Two jobs/ second jobs/ part time jobs

[pinayanne27 8]

Good day everyone!

I would like to apply for a part time job since i'm already working 5 days a week ( weekdays 40hrs). I actually want to try in a retail store.

How about you guys? Anyone here who's working in a retail store as a part time or full time job?

[TBoneTX 45,498]

This is a good time to find a retail job, with Black Friday and Christmas coming. Companies are hiring right now.

[Kat&Jon 85]

It is also a good time to get part time hours from people in the shipping industry since they have to keep up with all the extra shipments leading up to Christmas!

If you do go for a part time retail job make sure you have comfy shoes and a good gel insole so that you don't kill your feet! I used to work a job in retail before I found my career and your feet will kill if you aren't used to standing all day already!

[heo luoi 206]

These seasonal /temp roles around these holiday times can often lead to offers to stay on if you perform well and opt to do so. I worked several of these before starting my career...many treat employees fairly well and offer expedited benefits for seasonal emps (like flexible hours, advance discounts, 401k contributions...etc). I did several of these and they all led to much longer stints.

Edited October 16, 2015 by heo luoi

[pinayanne27 8]

These seasonal /temp roles around these holiday times can often lead to offers to stay on if you perform well and opt to do so. I worked several of these before starting my career...many treat employees fairly well and offer expedited benefits for seasonal emps (like flexible hours, advance discounts, 401k contributions...etc). I did several of these and they all led to much longer stints.

That's really good to know. Which companies offer those benefits for part time employees?

[heo luoi 206]

That's really good to know. Which companies offer those benefits for part time employees?

Many companies offer employee discounts/benefits. They typically can take some grace period before eligibility, for employee stock plans, 401k, employee discounts....etc.

My experience was some of these were typically waived since you may not even work long enough to hit the grace period for the employee discount per se. So if you you are only seasonal you'll likely not get any waiver for 401k, stock plans since the 'assumed' short /temp aspect of role, but the discounts they will let you use day1.

The GAP trinity of companies did this (gap, baby gap, gap kids, old navy, banana republic). Best Buy did this. Other clothes store do this. If the chain is large, you typically are eligible for discount at all the family of stores. The stores are aware they incentivize people taking the seasonal roles. Be careful of getting caught in the trap of spending your entire check and more at the store, you end up not making any money. Its been a long time since I worked those jobs. But it is nice getting a discount on your own gifts or if you need a new refrigerator or something. Obviously stores that have the most margin on their products offer the best discounts. Most 'mall' stores and large 'chain' stores...will likely offer those and the possibility of extending beyond the temporary season.

In regards to the other benefits many of those stores offer benefits (likely after a grace period when you are a more permanent employee) even for part-time workers. Many of their workforce can be part time so its not that uncommon....some of the benefits in particular available to part-time employees are heck better than I had in fulltime 'career' jobs. I worked two jobs and had a full time 'career' job and even did these in tandem when i first started out in my career and just kept my side job. I used my 'real' job (at small company) money and put into the employee stock & 401k of my side job cause it was better.

Obviously i have no idea about every store nor latest policies. Many of these retail chains have certainly seen better days, so may have changed practices substantially. You'll need to vet them yourself. They have more flexible hours to handling shipments, stocking and such too. But you'll obviously be expected to work some less desirable hours too, weekends, nights, and obviously the holidays. A lot of people also forget w/ retail, theres more hours than just when the store is open....opening and closing and such.

Edited October 17, 2015 by heo luoi

[Unidentified 2,930]

Yeah like other people have said a lot of retail stores are desperate for people before Black Friday and Thanksgiving. Target hires pretty much anyone as long as you are open to all the hours they want you for and will get back to you really quick after you send in your application.