Retail work is a major component of our society, and is growing more quickly than anything other than the medical field. However, there are a lot of positions in the retail field that you need to think about before you join it. These include stocking, clerking, managing and checkout work. While one position may be perfect for you, the others might be a totally horrible fit. Choose the one that's best for you, and see how well you do with it. The following are brief descriptions of what you'll need to do in these positions.

Retail Manager

When everyone else is at home relaxing, the manager still has to be at the store making sure everything is going to work the next day. The manager is typically the first person to show up and the last person to leave. When you're a manager, you have to ensure that everyone under you has what they need to do their jobs properly. This includes both reasonably functional equipment and the necessary training to keep things going.

Retail Clerk

Clerks are responsible for keeping the books, and they often work in the back of the store. However, a clerk will sometimes find themselves having to fill in when a position calls for it and there's an absence. A good clerk is a flexible person who likes to help the store work as well as possible.

Checkout

As a rule, checkout workers are being replaced by machines. Nonetheless, there is still some work to be done in helping customers check out. The machines need to be tended to, and sometimes a customer will come around with a difficult group of things to self scan. Checkout work is where you spot potential thieving and make sure any coupons are processed correctly. While intellectually challenging, this work is rewarding because you help people to get what they want.

Stock and Stocking

Stocking shelves is fairly routine work, but a lot of people find it relaxing to do the same thing every day. Naturally, there are times when a customer will come up and ask you if you have a particular thing, and a good stocker will help the customer find what they're after. When you stock shelves, cases or any other kind of containers, you need to work efficiently. There's always more work to do, so don't assume that being paid by the hour means doing as little as possible during those hours.