Living in a small town has its benefits. It also has some challenges, especially when it comes to a wealth of job opportunities. This is especially true when it comes to retail associate jobs if your town doesn’t have a lot of stores. But does this really mean you should avoid retail careers? Not necessarily! Think beyond the local stores and small chains. If your hometown has a few “big box” stores such as Walmart, it’s a sign that retail careers are thriving. Here’s why.
If They Built It, They Knew You’d Come
Let’s face it: If the big box stores have setup shop in your town, there’s good reason for it. When assessing local markets to decide whether it’s worth putting a store in a small town, retailers look at everything from the population of your town, to the population of the surrounding area, to where people go to work and shop. These factors combine to show a wholistic view of the market in your area. Corporations have entire departments to analyze the strength of a local market and weigh the risks. If these stores have decided your town is a viable market, they’re usually not wrong!
Limited Opportunities or Opportunity to Shine?
But what might seem like ‘small town limitations’ when it comes to job opportunities, working for a place like Walmart might actually be your opportunity to shine in a retail job. With a limited pool of workers, retailers are more likely to see when someone is kicking butt at their job. After all, they’re banking on the same effect in your small town: with fewer competitors, locals are more likely to notice when their store performs better than the competition.
Room to Specialize
With less competition, you’ll also have more opportunities to specialize in your career. For example, if you love tech, you can put your interests to work and become an expert, not just at your job but in the community as a whole. That laser-focus and expertise in a specific area makes you a more valuable employee and can give you more options for career advancement. Makes sense doesn’t it?
Small Town, Supersized Career Prospects…
Imagine this: you live and work in a big city right now; you’re surrounded by hundreds, thousands of other retail workers; you’re a star, but it’s hard to get noticed. You’re another small fish in a big sea of workers, and everyone’s looking to climb the ladder, just like you. Now eliminate most of the people, a big chunk of those stores, and many of the retail sales associate jobs. You’re no longer a small fish in a big ocean. You’re now the big fish and have a greater opportunity to grow and be noticed.
…All While Staying Close to Home
One of the biggest advantages to working at a big box retailer in a small town is that you can reap the benefits of working for a big city employer without ever actually leaving home. You can stay in the friendly, tight-knit community you’re used to, while pursuing a career more worthy of the big city.
Supercharge Your Retail Career
Since we offer career opportunities with many of the movers and shakers in the retail industry, carving out a big career for yourself in a small-town setting is easy with OSL. Check us out today and launch your career at one of the best places to work retail in Small Town, USA.
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