I quit at Wal-Mart

[Composite 2992]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

Adrian...

I worked at a bowling alley as the guy in the back who unjammed pinsetting machines. Did that for three days and quit when I was unexpectedly called in to work one day. And when the phone call came in I was on my way out the door to go to the beach.

And 10 days at United Airlines. Couldn't continue after the skin peeled off my hands (no one told me the material I was handling was caustic), and the boss wanted me to work at nights when I couldn't get transportation. Lost out on a good-paying job, but I was only a temp hire at that time.

Eventually none of that mattered. I had a quarter-century career in a large company, along with a supervisory position. I recently left that and now have my own small business that's doing OK.

Keep at it and good luck!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

I tell people to give it a year. When I started at the Gas Company back in 1982 I thought I was gonna do precision instrumentation calibration work as the job description implied. I didn't know it was gas instrumentation and not electronic. My whole background was electronics. I thought I'd last a month there and during that time it was very difficult as my experiences were totally different from that job, but the paycheck was great.

After a year I had become more familiar with this new career and my physics and chemistry background helped me move ahead in the gas and petroleum industry leaving my electronics career as a hobby.

After 22-years I finally quit to retire here on the Big Island. The paycheck and the humbling experience of working in field I never considered opened my eyes to the possiblities of what a person can do.

During that time I started three businesses, became a photographer, worked in the field of radio working both behind and in front of a mic, started my own sports broadcasting marketing company, and did telephone installation as a side business.

Now as a sales associate for Home Depot and prior to that a farmer on the Big Island, I know there's nothing I can't do.

Adrian you're young and every job you get will be a learning experience. But in order to make those experiences work for you you gotta stick it out insteading of bailing when the going gets rough.

Management is ALWAYS the main reason why most people quit a job, but if you quit at every job a manager makes a decision that you don't like, you'll never learn. Take a couple of management courses or classes and you'll start to understand why decisions that seem bad really aren't. There's a reason why things are done a certain way in any organization, and in some cases if you aren't properly trained in management, you won't understand the logic behind some decisions made there.

Managers don't get to the top by being stupid. They may brown nose a bit but apparently the powers that be, noticed those who are signing your paychecks and complaining to the higher ups is telling them that you don't agree with their decision on who they hired and they can take it personally.

There used to be a book out in the 80's called Gorrilla Management. I read it and fully understand why aggressive managers do what they do. I tend not to be that way but that book really opened my eyes to how Corporate America functions and how the little guy get's run over for the sake of investor dollars.

[adrian]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

The good news, is that my application-filled-weekend paid off, as I got a few job offers. Hopefully I'm not jinxing any of them, but its something different other than computers and cart pushing.

And my coworker said that most costco people (I don't know what to call them) work a total of 20 hours per week, with managers and other important people (butchers, cashiers, etc) working more because they're needed more.

[Konaguy]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

The good news, is that my application-filled-weekend paid off, as I got a few job offers. Hopefully I'm not jinxing any of them, but its something different other than computers and cart pushing.

And my coworker said that most costco people (I don't know what to call them) work a total of 20 hours per week, with managers and other important people (butchers, cashiers, etc) working more because they're needed more.

I tried applying at Costco about a year ago. I went through the interview process.I was just about ready to take the job, when a snag occurred. The
lady said I'll be hired on as part time,but I'll get full time hours. I was like, huh ?

As it turns out after your 90 day probationary period, you can apply for in store openings.I didn't take the job because I didn't want be stuck in part time/full time limbo for 90 days.

[TuNnL]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

I would be curious to know whether the wages are higher or lower at Wal-Mart since they are not unionized. Nearly all the grocery stores (Safeway, Foodland, Star Market, Times, etc.) are part of the UFCW [United Food & Commercial Workers] Union. Wal-Mart is a grocery store on the mainland, and trying to be one on Kaua‘i.

[Konaguy]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

I would be curious to know whether the wages are higher or lower at Wal-Mart since they are not unionized. Nearly all the grocery stores (Safeway, Foodland, Star Market, Times, etc.) are part of the UFCW [United Food & Commercial Workers] Union. Wal-Mart is a grocery store on the mainland, and trying to be one on Kaua‘i.

Wal-Mart is in the process of leasing DHHL land in Hilo for a SuperCenter also.

[adrian]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

I would be curious to know whether the wages are higher or lower at Wal-Mart since they are not unionized.

For the cart guys, the starting pay was $9.25 something, but at Sam's its I believe $10 or even $12. (but my excuse was that they work in a covered parking lot, so more CO2, increased risk because of the dark area, and more noise pollution.)

[Star of Gladness]

Re: I quit at walmart

Well, after I mope around for a while (hopefully not for long) I'll be on the pavement again - then I'll ask how to handle this on my resume.

Adrian, there's not much to explain! This is all you have to say in future interviews.

Q Why did you quit your last job?
A. It was WAL MART

Everybody knows Walmart sucks as an employer. They'll understand, and if they dont, you probably wouldn't want that job either! Don't sell yourself short! Good luck!

[Palolo Joe]

Re: I quit at walmart

Adrian, there's not much to explain! This is all you have to say in future interviews.

Q Why did you quit your last job?
A. It was WAL MART

Everybody knows Walmart sucks as an employer. They'll understand, and if they dont, you probably wouldn't want that job either! Don't sell yourself short! Good luck!

That's got to be the WORST advice I've read so far in this thread.

[cezanne]

Re: I quit at walmart

That's got to be the WORST advice I've read so far in this thread.

Yeah. Either don't put WalMart down in your history at all or just say that you got a better job oppurtunity. But since you quit like you did...

Also, don't bash your former employer at your next interview no matter how crappy they treated you.

[TuNnL]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

For the cart guys, the starting pay was $9.25 something, but at Sam's its I believe $10 or even $12. (but my excuse was that they work in a covered parking lot, so more CO2, increased risk because of the dark area, and more noise pollution.)

Wow, so at least in Hawai‘i, the pay from a pure wage standpoint is higher at Wal-Mart then a union shop like Safeway. I heard Safeway’s “cart guys” make $7.25 an hour. Their stock clerks and cashiers make $8 to start. Maybe Safeway kicks Wal-Mart’s butt in the benefits department? hmmmm....

[LikaNui]

Re: I quit at walmart

That's got to be the WORST advice I've read so far in this thread.

I agree with ya, PJ!

[Honoruru]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

I think one of the key points in this thread is: Should I list this episode on my resume? (This could be an entire thread of its own, with Adrian’s experience as an example.) I think there’s a 50/50 opinion on this matter, but I also think it also depends on the circumstances.

For me, personally (and this is just me), I would NOT list this episode.

I have a long list of jobs held, and several jobs where I’ve quit under questionable circumstances. I agree with Craig ...

... in order to make those experiences work for you you gotta stick it out insteading of bailing when the going gets rough.

that you should stick it out no matter what, at least for a year, but sometimes (for whatever reason) that is not possible, or that is not what eventually happened (for whatever reason, despite your predisposition, despite your convictions), and you’re stuck with the consequences. What to do?

Adrian, you had another job (your computer job, smaller pay, perhaps, maybe even less significant, but more in tune with the direction you want to go), so you don’t have a “hole” in your resume. If the subject should come up in a future interview, tell them the truth. This is something you should explain/discuss face-to-face.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

leaving WalMart off of a resume is ignorant. Play up the fact that the job taught you to bust your ass shift after shift. I cannot tell you how many computer dudes I've contracted move slower than a snail. Proudly and unrepentantly display your WM creds and explain that you honed your work ethic, people skills, and OJT cardio at WalMart. Be proud of it, because it rounds you out as an employee.

[adrian]

Re: I quit at Wal-Mart

If the subject should come up in a future interview, tell them the truth. This is something you should explain/discuss face-to-face.

That's what I'll do. Now, to find a printer...

Play up the fact that the job taught you to bust your ass shift after shift.

Amen to that. And my muscles are starting to hurt because I've been siting infront of my computers for so damn long. I think I'll start collecting the carts all over waipahu and return them to their rightful stores. LOL