I worked at a JC Penney for 7 years and looking back I really regret staying there as long as I did. At the time my thought process was similar to yours, I thought that even though it was a shit job I was relatively comfortable and I wouldn't be able to find anything better until I got a degree. But then once I left I realized that job was actually hell on earth and there are much better jobs out there.
The reality is that working in a department store is probably one of the worst jobs you can possibly have for your life long term. So long as you're working there you'll never, ever get a decent raise, you won't get a promotion and you're not really learning any skills that look good on a resume and could help you get a better job somewhere else (I know dealing with customers and shit takes skill but managers/capitalists don't see it that way).
There were a few older people who had worked at JC Penney for much longer than I had and they were still making basically the same rate as me, and they were some of the most miserable depressed people I've ever met.
When I started at JC Penney I was making $7.25 and hour, and when I left 7 years later I was still only making $8.35 an hour. The job I had after that was a construction/manufacturing job that started at $9 an hour, and when I left that job 6 years later I was making $18.
Retail is a trap and I would recommend getting out while you still can.
I worked at a JC Penney for 7 years and looking back I really regret staying there as long as I did. At the time my thought process was similar to yours, I thought that even though it was a shit job I was relatively comfortable and I wouldn't be able to find anything better until I got a degree. But then once I left I realized that job was actually hell on earth and there are much better jobs out there.
The reality is that working in a department store is probably one of the worst jobs you can possibly have for your life long term. So long as you're working there you'll never, ever get a decent raise, you won't get a promotion and you're not really learning any skills that look good on a resume and could help you get a better job somewhere else (I know dealing with customers and shit takes skill but managers/capitalists don't see it that way).
There were a few older people who had worked at JC Penney for much longer than I had and they were still making basically the same rate as me, and they were some of the most miserable depressed people I've ever met.
When I started at JC Penney I was making $7.25 and hour, and when I left 7 years later I was still only making $8.35 an hour. The job I had after that was a construction/manufacturing job that started at $9 an hour, and when I left that job 6 years later I was making $18.
Retail is a trap and I would recommend getting out while you still can.