Until she became an assistant manager at a video store,
Sonia didn't think she was management material. She
started working part-time at the store three years ago to
make some extra money. Now that she's in this job,
Sonia believes management and leadership skills came to
her naturally.
"I'm much more confident now," Sonia
says. "You have to be a people person to work a retail
job, so I'm not as soft-spoken as I was before. Talking
to people is easier for me now and that's something
my job taught me."
During a typical day, Sonia tracks inventory and pulls
movies for new stores. She has to pay attention to the number
of customers coming in and out and make decisions about
how many employees to keep at work for the day. She does
this to make sure she meets payroll requirements. Sonia
also checks bank deposits and makes sure employees have
fun on the job. Most importantly, she makes sure customers
are happy.
Retail work doesn't always follow a typical 9-5 schedule.
This has been good for Sonia, who decided to attend college
last year. Her employer supported her decision and helped
her schedule work around her classes. "You have to
be flexible and willing to work different hours,"
Sonia says, "but other than that, if you like people,
this is the place to be."
Sonia
Gutierrez
