So You Want to work in a Flower Shop

One the challenges that a person faces owning their own business is finding reliable, capable staff.
I am presently in that position and have created a "Help Wanted" ad  see below

Employment Opportunity

Shirley’s Flowers and Friends is seeking a new team member for a part-time/casual position.

The ideal candidate ...

• friendly, outgoing and possess a positive attitude
• Have an eye for design
• Willing to learn all aspects of the floral/barista/gift industry
• Able to take the initiative and handle tasks with confidence
• Able to multi-task.
• Good organizational skills
• Self-motivated and able to  work independently.
• Have manual dexterity
• Neat and legible hand writing
• Able to stand for long periods of time
• Previous barista experience an asset

Duties may include, but are not limited to

• Assist customers with flower choices
• Receive and process flowers and hard goods
• Process customer orders in person, over the phone or via website.
• Prepare and sell coffee drinks
• Maintain a clean and appealing work area and store front.
• Price incoming stock
• Restock shelves

If you feel that you have the abilities necessary to be part of our team.  Please send your resume to    tdshirleys@gmail.com  or drop it off in person at Shirley’s Flowers and Friends, 507 Main Street.  Three Hills, AB

Only those considered for the position will be contacted for an interview.

Position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

I had no idea how hard it is to find people who actually want to work, and do a good job.  Nor did I realize how many things I do in a day that I consider just common sense and others fail to see.

Common sense items in my world

• you sell an arrangement, you need to make one.
• you spill something, you need to wipe it up.
• flowers need to be processed every 3 days.
• you sell something off the shelf, you need to fill that void, either by moving product forward or bringing out new stock.
• you empty something, you need to fill it.
• at the end of the day, the work area needs to be clean.
• you need to tidy up continually, throughout the day.
• you need to be polite and friendly, it is your job to make people feel welcome in my store.

Then there are the misconceptions, that it is an easy job.  It's not.  It involves heavy lifting, bending, long hours on your feet and sometimes 16-18 hour days.  Point in fact.  Many things in a florist world can be anticipated...Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, wedding, and all of these days are busy and will involve long hours.  However, you add a funeral to the mix and you can kiss sleep good-bye.

I have often worked till the wee hours of the morning to ensure that sympathy flowers are created.

On the up side.  This is a very creative and rewarding job.  You make people smile.  You create a tangible expression of joy & happiness or love or sympathy.   So if you want to work in a flower shop, I hope you love and understand people, that you have an eye for design, that you are not afraid to put in extra hours if needed and that you will go the extra mile to make some one smile.

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment. I love to hear what you think.