WAL-MART: Please be candid and let me about your experiences WORKING there.?
609216
From my personal experience of working there ,for 2 1/2 years from Jan. 1996- July 1998 and for 9 months from Sept 2004 to June 2005, I can tell you that they are very inconsiderate of their employees, they have horrible benefits, and the pay is terrible. To be honest, I have found from working there for so long ,and "being on the inside" and knowing how the compnay really is, I have learned that they don't care about anything other than their precious money. I worked there while Sam Walton was still alive and the company didn't quite seem like they just cared about the money. It seemed more like they cared about the people working there, but now that Sam Walton is no longer here the company has gotten big headed and greedy. It seems like they'll do everything they possibly can to make a $1. All I can say is that if Sam Walton knew what his company has become he'd roll over in his grave and that's the honest truth.
301892
Um it varies. I've been working there for almost 21 months and have no complaints but I could see there being some complaints. First off for most of the year if you're not a full time employee then you have no guarenteed hours. I make the schedule and have a hard time doing it because of budget. Of course that could just me my store and because my people are overpayed. But really the discount is nice, the benefits you get for being full time is nice and it's generally a fun place to work for. Usually the age range is from 17-25 but it really varies on where you live but I would expect it to be near the same everywhere. But yea, it's the best job I've had (I was @ Circuit City for 17 mo. & Toys R Us for 22)
174646
my sister-in-law worked there.  She really liked it until they asked her to join the management team.  She's got a real issue with getting attention (either negative or positive) so she quit.  While she was there she really really loved it.
264515
Been to Walmart lately?  The vast majority of their items are made there.  Bunch of junk if you ask me.  They buy for pennies and sell for dollars, not to mention that they routinely put american manufacturers out of business and switch to a foreign suppliers.  Great for Walmart, but at the expense of product quality loss of US jobs.  How do they expect us to buy their products if we don't have jobs to earn money to purchase those products?
796807
I worked there for 6 months, and loved it, probably one of my favorite jobs I ever had.  I was a part-time shelver and cashier.  Pros:  working with books and seeing what was new before everyone else; seeing books that I never thought of while shelving; meeting new people while working there and having them recognize me everytime they came into the store; having (for the most part) really great co-workers\nCons:  Standing on your feet all day, getting papercuts when shelving (yes you are tempted to look through books and are allowed to as long as you get everything done lol), getting in the habit of straightening books like they have them in the store...I still find myself going into Barnes and Noble and if they aren't done like how I was trained, I find myself straightening them or putting them back where they belong lol, holiday rushes at the cash stand...talk about feeling pressured, shelving duties meant we had to be there at 7:30am before the store opened which was okay but some mornings that was really hard and you just wanted to sleep in.  I was sorry to have to leave but they cut out the shelving department at my store so I was let go.  If I hear of the store near me here in Atlanta hiring, I may try for a part-time job here as I loved it so much.  Good luck if you try, I highly recommend it even though the pay isn't very good, and you more than likely will spend it all in the store lol. =)
39710
Of Course!  \n\nThe documentary you seen seems quite accurate.  I stopped shopping there years ago with no desire to return.  The links below will direct you to more articles relating to the company.  Good or bad, their history speaks for them.\n\nI believe most of us now understand the crimes of Walmart.  I wish the focus would turn more towards investigating McDonald's, Coka Cola and other fast food/soft drink giants for poisioning the world with drugs that addict children and adults.  Not to mention the unethical way these companies do business as well. \n  \nAs far as the car question, I stopped driving over a year ago due to the rediculious gas prices.  I don't wish to support the current administration (which by the way SUPPORTS Wal-mart).  I have found biking and walking to be the best way to go.  Public transportation only when needed for extreme long distances.  Of all the 10+ cars I owned over the years, only one was foreign which was old and used.    \n\n:)\nPeace
700250
I work in retail and honestly, at one point I was afraid I was going to get hurt by the crush of people.  People were really rude and ignorant to me and each other.  It just gets worse every year...honestly, what do people expect when there are thousands of people in a store?  Excellent, prompt customer service?  It was all I could do to help who I can.  Some people were great and really nice and patient.  Thanks to all of those people--but to all the jerks--Merry Christmas to you, too.\n\nSorry about the rant, but thanks, I now feel better.
817442
I worked at wendys this time last year for some extra cash when the kids were in bed and hubby was done with work. We had this really nice lady from ehtiopia working there ( her 3rd job no less ) she asked this guy if he wanted a combo ( was cheaper ) he yelled, DID I SAY I wanted a combo ? He kept yelling and I was over in the drive thru and I heard him and went over there ( the manager was doing something else of course )\n I was like sir is there a problem. He starts raving like I didnt say I wanted a combo and on and on ( the dining room was packed! )\n Finally after about 1 minute or 2, he stopped yelling and said "What do you think about that ? "\n I politely smiled at him and said, " dang mr, if this food wont give yiou a heart attack your ugly attitude will."\nEVeryone in line started laughing, hes screaming he wants my manager and my name, I said my name was juanita( it isnt,,lol )\n The manager came over and said sir we don't want your business and please leave. \n He called and made a big stink but you know what, that ethiopan woman was JUST DOING what she was trained to do. As my pastor says, some people have to act like that cause its the only power they have in their life.\n\n I gave my friend a hug and told her to chin up cause she was really upset.
592322
Lots of people love Wal-Mart because it's cheap, lots of people hate Wal-Mart because it mucks up the economy really bad. \n\nI like watching the cheapies shop there because I know so many pointyheads who wouldn't be caught dead there or at Starbucks or anything else publicly traded or that employs more than 10 people.  The cheapies shopping at Wal-Mart don't really seem happy either though, but I think that's just how they are.\n\nThe one thing that people ignore about Wal-Mart is: sure the stuff's cheap but unless it's a brand you trust, 60 % of what you buy is bound be of substandard, dollarstore, quality.  I never really experienced "you get what you pay for" until I shopped at Wal-Mart.  For pointyheaded elitists like myself Wal-Mart is like the best possible zoo, but I won't shop there because I'm hoity-toity enough to understand what 'quality' means.  \n\nA story?  Well when I was a cab driver, it was readily assumed that anyone going to or from Wal-Mart wasn't going to tip well or at all and that was better than 95% true.
493883
i worked at walmart for almost a year. i was hired to helped them stock a new store to open it. some of us were hired to stay. i was hired as a sales assoc. to work electronics. no more than a week after they opened i was interviewed to be a CSM. I got the job. they treated me HORRIBLE. whatever the cashiers said they trusted. (by the way it wasn't only me being done this way) they had 1 csm to some shifts and wanted us to be in many places at the same time. HOW on earth can you be in sporting goods and on the front end at the same time? now GET this. I am with a customer a cashier needs me so they code their register to let me kow. I CANNOT just leave this customer. I got written up because I did not get to that cashier right away!! Go figure!! I have a 2 year old they wanted me to work over night on christmas!! Are they nuts? My app did not say I would work past MIDNIGHT!! They said they had to MANY complaints on me as a CSM so they wanted me to go to the garden center and take a pay cut! I QUIT!! I had one complaint the cashier!! Walmart SUCKS! I hardly shop there anymore due to the way they treated me while i was working!! They so DO need this UNION they all want you to report if you hear any talk about it!! You should visit walmartsucks.com
802767
I worked at Wal-Mart for 3 years during college. I had profit sharing, a 401k, annual bonuses and got paid more than any of my friends in other jobs. For smart people who have good work ethic - show up on time, don't steal, learn your department and be nice to the customers, Wal-Mart is a great company to work for.\n\nBeing a sales associate is a LOT more fun than being a cashier. Think about it - when you're in that checkout lane, you have to ask a manager every time you want to go to the bathroom or get a drink. You also get leg and arm cramps from doing the same motions over and over.\n\nWhen you're on the sales floor, you can help customers choose items, put together displays and special sales, and at least walk around and talk to your friends or other coworkers.\n\nIn the interview, they'll want to hear that you're a problem solver. Don't say you'd "ask the manager" every problem. Always try to solve it yourself first. If there's a question on a product, you can almost always find the answer on the box. Just pick it up and read it for the customer. Also, tell them you're punctual, neat, and love being around other people. (Hopefully it's true.)\n\nBeing in a brand new Wal-Mart should be pretty nice. The store is clean and organized and your profits should increase every year, leading to the annual bonus I was talking about. As far as expected pay goes, because you have no work experience, I'd expect about $1 more than minimum wage - this also depends on where you live. But they DO give merit raises (just for working hard) and I think they still give reviews every 3 months (if you do well, you get a raise.) Good luck!
200388
Not much. I live within 30 miles of the Wal-Mart HQ. Wal-Mart pretty much controls the companies, not the other way around.
1087124
My feelings on Walmart:\nBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1022089
Absolutely not.\n\nhttp://www.walmartmovie.com/\n\nYou want an explaination - go to that site and get a copy of that movie. You will never shop at Wal-Mart again.\n\nWal-Mart does not create jobs - it creates more cases of unemployement. It forces other businesses, especially locally owned businesses, to close because they cannot compete with Wal-Mart. Sure, they hire a bunch of people when a store opens, but because they are putting other businesses out of business the unemployement rate stays the same.\n\nAnd a local business cannot just lower their prices to compete with Wal-Mart. It's not that easy. Wal-Mart gets HUGE government funding to build their stores and keep their business running, but the little guy, the small business owner isn't allowed such luxuries.\n\nWal-Mart has also been very bad about hiring illegal immigrants - taking jobs away from American citizen living in communities. And whatever you've been told - not all Walmart products are made in the U.S.A. They pay a lot of Chinese workers next to nothing to produce goods for their stores.\n\nAnd did you know... there is an employee emergency relief fund that Wal-Mart has created for their employees and their employees have given MILLIONS of dollars to this fund, but the owners of Wal-Mart, the Waltons, who are billionaires, gave only $6,000 in one year.\n\nMost Wal-Mart employees are not well paid. Most of them can't even afford to enroll in the company's health insurance program. What does Wal-Mart tell them to do? They are refered to government funded programs. So the taxes you pay from your job help Wal-Mart employees get health care - it sounds noble and all, but it is money that could be spent on more important things like education, but since Wal-Mart doesn't want to give their employees affordable health care the American public pays for it instead.\n\nThese are just a few reasons.\n\nhttp://www.walmartmovie.com/\n\nWatch it.\n\nWal-Mart was NOT made by a black guy and why would that make it any better or worse?
1187614
I actually used to like the new job I have.  The pay sucks and no benefits but the work was pleasant enough and the coworkers nice.  HOwever I have a manager from Hell and everyone hates her and alot of them are quitting.   I dread the days I have to work with her as it only takes a few minutes for her to make me look stupid.  I am relatively new and always ask  before I take on a project that I am usure of and it seems to tick her off.  So I know what you mean.   Before I used to work for a discount department store and I hated working every weekend.
491090
I hate Wal-Mart! I never shop there unless I have to I absolutely cannot find the item anywhere else. \nI boycotted them for several reason:\n1) the reason you stated. Have you seen the episode of  Frontline about it?\n2) extremely poor service. If you go in there looking for something, you can never find it & if you ask someone that works there they send you on a wild goosechase before you find out they do not even carry it! Last time I was in there, I went for two items, it took forty-five minutes & I was not able to get either one of them! One of the items [Scotchgard] they did not even know what it was! Then I lost money in the soda machine, but the line for customer service was wrapped all the way around to the corner of the store, filled with people wanting to make returns. I asked a manager if they could help me & they said waiting in that line was the only way to get my money back. They only had one of three counters open, but there were several employees just standing around gossiping. The manager could have at least sent people over to open the two other counters so people did not have to wait so long. I have had several similar instances when the employees are unhelpful. I work in customer service & it just makes me so mad that I bend over backwards to help my customers but that it is extremely difficult to get good service when I go somewhere. Like, when you ask their employees if there are any in back---they do not even check. They just say the do not. Or when you ask where something is and they say "If it's not over there I don't know where it is" . \n3) Lack of selection. In most cases they only carry one name brand & their housebrand & the namebrand carried is not the one I use.\n4) Some items (especially the clothes) are low quality. We used to call them "Wal-Mart-fall-a-parts growing up.\n5) I can almost always find stuff cheaper somewhere else. I do not know why everyone thinks they are so cheap!\n\n(Sorry for any typos, spell check was not working.)
285504
Have you ever had a job like that before? What experience do you have? How do you deal with unruly customers? How do you handle complaints?