How to Become a Retail Stock Clerk

Getting a job as a retail stock clerk in a supermarket, small grocery, pharmacy, or other business can be a great low-stress way to earn a few bucks, or it can be a ball and chain.

Instructions

1. Scan the "Help Wanted" Ads. Unlike many hard to get jobs, stocking jobs are often advertised publicly in the local paper. In the old days, stores just put a sign up in the window advertising "Help Wanted," and some still do, but the majority have switched to other means of getting workers.

2. Go through the standard hiring processes. When you get a call back, go promptly to interview and go through the required paperwork and tests. A huge number of employers who hire stockers administrate some boiler-plate tests, often multiple choice, about how trustworthy or competent you may be as an employee. Although these can be annoying, completing them is part of getting your stocking job.

3. Find a "stocking crew." Many times, a store will keep its pool of stockers within a group of people such as a family or peer group. Hooking up with a stocking crew is one way to get yourself a stocking job; ask around your area to find out where possibilities might lie.

4. Clear your evening schedule. Many stores now stock at night to avoid interrupting customers during the day. The stocking crew comes in when the store closes and works all night. Billing yourself as a "night stocker" can help you get a job as a retail stock clerk.

5. Show employers your skills and abilities. Put your best foot forward at the interview and tell employers why you have a particular desire to be a retail stock clerk. Skills in dealing with the public, or language skills, can be an asset for a stock clerk.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay awake on the job. One of the easiest ways to become a former stock clerk is to get caught sleeping on the night shift (or any other shift). Despite the temptation to get a little shut-eye during your lonely night shift, it's important to stay awake and honor the responsibilities you've been given.

Resources

• Forum for Stock Clerks: Job Information
• Stock Clerks information