I spent my entire first day at this store learning, literally, how to steam clothes. Now I know what you’re thinking, who doesn’t know how to steam clothes? The answer to this is primarily young, white, privileged women who never had to do anything for themselves – whose clothes returned from the dry-cleaners steamed and pressed for them. They never had to actually steam their own blouses and so now an entire day of job training is wasted teaching young entitled whote folk how to accomplish simple tasks. And I’m the one who’s lucky to be employed here! Had I known, I would have just made a resume that stated: Alison Jane Taylor – Knows How to Steam Garments!

At the end of the first day, we filled out our W4s and got all of our paperwork in line – I am not lying when I tell you that I was the only person in that room (ok so there were only four of us, but still!) who didn’t call her dad to find out the information.

A lot of the training for this job was steaming garments, folding slacks, hanging things in one location and then later, hanging the same things in another location, speaking with people who kinda don’t really know what they want and trying to convince them that you know exactly what they want. They’re usually pretty open to input, especially when they can’t get their girlfriends on FaceTime and I say something like, “Oooh girl I know exactly what would look bangin’ on you!” For females, you pretty much just have to tell them they look hot. And for males you pretty much just have to act like you’re super into them.

Occasionally there would be dressing room horror shows to clean up, but the job is pretty easy, nobody expects much of me, showing up for a scheduled shift is regarded as heroism for some reason.