Shop work: putting your experience at customers' service after 50

A typical day for a shop assistant

The job is not limited to working the till. Depending on the retailer, the assistant may be a boutique adviser or a department employee in a large store. The day mixes customer-facing tasks with organisational ones.

• welcoming the customer and working out what they want, their budget and the intended use;
• presenting, comparing and explaining the products;
• restocking shelves, labelling and checking prices;
• keeping the department clean and attractive;
• taking payment, handling a return or exchange, and pointing people to after-sales service;
• helping with stocktaking or setting up a promotion.

The share of advice and of lifting changes a great deal from one retailer to another: in a boutique, advice dominates; in a supermarket or large store, supplying and arranging the shelves take up more time.

What an older worker can bring to a sales team

Not every customer wants a young adviser. Many appreciate a patient person who takes time to understand them, especially for big or technical purchases: household equipment, clothing, sport, gardening, DIY, books, specialist food.

Several strengths linked to experience count:

• the habit of talking to all kinds of people, including those who hesitate;
• concrete knowledge of a field such as cooking, sewing, sport, music or travel;
• reliability, punctuality and a sense of service;
• self-control when facing an unhappy customer.

That experience does not remove the need to learn. Product references, the till system, promotional campaigns and internal procedures are specific to each retailer, and settling in takes a few weeks. A curious attitude weighs more than length of service.

Types of contract and working hours

The adverts we looked at on retailers' and employment agencies' websites show a range of situations. They include fixed-term contracts, permanent contracts, agency assignments and part-time posts, sometimes with short weekly hours.

A few pointers to find your way around:

• a fixed-term contract suits covering an absence or reinforcing a team in a busy period;
• part-time work keeps part of the week free, but the rota may change from week to week;
• agency work offers short assignments, sometimes renewed, through an agency;
• a permanent contract exists, but is not offered everywhere and depends on the shop.

Before signing, it is useful to ask about weekly hours, how the hours are spread and how extra hours are handled.

Retiree or older jobseeker: two different situations

Your personal context changes how you approach an application. A retiree often wants a top-up and some social contact, with availability of their own choosing. An older person still looking for work is aiming rather at a stable contract and entitlements that build up.

For a retiree in France, combining pension and wages depends on the pension scheme and the starting situation; it should be checked with the pension fund before accepting a post. For a jobseeker, the support available and any hiring subsidies fall under France Travail, the public employment service, and cannot be judged from reading an article.

In both cases it is better to state your availability clearly: preferred days, whether weekends are possible, ability to work evenings. An employer appreciates someone who knows what they can offer and keeps their word.

Standing, lifting, pace: the physical realities

Shop work demands regular physical effort, even when the post seems calm. Most days are spent on your feet, with frequent trips around the department, and handling is part of daily life: opening boxes, putting items on high shelves, moving pallets nearer.

It is reasonable to ask a few questions before accepting:

• how long do you spend standing, and is there a seat for breaks?
• what loads must be lifted, and with what lifting aids?
• is the stockroom reachable without stairs?
• does the job involve chilled aisles, a warehouse or outdoor work?

Everyone knows their own limits. A boutique sales role, with little handling, suits some people better than a supermarket aisle. If there is a medical constraint, occupational health can be consulted once the contract is signed.

Weekends, sales, festive season: understanding the peaks

Retail lives by its peaks: the Christmas period, sales, the back-to-school season, promotional campaigns. Temporary needs gather around these times, which explains why so many offers are seasonal fixed-term posts or extra cover.

Expect several realities:

• work on Saturdays and, depending on the store and its location, some Sundays;
• hours that change from week to week, sometimes with late closings;
• crowds that add to tiredness, with queues and customers in a hurry;
• rotas given in advance, within a notice period that depends on the retailer and the collective agreement.

As for compensation for Sunday or evening work, the rules vary by sector, area and the agreement that applies. They are found in the contract and the agreement, and you can ask the employer.

How to prepare your application

A sales application is prepared like a conversation with a customer: you take an interest in the other person before presenting yourself. Targeting shops whose products genuinely speak to you makes you more credible.

The CV and covering letter

It is enough to highlight what relates to dealing with the public, reliability and knowledge of a field, rather than retracing a whole career. A short letter explaining why this shop, and at what times you are available, is worth more than a generic text.

The usual channels

Retailers' careers pages, employment agencies, France Travail and handing in a CV at the shop are the customary routes. Going outside peak hours with a printed CV often allows a direct chat with the department manager.

An example path: extra help at the end of the year

As an example, a retired woman who has always loved interior decoration applies in late summer to a home textiles shop. She says she can work four days a week, including Saturday, and adds that she would rather avoid late evenings.

She gets a fixed-term contract of a few weeks before the festive season. The first two days go on learning the product references and the till software. She then looks after the department, advises on sizes and fabrics and tidies away returns.

At the end of the contract nothing is promised: the shop may or may not offer her further extra shifts. At least she keeps a recent experience and a useful contact. This example is illustrative and describes no particular retailer.

Related options if conventional sales gets tiring

Some people enjoy customer contact but struggle with standing or shop hours. Other retail jobs come close to it:

• checkout operator, often a seated post with regular contact;
• remote advice, by phone or online, from an office floor or from home;
• stocktaker, counting stock in a team on set dates;
• reception at an information point, museum, tourist office or exhibition hall;
• selling local produce at markets.

These routes have their own contract and hours conditions. They let you use the same people skills in a setting that is sometimes less physically demanding.