I keep reading stories about Wal*Mart. I can understand people wanting wage increases. I worked for Wal*Mart for about a year, and loved it. I was a front line cashier. I think I was paid very well for that job. I certainly made more $$ at Wal*Mart than I made a Dollar General, or at my first real job, Explorer Van. These jobs at Wal*Mart are mostly unskilled labor. They arent intended to be the sole income of a household, as most positions of this type are part-time. You get a handy discount card, and a nice little bonus. There is an indoor break-room for smokers. I was offered extra hours nearly every day if I wanted them. There was a good chance of advancement, and another position was offered to me within a month of my hiring. If I hadnt had that little health scare, I would still be there. I enjoyed the people I worked with. I had to do only MY job. I didnt have to wear a hundred different hats. I did MY job, then I went home. I know my situation is different. Wal*Mart is not my only source of income, so I didnt really NEED that money to live. Wal*Mart works with your schedule, YOU tell THEM the days/hours you can work. I never once felt I was underpaid for the work I was doing. I have had REALLY crappy jobs where I was overworked and underpaid, and unappreciated which made that little pie job at Wal*Mart even better. I think a lot of it is...being grateful. Grateful to have a job of any kind in this economy in this area. Grateful to be healthy enough to work at all. Wal*Mart REALLY does have a difficult time finding employees in this area. There is a reason that has nothing to do with corporate hiring practices for all of those empty registers. Out of 72 applicants in my group, 9 passed the drug test, background check and educational requirements. Of those 9 four quit before the training week was even complete, and didnt even stay long enough to learn how to run a register. They just left at lunch and never came back. Training is mostly sitting in a air-conditioned classroom, reading and taking quizzes on a computer and watching safety videos. You were paid for 40 hours during that week. Some didnt even stay the first full day. By the time I left Wal*Mart, there were 3 of the 9 left, including myself. Some people just arent good at working with the public. Some people make up their minds before they ever start a job of any kind that they HATE working. If you do that, you will never be satisfied anywhere, at any job, regardless of the wage. I filled out my application for Wal*Mart online, and was contacted by phone within 20 minutes of hitting Submit. Wal*Mart was good to me, and held my position for a while after my stroke. I chose not to go back, and just take it easy for a while. I am still often asked by Wal*Mart supervisors You ready to come back yet? whenever I see them in the store. If It wasnt such a drive from here, Id go back in a second.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 16:34:40 +0000