Working at a music store

Seventhson

I would love to work at a music store.

My dad is on my back about getting a job. Would you need any special qualifications to work at a music shop?

Manfred-Klose

no, just a good personality(very important for doing good business)

and some basic knowledge on gear, the rest you'll pick up as you start working

Seventhson

Thanks mate.

I am a very good person and do have a great personality.

And I do know a good few things. ?

AlanRatcliffe

Depends on the store. Some are extremely sales-oriented and may work on a commission-only basis (no sales, no pay) - you can tell those stores, as you usually have to walk around with a Katana to fend off sales staff. ? Some are more relaxed and will give you a basic salary and a target beyond which you make commission. To be successful, you need in-depth product knowledge as well as sales skills and you have to be a "people-person".

Don't count on getting rich (some of the career types do well, but they are rare), but it's a good job to have for a few years while you build up your gear at staff prices (on average I spent more each of my four years at Bothner's than they paid me, but ended up with my own PA and studio). Just be careful to not succumb to every GAS attack - plan carefully what you need. Ideally you should end up with your own PA or studio so that you can try make money from gigs/sessions when you strike out on your own.

Also be aware that your playing will take a knock - after a day surrounded by gear, the last thing you want to do when you get home is practice. Takes a lot of discipline.

Seventhson

Thanks Alan. The one I want to work at seems to be very relaxed.

It just so I can also contribute to my parents,for me staying here with them.

I am only 21 and just would like the experience.

infernox

Look Im a photographer who used to work in a camera store (was photographer before I went to hell in a shopping mall).

As Alan stated, the last thing you wanna do over a weekend is play guitar if you work with them every day. Yeah theres a certain excitement about the new R50 000 axe which just came in, but it fades real soon. Remember that the stock is not your personal instruments, so bosses dont generally allow use by staff more than needed to show clients i.e. I could never take a Canon 1DS out of the box just to look... if a client wanted me to demo the speeds then I was allowed.

One thing is that you learn A LOT. You will learn all the technical stuff you dont know and should you find someone who is willing to assist you then you could fall with your but in the butter.

Look at the Stuart guy at Marshall Music in Woodmead, I think he makes a good salary and he learnt everything (so to say) on the job.

Your still young, excitement runs through your veins. Use that to your advantage. If you seriously see yourself having a future in music (not playing on stage) then go for it. The first 3 years's experience will prove invaluable if you understand that you will learn and not be a master in those three years. Take the time and opportunity to learn and learn and learn and practice.

Seventhson

I want to actually work at the Marshall music store in woodmead as it is on the way to my dads works so that would solve transport for me.

Do you think I would be able to get a job there?

And as for the for the reason that I really want to work at a music shop is that I really want to learn as much as I can. ? ?

Bob-Dubery

You have to be careful in retail. It's not about knowing about music or guitars or books or whatever the store is selling, it's about being able to deal with customers, and there are other skills that come into play like understanding a little about business and managing time. I was in Music Connection on the weekend. I like to deal with one guy there - I used to deal with him when he was at another shop - but he was busy. He had me wanting to return some goods, somebody else pumping him for information on multi-fx and a third looking at a fairly expensive guitars. This was 9:30 in the morning before the store got really busy.

Attitude is important as well. Management in busy shops doing like seeing somebody taking lots of smoke breaks or sitting around playing guitars all day. I'm not saying that you have an attitude problem, just pointing out that there's more to this job than knowing about guitars.

I think it may be a fun job (seriously) but I'm not sure it's a good career. If you can find work as a book keeper or in software development then that's a more secure career path.

Do you have any tertiary qualifications? If so then look to maximise those. If not then consider using a job in a music store to fund studies. We all have to retire one day, and we'd all prefer to be as well set up as possible when that time comes.

infernox

Bob: I dont agree fully. There is a place for people in retail and it can be a profitable industry. The manager at Marshall in Woodmead rides a Buell etc... so he cant be short on cash.

To give you an idea where I come from. I used to be what I call a 'pinch hitter' for my photographic retail company, meaning they would send me into smaller stores who had hardware sales problems or stores which needed their staff training in the art of selling hardware. I was that guy. I got paid more than anyone else and got comm, yet if I stayed in the big outlets I would have made double my salary in commision.

Once your in a retail store and you get the chance to learn all the ins and outs then you could make it a career as people trust that wisdom which comes with age and that alone will gain you sales. Its not a easy career path like developing etc as those careers offer you a chance to work for a company till you die, with a constant stable income.

The one thing I liked about retail is the fact that suppliers start knowing who you are and thus you have a good chance of getting in with a importer/distributor as a rep/tech.

Seventhson

X-rated Bob wrote: You have to be careful in retail. It's not about knowing about music or guitars or books or whatever the store is selling, it's about being able to deal with customers, and there are other skills that come into play like understanding a little about business and managing time. I was in Music Connection on the weekend. I like to deal with one guy there - I used to deal with him when he was at another shop - but he was busy. He had me wanting to return some goods, somebody else pumping him for information on multi-fx and a third looking at a fairly expensive guitars. This was 9:30 in the morning before the store got really busy.

Attitude is important as well. Management in busy shops doing like seeing somebody taking lots of smoke breaks or sitting around playing guitars all day. I'm not saying that you have an attitude problem, just pointing out that there's more to this job than knowing about guitars.

I think it may be a fun job (seriously) but I'm not sure it's a good career. If you can find work as a book keeper or in software development then that's a more secure career path.

Do you have any tertiary qualifications? If so then look to maximise those. If not then consider using a job in a music store to fund studies. We all have to retire one day, and we'd all prefer to be as well set up as possible when that time comes.

I have n+ and a+ but I really don't want to work with computers. People are getting under paid and what not with IT at the moment.

infernox

IT is actually a scarce skill, but in my personal opinion a crap job. IT just aint fun.

vic

Seventhson wrote: Thanks mate.

I am a very good person and do have a great personality.And I do know a good few things. ?

7thSon, I have followed some of your threads over time and from these my instinct tells me you're what you say....also down-to-earth and humble as well ?
Give it a go....if you like it, great. If not, move on in life....try something else.
But always have ONE goal in mind..and that is to work for yourself eventually.
Good luck.

Seventhson

vic wrote:
Seventhson wrote: Thanks mate.

I am a very good person and do have a great personality.And I do know a good few things. ?
7thSon, I have followed some of your threads over time and from these my instinct tells me you're what you say....also down-to-earth and humble as well ?
Give it a go....if you like it, great. If not, move on in life....try something else.
But always have ONE goal in mind..and that is to work for yourself eventually.
Good luck.

That is very kind of you?

I am up to learn anything to b honest.

Keira-WitherKay

yeah if you into it give it a try who know... make a pact with yourself give yourself say 6/12 /18 months to become self sufficient from music store work and if you do........fab

if not quit and do something else.....................

and be positive .......

i'm living testament that one can walk the road less trodden .and survive ......actually quite well ........

after i studied music i said the same..be self sufficient after 1 yr or go back to varsity and get a BA /Bcom anything but forget the music angle.......... within 7 months i was oversea's performing in hotels and never had another income other than music for almost 22 yr's now .and always had to support myself.no trust fund or daddy to bail me out ......

so yeah everyone told me back in 80's "get a real job" music biz would not work ................ seems so far so good......

yes it will be tough and no i doubt you will get rich from it ....... but if it's what you want go for it ...............

Seventhson

I love music.

It helps me get through hard times. I can't go a day with out playing my guitar?

Manfred-Klose

if they dont need anyone to help them at the music store, convince them that you will be a real asset to them. Volenteer to work for free for a while. it worked for me.

Seventhson

Manfred Klose wrote: if they dont need anyone to help them at the music store, convince them that you will be a real asset to them. Volenteer to work for free for a while. it worked for me.

Will do? It is not like it is a tiny shop?

Bob-Dubery

infernox wrote: IT is actually a scarce skill, but in my personal opinion a crap job. IT just aint fun.

IMO most jobs ain't fun, at least not 100% of the time. I'm lucky in that I work in IT and find writing software to be a pleasurable activity. Maybe I'm weird. I should add that I don't survive on cold pizza and I don't get a tan from monitors ?

This is what hobbies are for. All work and no play does make Bob a dull boy. So you have a guitar or you ride a motorbike or you paint or take up pottery or ornithology.

Having a passion is important, but a passion can't always sustain you so, I think, for most of us we have to put ourselves in a position where we can sustain our passion.

Skywalker

(on average I spent more each of my four years at Bothner's than they paid me, but ended up with my own PA and studio). Just be careful to not succumb to every GAS attack

HAHAHA I know the feeling Alan ? My first year at Bothners was crazy. I didn't expext to hit my targets and get commission in the first 3-6 months but I did - and ended up blowing it all on gear. Good times indeed.

Ideally you should end up with your own PA or studio so that you can try make money from gigs/sessions when you strike out on your own.

Most definately!!!!

The first 3 years's experience will prove invaluable if you understand that you will learn and not be a master in those three years. Take the time and opportunity to learn and learn and learn and practice

+1. Infernox. Willingness to learn and make "mistakes"-and not make them again- is one of the keys to success. There is a ton of cool stuff to learn about from working in a music store and plenty of connections in the biz to be made.

GO FOR IT DUDE!!!!

Warren

X-rated Bob wrote: IMO most jobs ain't fun, at least not 100% of the time. I'm lucky in that I work in IT and find writing software to be a pleasurable activity. Maybe I'm weird. I should add that I don't survive on cold pizza and I don't get a tan from monitors ?

++;

IT is a broad landscape indeed, so I wouldn't be too hasty to write the whole thing off as boring and humdrum. There are many sub-industries that can be very challenging and ultimately very rewarding.

Tech support might suck a bit, but it's certainly a start.