Gotta test that firmness somehow. (Source)

Selling furniture means there's always something to sit on at your workplace.

It also means you can hop up and down on the mattresses like a trampoline when nobody's looking.

You'll get to practice your people skills. Charm goes a long way in retail sales. If you can be pleasant, make that personal connection, and get a customer to trust you, you're that much closer to making the sale. 

A lot of your job is being nice to people, being knowledgeable about the furniture, and selling them something they obviously really need (they came into your store after all). What would their day be like if they had to go back to their new home or apartment, sit on the floor, and eat dinner on an empty cardboard moving box? Sad, right?

Beyond those skills, all you really need is a high school education. This is great in that it's a job you can jump right into out of high school, but not so great in that you can only expect to make around $30,000 a year (source). 

Now which shelf did I leave my sandwich on? (Source)

This is a job that most people expect to work during summers or while going to school for something else. Those who do stick in the industry are usually gunning for a managerial role where they can make a little more cash and avoid dealing with annoying customers.

You'll certainly get all kinds of people and personalities to deal with if you work out on the floor. If you're shy and you'd rather sit behind a desk than in front of it (showing off its no-wax veneer), you could try to get a job in the warehouse...there's no commission back there, though.

Even if this ends up being a temporary career for you while you're finishing up school, you can learn a lot about people, sales techniques, and how to run a business that might help you later in life.

In the meantime, hopefully you do actually enjoy being around a bunch of new people each day. You get to put on a show for whoever comes into the store. It can be as entertaining as you want it to be.

You'll want to greet customers quickly, make them trust you, make 'em laugh, and above all—ask for the sale. The icing on the cake that is your salary is in the commissions and bonuses.

If your sales skills are sharp and you move a lot of furniture, commission rates can be generous, ranging between 4% and 8%. Some high-end stores will pay employees as high as 10% or more. 

Of course, it's not all rock and roll.

Unless you work in a fast-paced, high-volume store like Ikea, you'll need to deal with plenty of down time. While it's true, everyone needs furniture—they don't need it as often as, say milk.

You may have to find ways to amuse yourself between customers showing up. 

Just remember, eventually everyone needs something to sit on.

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