JannyDensonWhat kind of Jobs did you do in the ski shop? Did you sell stuff right away or did you work in back?
Well personally I had an interesting situation. At first I just got thrown in the rentals where no one really wants to be. But after like a week I was working with as much effort as I could give, and showing a real interest in progressing my knowledge and everything, then was given the opportunity to learn some stuff in the repair shop (which is where I reaaaaaally wanted to be) Then about a week after that I was talking to some guys in the ski hard goods section because not much action back at the rentals or repairs, then he got slammed and asked if I could help him out. I sold a couple pairs of boots and skis and since he was the head of the department he was trustworthy and told the managers that he thought I was really good at selling and was shocked that I wasn't placed there in the first place. But I had never worked a retail job or sales job so I didn't give a reason to get placed there. If I did, maybe I would have been placed there straight out. But in the end I just ended up floating around through all three departments of rentals, repair, and sales, depending on who was busy. Basically you have to have some type of skill selling to be placed in sales right away and prove it by talking and displaying your knowledge to the guys working in sales that will have a pull with management and you know they may put in a good word about you, or maybe managers will see you selling. Also don't just barge in and try and take someones customer since sales guys get paid on commission... which is another reason you have to show them you are reaaaally good, otherwise you will make your coworkers get paid less. An example, some other bozo that was working in rentals with me that was a snowboarder tried to just walk up and essentially steal one of the snowboard sales guys' customer, and ended up screwing him over and the guy walked out with nothing because he convinced the guy he didn't want the snowboard the main sales guy told him he'd like, but instead tried to sell him a different board, and it didn't work out to well. Needless to say he wasn't welcomed back in the snowboard department after that. Probably most importantly you neeeed to put yourself out there in situations where you can be of help and gain as much knowledge. Always asking people in areas you wanna be if they need help when your department is not busy to prove your knowledge about skis and boots and other stuff to them, but also show you are willing to learn as much as you can from them always asking questions. If you look like you know everything, then no chance they will want your help.
That is if you don't get placed there right away. Basically took me about 2 weeks to get into selling and about 1 and 1/2 weeks to get into the repair shop.
But ya in rentals you just rent crap out, adjust bindings, sometimes calibrate, tag stuff, load and unload boxes, do most everything no one wants to do, when no one is renting. But everyone does that stuff sometimes, rentals just moreso. Eventually I got to do hand waxes, sharpen edges, P-tex, and sales. It is fun though when you get to have someone come in and rent a demo pair of skis, because it is like your working in sales.
