Interview(type thing) and 'practice(?) day

[MGB Boy]

Long story short my brother was going for a job one day a week, but his current employer offered him full time work, I now have a shot at the job he was going to take.
I'm going in tomorrow for what I assume is a kind of interview general chat etc.

I'm also doing one day where I go in and they basically watch what I do. (Calling it a practice day as I cant think of the actual word)
Now the work is Sunday in a bike clothing shop. On the 'practice' day I don't really know what I'm going to do.
I've not had a job before and not really sure that I can interact with customers help them with products etc as I have no experience / minimal knowledge!

So what do you think I should do on this practice day if I'm invited to do it? (Which I'm pretty sure I will be from what I've heard from my brother)

Do I just shadow the other staff?
Offer to make all the Teas and coffees?
Offer to go and collect lunch?

Or all of the above?

I'm really uncertain seems as I have no experience

[bitwrx]

Dress smart. Be keen. Don't slouch. Good luck.

[hidetheelephants]

I have equally little experience in 'customer facing roles' as they like to call them, but I think a good start would be to imagine how you would like to be treated as a customer and do that; NB this will not work if you are a sociopath. Just be polite, and if you don't know something, admit it and ask someone who does.

[AJS-]

Treat it as your first day at work. Help with what you can, admit when you can't and find someone who can. Yes definitely offer to make teas, coffees etc. Unless you really mess up, or in some way show absolutely no aptitude for the job at all, then getting on with everyone and pitching in to help where you can is what they are looking for.

Good luck!

[pokethepope]

How often do you see shop staff walking around the shop-floor with a cup of tea in their hand? I appreciate it may be a little different for a small, independent and perhaps more relaxed shop, but i would still think it unusual. Drinking tea will be for the tea break, which will be staggered between the staff, so i wouldnt worry about it.

Just try and pick up as much knowledge as possible and use it before the end of the day. After all that is why customers will go to a bike shop and not the internet, for personal service and advice, so if you can show you have picked some knowledge up and applied it on the first day, thats the most important thing to do.

[Deluded]

They will expect you to pick up product info quickly and be able to relay that information back to customers. Asking questions and reading packaging helps. Asking questions shows you are confident to admit you don't know anything but also are willing to learn.

I expect they will just basically show you around, meet the other staff and then talk/show you through what it is you will be doing. Once you have the basics, they will get you helping out/serving customers, probably with another staff member to help you out etc.

It's really just a day to make sure you didn't just make up loads of st in the interview and that you aren't in fact a complete retard.

Just be smart, friendly and helpful.

Edited by Deluded on Saturday 10th April 00:20

[singlecoil]

I totally agree with the advice on this thread, and will add to it that in the end the people who have the job in their gift will either like you or they won't and that is what they will use to decide whether or not to offer you the job.

The most important thing is to show you are keen. As long as you are keen then everything else will follow (assuming a certain basic level of intelligence )

Edited by singlecoil on Saturday 10th April 12:17