"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?

I'm glad someone else mentioned wondering about the other person 🤣

Wonder how many stores over the years have had a complaint about the staff member who was rude and unhelpful?

All I wanted to know where the milk was. And since when was it company policy for staff to wear headphones. 🤣

Happens to me all the time although it happened to me at a play group the other day so maybe I just constantly look like I'm working. Must be all the years of trying to look busy

My adult son for some reason bought himself a hi-vis jacket, complete with reflective strips. He gets stopped often in stores by people needing help. I think it's funny as hell and he always helps if he can. He has got items off high shelves and puts 50 lb sacks of dog food into carts/trolleys for small women and even given simple plumbing/electrical advice in the Home Depot. I told a few women who have asked for his help, "He doesn't work here but he'll help you". They apologize and we all have a little laugh. As a smaller woman I understand their plight. (I just ordered him a warmer hi-vis jacket for winter because I now like the fact I can spot him a mile away).

Years ago a boyfriend I had at the time passed the bar exam and became a lawyer. He bought himself a very nice suit, the first he ever owned in fact and proudly went off to the law office for the first time. On the way he popped into a posh department store and several people asked him for assistant thinking he worked there. He had a laugh because he worked in retail through law school but on that day he said he felt like a big shot in his new suit - for awhile anyway.

My adult son for some reason bought himself a hi-vis jacket, complete with reflective strips

LOL! i used to have to collect DD 2and 3 from the railway station years ago, if i turned up in hi vis work attire the number of people who assumed I worked for the railway was legion.

Still didn't mind at least I thought i was helping someone which all in made our city even more of a tourist hot spot!.

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

I'm sure some people like your goodself radaite a Karma of some sort:)

The last few times I've been in Wetherspoons, I've been asked by someone how the coffee machine works. I couldn't decide if they'd forgotten their reading glasses or wanted me to operate it for them.

I had this recently in a large and fairly complicated hobby store. It’s a store I use quite often though so I know the layout pretty well. A woman came up to me asking where a particular item was. I replied, with a smile, I don’t work here. I was about to add that I thought it was in a particular place when she started laying into me for not knowing as clearly I ought to know if I was buying stuff in the art department (she was looking for something in sewing, why she made the connection with art supplies I have no idea!). So she knew I was just a customer but had a go anyway. I just repeated that I didn’t work there and walked away - I certainly wasn’t going to help her after that! The weird thing was, there were umpteen shop staff nearby, all in uniform, that she could have asked.

I worked for a bank in the 90's with a tartan uniform anywhere I went other than work people would come up to me assuming I worked there ,boots was the worse 😂

I get asked for directions a lot and have no idea why as I definitely (and this has been confirmed by others) have serious resting bitch face!

I get this all the time, but I get asked directions.

I don’t know why, but I must look like I know where I’m going. I get it on holiday too

I'm a secondary school teacher and was at an open evening at another school with my yr 6 DS a couple of weeks ago. Just wearing jeans, a jumper and some boots (so not workwear) and this was at a school in a completely different town to the one I work in.
The amount of parents and children who stopped me to ask where things were, or what time events were happening, was insane! I told one woman that I was just a parent and she said "oh I just assumed you were a teacher"
HOW!??

I was asked by a man in M&S once. I used to cut through the store to save time and it was lunch time.

I don't know what the uniform is now but it used to be navy suits and hideous blouses. I was wearing a black suit and a plain top and carrying a large shoulder bag but obviously looked as if I knew where I was going.

I pointed to where he needed to be, he thanked me and off I went.

I also have people asking me about craft items, how to use them etc.

I went to a ‘posh’ Bangladeshi restaurant a few weeks ago, on my trip to and from the toilet two seperate tables asked me over to put in a drinks order.

I wonder if chinese guests get this in chinese restaurants etc?

You should watch YouTube "I don't work here lady" videos. It's because you were taking the cushions back and forth and the fact people don't really pay attention to see if you're wearing uniform.

I had a ten minute conversation with someone who wanted my help in a shop the other day. Even when I explained I didn't work there they proceeded to ask my advice on all sorts of items. It was very, very bizarre. Obviously I gave them my completely unqualified advice while explaining I really didn't know anything 😁

People like to share their life stories with me quite often but the most bizarre happened quite some time ago in Woolworths. A lady with her children asked my advice on how to get rid of nits. She said she had an itchy head too and could I see of she had any.......I was working in social care at the time.

Primary education here.
Kids always come to me , always. I always get asked by parents and grandparents to watch their toddler/baby/child whilst they nip to the checkout/toilet/run after another child. It happens all the time.

My mum always gets asked for directions and advice when she is abroad. She doesn’t speak any foreign languages and has no sense of direction!
She’s been asked alsorts such as which train people should catch in foreign cities.
Where is the best place to eat in foreign cities. What’s the quickest way to get from A to B. She always has a go at answering too!

Maybe it's because you're confident in that space and people pick up on it. Either that or you have a wicked smile and people are enchanted by it

😂 These are hilarious!😂

A few times I've been in the library and people have asked me where to find specific books. I've also been approached and asked for tattoo advice (I have a few tattoos)

I was once waiting with a colleague in a hotel lobby for someone to come to the desk. We were in our coats with suitcases. A man comes from a room, stares straight at me and says “can you arrange for some extra toilet rolls for our room please?” Then walks off!!

My husband is a photographer and is always getting ask to take photos of people in their phones. He doesn’t normally have a camera on him, busmans holiday, but they do get good photos, he never tells them

I was stood waiting for an ex in Topman when a lady walked in (I presume she was an area manger) and started talking at me. Can not remember what she said but I think she thought I was just stood around doing nothing . Then she just walked off. It was bizarre

Someone had a minor go at my daughter for being unhelpful in a shop recently.

She was very embarrassed when I popped up and say "That's my daughter, she doesn't work here and she's only 15!"

DD was confused until I pointed out that she might want to stop wearing entire wardrobes from the same rather distinctive retailer!