Janise | A Model Employee

Janise is responsive and eager to help, always ready to listen to what customers say they’re looking for. She simply takes in what’s needed and delivers accordingly. Whether she’s assisting customers, coworkers, or even helping me out directly, Janise is known for being easy to work with and accommodating to others' needs.

She is also a woman of great character. While I’ve seen other employees pass judgment on customers, making comments about their appearance or assumptions about their worth, I have never heard Janise speak badly about anyone. She welcomes everyone with warmth and open-mindedness, never shying away from those she’s just met. It’s no wonder new customers keep coming back again and again when she is here.

One of Janise’s greatest strengths is that she is excellent at taking direction. Whether she’s being asked to switch departments, or when I tell her how to adjust her technique, she does it without hesitation. She listens, adapts, and applies instructions with great precision. Even when the requests come from multiple people at once, she stays focused, handling it all with grace. She’s a real multitasker. I’ve watched her handle customer calls with one hand while doing her job with the other—she never loses focus and keeps things running very smoothly.

I am not Janise’s manager. I never actually wrote this referral letter for her. But she does work at Walmart.

This is an exercise in double entendre—where words hold two meanings at once, walking the fine line between the professional and the suggestive. The Fundergarment project is all about contrast—how a woman presents herself to the world versus the hidden layers beneath. This piece follows that same philosophy.

What follows is a fictional referral letter written as if I were her manager, highlighting her work ethic, professionalism, and customer service skills. On the surface, it’s a glowing recommendation. But between the lines, it tells another story.

Because words, like people, have more than one side.

To Whom It May Concern,

It’s my pleasure to recommend Janise for any opportunity that requires dedication, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. At Walmart, she has set the standard for exceptional service, attentiveness, and a natural ability to make people feel valued.

Professionalism is second nature to her. If there’s ever a misunderstanding, Janise has a way of clearing things up effortlessly. She’s never had to raise her voice. She never had a moment where things got out of hand. She just always seems to know exactly what people want.

That's why her customer service skills or top notch. She anticipates needs before customers even ask. When someone is hesitant or unsure, she guides them, making the experience satisfying, and exactly what they hoped for.

At the end of the day, Janise understands the game. She’s been doing this long enough to know that people always leave happy when they get exactly what they came for. Whether she’s working the floor or handling things behind the scenes, she knows how to deliver what’s expected—with confidence, precision, and an undeniable grace that keeps people coming back.