looking for advice
Hi all, Since I am still not employed- toying with a part-time retail job until I find something permanent. Wondered if anyone knew which places were better than others. I am looking for 20-25 hours a week - basically something o keep me busy and bring in a little money. I live near two malls and we have a Wal-Mart, Target, K,mart, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, Sears, JC Penny's, Kohl's, Dillard's and a bunch of smaller stores like bath and body works, express, etc. Last time I worked a seasonal retail job was at a K-mart back in Dec 1986, so I have been away from this for a long time and I am sure things have changed. Thanks I have known people who worked part time at Wal-Mart, Target, Dillards and Forever 21. The others I don't know very much about except what I observed when I go there. Wal-mart = Known for not allowing breaks at regular intervals. Supervisors have been known to take an employee to task in front of customers. Two absenses or late for works, you lose your job. Target = Pleasant working conditions. Known for hiring mentally challenged people for light lifting and restocking. Tolerant with concern for lateness as long as you call. Dillards = Smiles always. Cannot leave counter unless specifically asked. (for those who are cashiers). Will take money from your paycheck if till is short. Two shorts and you are fired. Zero tolerance for anything especially absences. (Quick story-a file clerk I supervised had a child she needed to bring to the emergency room. She called Dillards where she was part time. They told her not to bother showing up for her next shift. Policy is one strike and you're out. I read the store manuel and it does state that.) Forever 21 = Great place to work. Small enough to know stock. Great discount on clothes. When working shift can only wear clothes bought or borrowed from store.
wow- they all sound pretty punitive except Target and Forever 21. That is really sad that they would fire an employee who had to take a child to the emergency room- what else are you supposed to do???! Dillards is very strict. When I called them on my file clerk's behalf, this was their reasoning (which was pretty damn lame and I told them that). It was the child who had to be taken to the emergency room not the employee. The child could have been taken by another member of the family. When I said that she was a single parent and the only other person who could take the child was the grandmother who was not in the best health herself, they HR chippy I talked to said if that was the case, then she shouldn't have opted to take a job with Dillard's. The receptionist, two other secretaries, and the wives of three of my attorneys and myself won't go to Dillard's anymore because of that.
Wow. What an awful way to treat employees. I don't currently shop at Dillard's because they are too expensive, and I certainly will not in the future either! That reasoning is just awful. I guess I could go the fast food route too- I actually worked in fast food many years ago. But, it was possible to get regular hours and basically just went into work, did my job, such as it was and then got to leave. I know I will be bored out of my mind, though. I was bored doing that back at 18, but it was a job at least to help me get thru college. Pretty sad when a CPA has to consider working fast food !!!
Well, with the way things are, any job is better than no job. But look at it this way--your being a CPA could give you an edge in going up the corporate ladder. People are not going to stop eating fast food any time soon, so there's your job security. Use it as a selling point. Be creative in selling yourself. Did you check if there are any CPA positions open in any of these companies? Something I've noticed lately is that the higher rung jobs are easier to find than the bottom tier. Good luck.
I'm thinking of going to the retail route too, but I want full-time work. I also have not worked retail since 1986! That was my first job and it was at K-Mart. Not too bad, but around the holidays, they had the longer hours, but if you are working part-time that's extra money in your pocket. K-Mart used to give you your birthday off with pay and time and a 1/2 on Sundays. I don't know if they are still that way. Anyway, I have one week left at my office job and plan on going to Target, Kohl's, and Walmart tomorrow. I look at this way - a job in retail is better than sitting at home wondering and worrying if you're going to find a job. And if I have to work weekends and holidays, so be it. I'll survive it. Way back in the late 1970s, I worked at K-Mart and still have friends who are store managers and DC managers there. Today as with all retailers like K-MART, they are only hiring workers for less than 40 hours a week. And you will be expected to work on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Go into a retail store and apply. This season looks kind of bleak but I have seen a lot of retailers looking for seasonal help. The Versace, Prada and Escada shops in our hotel/casino are looking for part time employees. The pay is not as high priced as their merchandise BUT at least you will be ringing up $1,000 sales regularly.
It is sad that these stores are open on Thanksgiving and Christmas! But, then if retail had to depend on my shopping habits, we'd all be in trouble. I may take a look at see what I can find here.
If you want full time work, you won't find it in the service industries (retail, restaurants). Only management is full time. Some that used to have full time associates no longer do. They don't want to pay for benefits. Until we have national health care, its going to remain that way. Even supervisors and sometimes assistant managers are only part time. It's going that way in many other areas. Just try to get a full time job as a bank teller, and many offices now hire part time receptionists/secretaries. You most likely at this time of year will be seasonal, and after last year's figures, fewer seasonal people will be hired. There are thousands more places to shop than 25 years ago, and more and more people are shoppoing earlier and won't wait until "Black Friday " to start. Many of the customers in the store I last managed were Christmas shopping this summer. manager II | |
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