, pointing out a product that would solve an
issue for a certain project, etc. I also felt very proud of doubling sales in
our cafe, and in increasing the sales per student in the store -- this especially
was important to me as enrollment was down but students were buying more than
they had formerly because of my efforts at merchandising, creating specials
discounts, and creating a better level of communication between the store and its
customers.
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Downers
In general, it was never-ending, no breaks from routine and very few rewards,
either material or morale-wise.
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Lifestyle
When I first came to the job, I followed a person who worked from 7 a.m. to 8
p.m. and who wanted to do that. I tried it for a while, but broke my health
after about 4 months. So I decided that some things would have to slide, but
most things I did on a pretty precise schedule. Then I was given a full-time
assistant after 3 years there, and things got lots better.
The dress code was great for me -- jeans, t-shirts, etc.
The company social events were kind of dreary, show-up-or-get-ostracized affairs
with a president who had nothing inspiring in her personality and no leadership
skills.
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Compensation
Current base salary -- $34,500. Never made it to the former
aux. service manager's level (who was male) of $35,000, even
though I have been here longer. No bonuses, except a couple of
free days around Christmas. Health insurance, bad dental
insurance, and a 403b plan.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Don't, unless you're certain that there is room to advance.
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