"I don't work here"

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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?

My late mother's phone number was one digit different from a taxi company and she got fed up drunks on a Friday night so we took turns to stop over and answer, lots of drunks must have waited an awful long time for their taxi to arrive.

Yep, I was in Heathrow Airport once, taking the in laws to catch a flight. I went on my own to find a cloakroom for MiL. Guy comes over to me and (I was wearing a pinstripe skirt suit at the time), he asks me where something was. I explained I was not aircrew as this is what he seemed to think I was, but no he didn't believe me and began following me and trying to convince me that I must be, it was hilarious. Finally got back to MiL who saw him off as only she could.

I must have "TEACHER" written on a huge arrow pointing at my head, as almost every time I go to pick my children up from after school club I get asked by other parents for their children!
Last week one woman literally barked her surname at me. I looked at her blankly (was busy mentally composing a shopping list!) and she barked "X children" at me again.
I just raised an eyebrow at her and said rather sneerily that I didn't work there whilst giving her a very hard stare a la Paddington
She was so fucking rude! Poor staff.

My husband gets the can you reach this because he is tall

Lived in 7 different countries, travel a lot and I have been asked for directions in every single one, even when it is absolutely clear I am not a native i.e: different accent, can barely speak the local language, am the only person of colour around for miles but still me...hopeless at directions and rely completely on google maps (which has got me lost a lot of times). Like a PP said we get out a map and figure it out together. No idea why

I never get asked anything, least of all directions! Someone asked me where to find X Road once and I said I didn’t know. After they left it dawned on me I was standing in X Road. Worse, it was the address of the office I worked in and was standing outside of, for 10 years .

They must know never to ask me!

(I am the sort of person who gets lost in department store and I have to pick out landmarks to find my way back out)

In the last few European few city breaks DP have been to, we've been asked for directions at least once, including by locals! Sadly I'm not sure we've ever been much help It might come from dressing casually and travelling light - people assure you're local.

This happens to me too. I'm forever helping people in shops. Never worked in retail. Was a litigation lawyer until I retired. Must just have a "I'll help you" face.

I got asked for help last week in Tesco, I said 'sorry I don't work here' I was wearing jeans and had a baby in my trolley (surely these should have been clues), the woman who asked them said 'oh but you have that', pointing at my self scan scanner, I just said yes anyone can get one at the front of the shop and spent several minutes explaining how it worked, while she marvelled at the concept, like it was something she's never even heard of. I haven't worked in retail since I graduated and I'm now 35. Some people are just odd (this particular woman was French, not sure if that was relevant or not).

I once asked some-one in a shop who was wearing a badge saying simply “Assistant”for help, and she said she worked in a different shop and was out on her lunch break.

We did both agree with a laugh that a badge saying just “Assistant” was a teensy bit misleading.

I am really enjoying this thread. Some make me giggle.

To answer some questions. Yes, I wasn't wearing a coat in JL, it was warm, but I had my handbag. I did wear coat in Debenhams. It doesn't generally matter what I wear. I get asked. Sometimes it's fun😁

Never happened to me but I have done it to others - it’s the way you dress, you probably look very smart and tidy? I’m too scruffy to be mistaken for JL staff😆

In the old old days our phone number was ‘ ‘primrose xxxx’ we were the same as London zoo but the last 2digits reversed, mum got calls all day for the zoo, esp if there was a new cub.

I could have written the OP, made me chuckle.
I do think it stays with you, I've been asked in several food shops for help locating items (I've previously worked in Aldi and Tesco for several years each). Iceland is a personal favourite.
Also waiting at a bar once to get myself a drink and a woman asked me to get her a gin and tonic for table 16!
I do wear a lot of black though and I think that may be part that reason.

Just a couple of days ago, I was in a supermarket and thinking to myself, “Now … lemon juice, Wendy, lemon juice ...”

A woman in front of me turned round and kindly told me which aisle it was in.

Either she was telepathic or I've started talking to myself. On balance I think it's probably the latter ....