Things you’ll only know if you worked at Boots

As retail jobs go, Boots was rather sought after by your average 17 year old trying to make a bit of extra cash. Decent pay at a well-known retailer, and getting a discount on all your make up was hard to bargain with.

Here's a few things you'll only be sure to know if, like me, you spent all your spare hours away from sixth form working there.

The staff discount was actually quite good

Oops I did it again!

They also did double discount events twice a year which were the dream. I honestly spent half my earnings in the store I worked. The discount would let you mentally justify every purchase you made. Sure, you got a new mascara a few weeks ago, but CLINIQUE just launched a new one and it's definitely going to be better.

Don't work in somewhere you want to shop kids, it's a trap.

You got paid surprisingly well

Boots is one of the few retail stores that actually pay all their staff the same wage no matter how old they are. While some of my friends were slogging it in garden centres and cafes for minimum wage, I was 17 and getting over £8 an hour – no complaints there.

You despised your uniform more than anything in the world

VERY Practical VERY Nice

Imagine getting your job in Boots and then realising you have to wear that horrible thing – a tabard – on every shift. They were uncomfortable, incredibly unflattering, and also got dirty so easily – not really very practical when you're going round cleaning up foundation.

Also, everyone automatically assumes you're a pharmacist due to the clinical look you've got going on, which probably isn't for the best when you barely passed GCSE biology.

You have a selection of songs that you can't listen to without it reminding you of working there

One Christmas I worked there, we played Jessie J's Christmas song (that was in a Boots Christmas advert) every half an hour on the store playlist, and oh my GOD – I never wanted to hear of her again after that.

You never understood why they got quite so much stock in at Christmas for it all to go on sale in January

Remember the remnants of Zoella's advent calendar that no one really wanted? The rest of the Christmas stock was just like that but a load of other 'gifts' made for a similar purpose. Insert most minor celebs of your choice here, and they probably had a range that wasn't particularly good and just helped to fuel their ego. You could buy it on the cheap as soon as the clock struck December the 26th.

The stuff people would try and return was actually hilarious

Used make up was a common one, as was used bath/shower products or perfume. You name it… we would have had someone try and return it.

One time a colleague of mine was faced with an old man trying to return a used bath sponge – super weird and grim!

There was a lot of bitchiness

Everyone that worked at Boots was either a student trying to save up a few extra pennies or a divorcee in their 50s, with a classic 'can I speak to the manager' name like Karen – absolutely no in between. Male domination doesn't exist here.

There always seemed to be a lot of very bitter feelings and tensions in the staff room. These older women would LIVE for the drama, and we would never try and stop them – it was all part of the fun.

You were never mature enough to not feel awkward when people bought condoms, pregnancy tests, lube…

Although, you did intensely judge people on the type of condoms they bought – ribbed? dotted? FRUITY?! How exotic x

Trying to get people to sign up for advantage cards was the bane of your life

Employees were always given targets of how many people we needed to sign up that day. Although people might want one, no one wants to sign up for anything there and then. You'd always pick on people while it was really quiet just to get them to fill in the form and get your manager off your back.

It wasn't all that bad, really

It was without doubt one of the better places you can get a part time job through your studies, and if you LIVE for the gossip and a discount off all your fave beauty brands – it's definitely the place for you.