Running A Fish Shop

[Miss Wiggle]

Right guys and girls, sure some of you know just recently myself and my partner have been made redundant due to the recession.

Unfortunately all of our experience for the last 5/10 years is in the construction trade, the construction trade is completely dead and as such we're really struggling to find work.

At the job centre yesterday I saw an advert for an 'Aquatics Manager' which is actually reasonably paid (still a massive pay cut for either of us but at least it's not minimum wage anyway!) so we're both going to apply for it and hope one of us gets it.

So I've loads of experience with actually keeping fish, but none with working in fish shops (have got management experience in engineering though) so for those of you who are working in fish shops now or running them can you give me as many tips and bits of info on the commercial side of running a fish shop so I can get it into my CV and talk at least semi confidently in an interview.

Thanks

 

[simonas]

an aquaintance of mine ran a local lfs for about 6 months. it was busier when he was there and not as busy after he left.

he came on pleco websites and ordered fish in for people and used to get fish in for me and he commented that by being friendly and putting himself about he raised the profile a fair bit.

other than that I couldn't help but I'm interested to see the comments on this as I reallly want to set up my own fish shop cos I hate my career that I'm stuck in!! lol

 

[paul123]

CONGRATULATIONS... on this upcoming job.
hopefully you get it man all the best luck from me!!

 

[Truck]

well my best tip is tell the truth. that way in my lfs that i work for, we have had less returns.

 

[Schmill]

MW Nooooooo!! You can't do it!

Your advice on here for me has helped me sooo much, that if you open an aquatics shop I'm going to HAVE to drive to Leeds to get my fish and I don't think that will go down to well with the other half!

Seriously though, I hope it works out really well for both of you. Keeping fingers crossed for you both!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thanks everyone

god it's hard writing a CV about fishkeeping, I mean what can you say?! 'I know lots about fish, I've kept x,y and z and I go on a forum and help people out with their fishtanks' doesn't sound half as impressive as the rest of my professional cv!!

 

[orange shark]

good luck MW

hope it all turns out well for you

 

[Schmill]

thanks everyone

god it's hard writing a CV about fishkeeping, I mean what can you say?! 'I know lots about fish, I've kept x,y and z and I go on a forum and help people out with their fishtanks' doesn't sound half as impressive as the rest of my professional cv!!

Well, at least you have LOTS of people you can use as a 'Reference'
In fact it might even be worth you putting on the CV a line giving the address of the forum and your username, then if they know anythign about fish they can 'checkup' on you themselves (Of course I don't know EVERYTHING you have posted on here, so it's up to you whether you'd want them trawling through all your posts - lol)

 

[Spishkey]

miss wiggle,i have worked in various fishy places and its kind of like keeping fish at home, but on a much bigger scale!

ive not been an aquatics manager so im not sure if that role consists of the paperwork side of things, such as orders, returns stock control etc or the actual hands on role of the shop floor employees.
my duties included the 'regular' jobs like scooping out dead fish, moving sick ones to quarantine, glass cleaning, lots and lots of glass cleaning (they actually blasted the insides of tanks with a powerhose to clean the inside of tanks, while fish were still in there in one place, hence why i left!), catching fish that had made it into the (sump?) filters underneath. that was great fun sitting in the basement shining a torch into the tanks trying to locate escapees! there was also the public side of things, sharing knowledge with customers, advising on set ups which fish go with who, foods, care etc.
then boring bits like keeping the shop clean and tidy, shelf stocking etc.

just be honest in your cv, tell them what you know, what you can do, that you can be a team player, you are a people and fish person, you have great communication skills, you are a dabhand at many things, you know a fair bit about fish (but dont go harping on about the need for fishless cycles and stuff just yet, .....wait till you actually have the job until you do that! then you can give out the good advice, in the right place!

good luck i hope you get it.

 

[chesterscot]

hope one of you gets it miss w
regards scot

 

[Miss Wiggle]

thansk everyone, honest is definately the best policy. as i say i think if i go in with the attitude that i know my stuff (certainly compared to a lot of the lfs employee's around here!!) about fish, and from other experience i know how to manage people, hopefully they'll take a punt on me.

we shall have to wait and see.

 

[SharonCC]

Good Luck! Sounds like a lovely job...

 

[Ferris]

That is gonna be weird if you both get down to the last 2 or 3 candidates!

Good luck to both of you - sounds like you could do with a lucky break at the moment.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

That is gonna be weird if you both get down to the last 2 or 3 candidates!

Good luck to both of you - sounds like you could do with a lucky break at the moment.

Be funny wouldn't it!

Thankyou though, we definately could do with a bit of luck right now.

 

[Nick16]

good luck, least the experiance wont go to waste, all the best,

regards,
Nick