"I don't work here"

[SafetyAdvice0FeedWhenAgitated]

This is light-hearted. I am just curious if this happens to other people too.

I worked in retail and hospitality for well over a decade so I have permanent smile on my face even when I am angry, can orient myself in any shop immediately and I guess I have something else too, because "Sorry, I don't work here" is a sentence I end up saying quite often!

The best example. Went to John Lewis to look for some inspiration in a home department. I was switching cushions on one sofa, where my DH sat, to see which colours and patterns work best together. I had to pop into a nearby aisle few times to get different cushions (I put them all back after, I am not a dick).
3 separate people asked me "Excuse me! Where is x?" They all "Oh! I thought...", apologised and thanked me (all very polite) when I said I don't work there, but it's x aisles down. All in a span of 15 min.

I had no uniform, clothes didn't resemble JL in any way. It happened in other shops too! Once I ended up helping lady in Debenhams chosing a colour of a coat she wanted. She was lovely though.

Is that it? Is the retail and hospitality worker in me forever and so strong that people just can tell?
You know, like in a movies where people can easily identify cops or former cops?

I am retraining to a non retail/hospitality management position.

Firstly, AIBU to worry they will all just think I am a lost shop assistant who accidentally entered their offices?😂 It obviously "shines" from me.

Secondly, AIBU to be curious if this happens to other people from other professions too?

Happens to me quite often! However I am usually in my wrk uniform, totally different colours to staff uniform I may add! Just tell them what isle they need and go on my merry way!!!

Never happens to me as I have a resting bitch face. My DH has once been mistaken for staff in Boots purely because he had his staff lanyard on - not a Boots one or blue one...

It doesn't have to have a link with your day job though. EXDH always gets asked stuff when he is in a DIY store. He is an accountant 😂

I get this too .
I do not work in retail .
I get asked directions abroad too often in the local language if France or Italy .

There’s a Reddit group called I don’t work here lady...most of them are from rude customers convinced that the OP does work there!

I often shout “I don’t work here” when the self checkout breaks down and the rude self checkout assistants get angry at me like I am doing badly on my first day being till trained.

I don’t work for you Tesco!!!

I used to have a motorsport logo'd jacket (I got it free and it was warm) but it was similar to a train operator in appearance. I was once stuck will a bazillion others due to some rail balls-up. A bloke walked behind me and loudly muttered about what a "fucking shambles" it was because he thought I was a rail employee. Glad I took the heat off for someone who really did work for the railco.

I was out with some friends once having dinner and I popped off to the loo. Now I was silly enough to be wearing a short black skirt with a white shirt and a black and white waistcoat.

On my way back to the table, a man stopped me and said "we want coffee." No "can we have," deffo no "please" and in a tone that implied that the tip was at stake here.

I just said "I'm sure you do" and walked off. He got half an "oi!!" out just as I was was sitting down. His face was a picture.... as was his DP's, she could't keep a straight face. Yeah, you look REAL big being rude to the waitresses.

This happens to me when I go into the pharmacy wearing my NHS uniform. Strange though that you weren't wearing a uniform or badge!

It has happened me too. I just tend to smile and then take them over to either the goods they are looking for once I have said I don't work there or find them a shop assistant. I don't really mind.

I actually think people who do this fall into two categories: those who have such a staggering lack of attention to detail they don’t even think to check whether the person stood next to them works there and just see a human being and take a punt, and those who know full well you don’t work there but figure it’s worth a shot anyway cos they’re too lazy to go find someone who does.

I’ve had this so frequently my response isn’t ‘oh sorry, I don’t work here!’ anymore, it’s a kinda surprise ‘oh, what made you think I worked here?’. People can never actually say! It’s not like I’m wearing similar clothing to staff either or I could understand that.

People are weird. I find it pretty rude actually lol.

I used to work in superdrug when I was younger (late 90's) and was wearing the uniform (bright pink jumper with the superdrug logo and a name badge) and someone asked me if I worked there...I said no and walked off (I thought I was hilarious!)

DD once got told off by 2 middle aged ladies for being on her phone in M and S. They told her they were going to inform her supervisor as they'd been watching her for 10minutes and she was doing no work at all.
She doesn't work in M and S.

Happens to me all the time & I have no customer type experience. A friend said I look confident but approachable. Which is funny really because its me putting on my 'I can do life' face, as actually I get terrible anxiety & social phobia.

I used to work at Sainsburys and once bobbed into the co-op after my shift, and I was asked there, though we did have a nice laugh about it once I pointed it out.

@Serin What did your DD say to them after that? I'd have been rather rude if someone interrupted me like that!

@priceofprogress I also think entitlement comes into it too. Especially applicable to the people who then complain to the manger about the person who doesn't actually work there. Those are the kind of people who clearly have nothing better to do with their time, and need to find a hobby.

A woman tried to take something,out of my hands the other day in B&M - she thought I worked there. I kept a firm hold of it and looked at her in a confused way. She tutted and walked off. Very odd.

I thought I had a resting bitch face and was quite proud of that, but I was asked where some item was located in a shop. I said I didn’t work there and didn’t know and was told to fuck off!

A lot of older people do this deliberately to women in shops because they’re too lazy to find a shop assistant and think you’ll waste time helping them find what they need.

Oh, I haven't read the full thread and I'm sure someone else will have said this but I had to race on to say.... INFANT TEACHER!! It screams from my face apparently! I get utterly random kids in parks ask me to tie their laces, help them climb, look for mum.
I was with a friend and she could spot the moment when their little eyes lit up in a certain way and then.. 'get me/ find me/ help me' Admittedly, her own kids do it too.

I'm an early years teacher...
Lost children find me, babies come to me even when their Mums say they don't like anyone else usually, random preschoolers chat to me and I always end up in long conversations with trick or treaters on the doorstep.

It's like they just know 😆🙄

A lot of older people do this deliberately to women in shops because they’re too lazy to find a shop assistant and think you’ll waste time helping them find what they need.

Yep. Agree with this, sadly.

I work in Coop and when I go to asda in my uniform I get asked where things are and sad git that I am I usually know. I got asked three times one day in Wilko as people thought I worked there. My dh thought is was hilarious as my uniform at that time was black and wilkos is bright red.

This is the type of stuff why I try and avoid people as much as possible.

Sitting on public transport. Who sits next to me? That one no-one wants to sit next to.
Walk around stores, even when I am wearing a coat and a woolly hat, or have headphones on ffs. Excuse me, can you tell me where such and such is.
Walk along a road, I don't have a clue where I am going. Excuse me can you tell me where such and such is
Stand to say looking at the Thames for example. Walking through train stations, coach station. Sit on a bench minding my own business.

It's relentless. I don't make eye contact. There are other people around who aren't wearing headphones. Ask where this that and the other is. Tell me about their life stories. Their problems. Be throwing up in a hospital bed with drips, and yup some fucker has done it.

I have a resting bitch face. I have a glare that makes them go away so I don't have to talk. I stopped engaging years ago. No-one can explain it. I used to ask so I could avoid doing what the fuck it is. It's not because I am helpful, I'm not. Find your own bloody beans, I'm trying to find the shampoo. And directions now are even worse because they have a fucking phone. And breathe.

Please, please, please stop going to random people and ask them these things. Take a look at who you are asking. Can understand confusions with regards to uniforms (nope not that either), but other than that. No. Just no.

Maybe we need to start a campaign. How to identify if a person works there 🤣

@Namechange84, he was moving stuff from one shelf to another. I expect he was checking dates but I thought he was tidying the shelf. I did apologise.