16 Year Old trying to find a job in a music shop/store

josh

Hi everyone
I wanted to know everyone's opinions on if I could get a job at a musical instrument store.
I turned 16 3months ago and I am looking for a job.
I have been playing guitar since I was 6years old so I know alot about gear etc.
I would like to work at Marshall Music, Paul Bothner, Music Mate or Musiek Wereld.
I know it is difficult to get a job these days but I wanted to know if anyone could let me know about any jobs available.
I know how a business runs as I am doing "Business Studies" as a subject at school.
I have a very likable personality and can speak fluent English and Afrikaans.
Thanks guys
I would like to know what you need to get the job
By the way I am located in Cape Town

ezietsman

Have you phoned/mailed/spoken to any of the managers at these stores? I would start there.

josh

I have mailed some of them but got no reply.
Maybe I'm going to give them a call...

guidothepimmp

Email is impersonal and "the easy way"

Walk into the store, ask for the manager and speak to the guy man to man. Don't expect highest wages, but that would be the best imho.. At least it shows you bothered making the effort of going in and all that

Reinhard

Are you planning on doing this full time or just part time, because dropping out of school to work in a music store would not be a good move.
What the other guys said, show up there and speak to the person in charge.

AlanRatcliffe

guidothepimmp wrote: Walk into the store, ask for the manager and speak to the guy man to man.

+1. At least for the initial contact. Treat it like an interview and hand the manager your CV "for his files". Follow up regularly after that by email and phone (not so regularly that you become a nuisance), asking if anything has opened up. Keep at it and eventually they will give you at least a part-time weekend job. Remember it's a job in sales, so they want to see initiative, preparedness and a certain amount of dogged drive.

Presentability isn't as important as in other sales-related industries (just look at the sheer amount of face furniture, odd hair and ink on display in your average MI sales force), but it does make a difference - they prefer that you be someone that can sell to parents too and the ability to scare young children will usually count against you. Similarly, your Cannibal Corpse T-Shirt might be cool to you and your friends, but a very large (usually the biggest) percentage of any shop's turnover comes from the Praise & Worship market...

I got my first job in a small shop by tracking down the owner before he had even started shopfitting his store, impressing him with my (apparent) "go-gettedness". Ended up running the place within two years. Then kept bugging the "big store" until they got me in for a month to fill in for someone. During that month I rearranged the entire counter and store room (mostly so I would know exactly where everything was and what hidden gems were tucked away in the dark recesses that form 75% of every music store). Turned out by the end of the month, I was the only one who knew where everything was - largely because I'd put it there - so they were forced to take me on permanently at the end of the month (largely for fear that they would never be able to find anything again ?).

SnapcaseZA

Yeah, I agree with everyone. Honestly walk in there face-to-face. And remember, a music store isn't only about guitars, people go there for other instruments too so you'll need to know about a whole range of stuff.

But once you get in there, please look/be presentable and friendly. I play heavy music, I listen to 'heavy' bands, but some music stores have guys in there with beards as long as my arm and more piercings/tattoo's than a biker gang leader - in short, its intimidating. I would much rather be served by a normal-ish looking bloke (jeans and a shirt or something), sorry to say that. But then again, someone who knows about a whole bunch of music styles, and doesn't seem to favour any of them either. No arrogance either please.

Tokai-SA

Walk into the store, speak to the manager, and offer to work for FREE...no salary.
That way, even if they have no vacancies for a job, you'll definitely get the job.
Unpack boxes, sweep the floors, do whatever you have to do to prove yourself, and a position will be established for you with a salary.

Sounds harsh I know, but if you're determined to work in a music store and it's that important to you, then do whatever it takes.

Personally, if I were 16 again, I'd be staying at school, studying my ass off and going to University to get a degree.

shaundtsl

All good advice, but this the probably the best!

Tokai SA wrote: Personally, if I were 16 again, I'd be staying at school, studying my ass off and going to University to get a degree.

josh

Reinhard wrote: Are you planning on doing this full time or just part time, because dropping out of school to work in a music store would not be a good move.
What the other guys said, show up there and speak to the person in charge.

I am not planning to do this for the rest of my life, I would just like to get a job and start working.... you know,, to get some experience. Thats why I would only be able to work in the holidays and on weekends because of school.

VellaJ

Opeth wrote: I am not planning to do this for the rest of my life, I would just like to get a job and start working.... you know,, to get some experience. Thats why I would only be able to work in the holidays and on weekends because of school.

Good luck man. When I went to varisty at the beginning of last year, I also tried finding a part-time job in a music shop. Only got a response back from one shop (Music Mate) answering in the negative. However, I did approach an Alfa Romeo car dealership, and got a part-time job there. As student jobs go, it's pretty sweet. 8)

Alex-B-Broadway

Good luck man, it's a good place to start. I think the best way to approach this is to go to music stores and ask. In person is always better.

George-Engelbrecht

Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
guidothepimmp wrote: Walk into the store, ask for the manager and speak to the guy man to man.
+1. At least for the initial contact. Treat it like an interview and hand the manager your CV "for his files". Follow up regularly after that by email and phone (not so regularly that you become a nuisance), asking if anything has opened up. Keep at it and eventually they will give you at least a part-time weekend job. Remember it's a job in sales, so they want to see initiative, preparedness and a certain amount of dogged drive.

Presentability isn't as important as in other sales-related industries (just look at the sheer amount of face furniture, odd hair and ink on display in your average MI sales force), but it does make a difference - they prefer that you be someone that can sell to parents too and the ability to scare young children will usually count against you. Similarly, your Cannibal Corpse T-Shirt might be cool to you and your friends, but a very large (usually the biggest) percentage of any shop's turnover comes from the Praise & Worship market...

I got my first job in a small shop by tracking down the owner before he had even started shopfitting his store, impressing him with my (apparent) "go-gettedness". Ended up running the place within two years. Then kept bugging the "big store" until they got me in for a month to fill in for someone. During that month I rearranged the entire counter and store room (mostly so I would know exactly where everything was and what hidden gems were tucked away in the dark recesses that form 75% of every music store). Turned out by the end of the month, I was the only one who knew where everything was - largely because I'd put it there - so they were forced to take me on permanently at the end of the month (largely for fear that they would never be able to find anything again ?).

This is great advice, thanks Alan.

What you say is such a good example of just giving the potential employer so much value on top of what other potential employees could give....and then also important is to communicate this to the person you are dealing with because they won't know if you don't tell them what it is that you have to offer over and above the regular guy looking for a job.