How do you keep gas in the tank & food in your belly?

[Queen]

Thought maybe if I applied to a nationwide retailer I could transfer around some... Just got done filling out the online application for Home Depot, uploaded my resume and answered about 25 resume related questions. Then I got to answer the "assessment questions", 145 multiple guess questions to see what I know about customer service, work culture, tools, and home repair.

I just can't, for the life of me, imagine 90% of the people at my local HD answering those questions even remotely correctly.

 

[Sameer]

Social Security and my Teamsters Union Money...
A good budget that includes savings. Van has a savings account...Dog has a savings account...I have a savings account. Plan Well and Life is very Good!

 

[IGBT]

We are going to try software engineering working remotely if we can find short term contracts.

I can code a little bit but my wife has 25 years experience as a high level software developer, recently on Xbox One.

Just not sure what type of short term (3 to 6 month) software contracts are out there that don't require you to physically be on site.

 

[dhawktx]

Thought maybe if I applied to a nationwide retailer I could transfer around some... Just got done filling out the online application for Home Depot, uploaded my resume and answered about 25 resume related questions. Then I got to answer the "assessment questions", 145 multiple guess questions to see what I know about customer service, work culture, tools, and home repair.  

I just can't, for the life of me, imagine 90% of the people at my local HD answering those questions even remotely correctly.

And you would be correct! A lot of those questions are not to see if you know the HD 'code', but to see if you have learned another culture so well that it would be a poor fit with HD culture. Their two employee bases are 1) retirees who come with a lifetime of job skills and knowledge, and 2) kids just starting out or adults for whom HD is a step up from working at Walmart. 

They are hiring (a lot of) seasonal workers now and in the next three weeks. Everyone starts out part time and it's very difficult to get to full time unless you are good enough that a department head actively creates a full time position for you in their department. Once you've been there a year you can transfer to other stores, if they don't already have someone internal lined up for the job. Don't ever let them know you can cashier - EVER.

I've just finished my first year at my local HD. My customer service is such that my boss adores me, regulars search me out to help them, and if I'm not there some just turn around and leave, saying they'll come back on a day I'm working. My 'annual pay increase'? 28 cents. Which is supposed to be real good, since some folks apparently get a nickel or a dime!

 

[Queen]

Wow, thanks for the insights! I don't know if I could accept a cashier job even if it was offered, my new knee does okay moving around but swells like crazy standing in one place.

Any tips for the interview? Should I tell them I grew up on job sites with a contractor dad?

 

[USExplorer]

In the past year:

Under the table temp jobs, landscaping
Summer job, room&board provided, housekeeping/custodial
Part time job, custodial
Volunteer, room&board provided, farm labor

 

[SoulRaven]

As a full timer, we are uniquely qualified to work overnight security at many places and basically get paid to sleep.

I know a number of full timers who provide security at construction sites and get paid paid very well for doing it. All they do is call the cops if thieves or vandals show up.

I also know several people who do house sitting by parking in the driveway and get paid for it.

I even know one guy that get paid $1k/month to park in a cemetery every night!

For those wishing to work online, there are tons of freelancer jobs available at all times, and you bid on the jobs you want.

If you want to do computer tune-ups, virus/spyware/malware removal etc. either remotely or at the customers location, a simple ad in Craigslist can keep you busy and make you a LOT of money.

Many small businesses need websites, or need their websites maintained. I know people who will build free websites, then sign them up for monthly hosting. It doesn't take long to have hundreds of people paying you $10/mo for hosting. I'm making about $60k/yr selling hosting after about 5 years. I'm just paying a 3rd party to handle the advertising, and it's basically a hands free business for me.

If you think outside of the box, and work for yourself rather than someone else the possibilities are almost endless.

 

[dhawktx]

Any tips for the interview?  Should I tell them I grew up on job sites with a contractor dad?

No real tips? I generally interview well - open body language, good eye contact, natural smile - so when I went in it was just chat a bit with one of the Assistant Managers while they felt out the personality and attitude. Some of the points I made were that I was a happy customer before applying, that particular location was my favorite because of the associates helpfulness, and I had a history of DIY creativity - HD was my favorite toy store! Asked about my availability I made no restrictions on hours on days, which I think was also in my favor, as it made me easier to schedule around other associates. I'm in a college town, so being available around the students' schedules is huge. After I'd proven myself and gotten offered full time, I started listing preferences as far as schedule.

 

[highdesertranger]

how would you be a security guard if you are asleep. the guards I know if they get caught sleeping they get fired. highdesertranger

 

[Queen]

No real tips? I generally interview well - open body language, good eye contact, natural smile - so when I went in it was just chat a bit with one of the Assistant Managers while they felt out the personality and attitude. Some of the points I made were that I was a happy customer before applying, that particular location was my favorite because of the associates helpfulness, and I had a history of DIY creativity - HD was my favorite toy store! Asked about my availability I made no restrictions on hours on days, which I think was also in my favor, as it made me easier to schedule around other associates. I'm in a college town, so being available around the students' schedules is huge. After I'd proven myself and gotten offered full time, I started listing preferences as far as schedule.

I really keep hoping for an interview as I interview very well.  Thanks for the tips about topics.

 

[GrantRobertson]

Any tips for the interview? Should I tell them I grew up on job sites with a contractor dad?

If HD is anything like Lowe's, what they want to know is that you LOVE being helpful to customers and you won't loose track of all the layers deep you are in interuptions. After you get the job, you will find there are several expectations which can never all be met, because the store will be terribly understaffed. The ones you will most likely be dinged for (merely because they are the easiest to check) are keeping the shelves stocked, and keeping the shelves looking pretty.

 

[SoulRaven]

how would you be a security guard if you are asleep.  the guards I know if they get caught sleeping they get fired.  highdesertranger

There are many different types and levels of security.  When I'm doing Christmas tree lots, my very presence is a deterrent.  If a vehicle pulls up in the middle of the night, it will wake me up.   Same for fireworks stands.

In a new sub division, I would expect it to be similar.  Or in a construction equipment yard, I would suspect any noise would awaken the guard.

In many security jobs the  people either live there, or just sleep there.

 

[Patrick46]

Good thread!

Lots of great info & ideas!

 

[dhawktx]

If HD is anything like Lowe's, what they want to know is that you LOVE being helpful to customers and you won't loose track of all the layers deep you are in interuptions. After you get the job, you will find there are several expectations which can never all be met, because the store will be terribly understaffed. The ones you will most likely be dinged for (merely because they are the easiest to check) are keeping the shelves stocked, and keeping the shelves looking pretty.

Yep, Yep, and Yep! Due to the understaffing there's often a situation where you are helping one customer, have two more that you have acknowledged as being 'next in line' and you'll get a page or a call asking you to help someone in your area three aisles over. Or get reminded that there's now three returns carts in your aisles that need to get taken care of, or a problem at the Service Desk they need you to help with, or even someone needs help in the next department, whose associate didn't come in, so can you help them right away and cover that department too until the next person comes in? That's when you have to keep your cool and honestly let them know that either it will have to wait its turn or they can find someone to relieve you with your current customers if the new situation is higher priority. 

Some days its just 'Whack-a-Mole' with Customers and the next shift gets to take care of the maintenance you didn't get done.

 

[Queen]

Thanks for all the tips!! I should be able to "walk the walk" pretty well since I supervised 20-40 college kids at my last job and was constantly hammer "PATRON SERVICE" (I worked in a university library) to them, they are the reason we exist so take care of them. And never ignore one, always acknowledge them and let them know you'll help them as soon as you're done with your current patron.

 

[CTP]

Thanks for all the tips!!  I should be able to "walk the walk" pretty well since I supervised 20-40 college kids at my last job and was constantly hammer "PATRON SERVICE" (I worked in a university library) to them, they are the reason we exist so take care of them.  And never ignore one, always acknowledge them and let them know you'll help them as soon as you're done with your current patron.

At Home Depot here in California, you want a sales associate position ( not a cashier or lot tech, they pay less and the cashiers work very hard!).  Try to work in the Department with the most people working (in the store I was working in it was the garden department).  It sucks working in a department where you are the only person working (or the next door department,  you will need to cover that department when the one person in that department is at lunch, break, or called in sick).

This was my analysis as of 1 year ago (last time I worked there).  Minimum wage has increased so the pay difference may not be the same now.  When I worked there, cashiers and lot techs started at $9.00 an hour and sales associates started at $10.00.

Expect to work weekends!  As I was a part timer (and did my job) I was able to demand fixed days off  (but not weekends).  The most important thing is not hiding and engaging the customers! Asking every customer "can I help you" impresses the bosses!

 

[compassrose]

I quit HD in June of this year. I have no plans of ever working for them again (2/2012 - 6/2015). The new manager and his lackey made my last two months unbearable (I would get "Home Depot Headaches"). I have spent 4 months trying to get the money they took out of my paycheck (10%) for 6 months to buy stock. I finally got it but it was a fight. I was a fulltime associate.

What HD looks for is someone who is really helpful for the customers and helpful to other associates. Not only willing to work in their dept but work in other depts. You need to be teachable. As a Paint Associate, I had two classes a month. the standard monthly thing plus extra classes based on what new products we were getting in the paint dept. Before I was in Paint, I was a Bay Inventory Associate. That was M-F 4A-8A (20 hours per week). And they started giving me extra hours in other depts. I have worked (lots of classes) in Hardware and Appliances. Even after being put in Paint fulltime, I was still pulled into Appliances at times. I was also trained as a back up Cashier. That meant I was very flexible. They eventually gave me "open ended" hours. I was getting anywhere from 20 hours to 40 hours a week. A lot of this had to do with the fact that I was volunteering during the holidays to work. During the first Holiday season, I was working 40-45 hours a week. I started at $10/hr and left at $12.32/hr. Get trained and certified to work the electric ladder. And the fork lifts ("Reach" and "OP" Overhead Picker) will make you invaluable.

The company is okay to work for. Local management makes a huge difference. I've worked for worse. I prefer being self employed.

 

[GrantRobertson]

  The most important thing is not hiding and engaging the customers! Asking every customer "can I help you" impresses the bosses!

That's the exact opposite of what I found at the Lowe's I worked at. Sure, you didn't want to be caught hiding from customers, but if you don't catch every customer, they have no clue. But they can just walk the aisle and see that the shelves aren't stocked. So that's what you get dinged for.

 

[IGBT]

What about Costco compared to Home Depot or Lowes?  I hear they are pretty decent to employees.   A lot higher volume of people though.

I think I could do well at a Home Depot as we probably have purchased every item in that store at least once.  

 

[GrantRobertson]

What about Costco compared to Home Depot or Lowes?  I hear they are pretty decent to employees.   A lot higher volume of people though.

I think I could do well at a Home Depot as we probably have purchased every item in that store at least once.  

Many of the things one buys at CostCo need to be purchased on a regular basis, so most of the customers already know where to find them. So, many of those additional customers you see in a Costco won't need any assistance. At Lowe's, a lot of my customer service time was spent helping the customer figure out what they needed in the first place, or in digging around in the back for BBQ grills that were too big to stock up front. Sales associates don't have either of these issues at CostCo. When I did shop there, it was always just a matter of if they carried something at all. I was often told merely where a type of thing might most likely be. Then told that what they carry changes so often it is impossible to know for sure what they carry without just checking, and that I should check back often. I'm not sure, but I also think sales associates at CostCo aren't responsible for stocking. I think stockers are an entirely different crew. So it would be easier to do either job at CostCo because you aren't expected to do both at the same time.