Getting a job soon

meow_mix450 · 01-09-05, 11:46 AM

Hey

I'm getting a job soon, and I have a few questions. This will be my first time working for someone. So no work experience. I have done volunteer work at a pet shop and such. I'm applying to a new pet shop that has just opened, and its a small little shop like Pet value but with pets and such. Also I have finished my careers class, teaching me how to write a resume and such. But have some questions

Questions:
Should I ask how much I'll get paid? Because my mom said that small shops will pay me lower then minium wage(my mom doesnt work so thats why im here to ask lol). If I should how should I ask?

What is minium wage right now? Money isnt really the problem I just dont wanna get riped off cause I just started. It would just be a great experience to work at a pet store

If I do get hired, will I get a job discription?

Do you get to pick how long you work and when? I'm a student and what days and time would be best that worked out for you.

If you got any tips on anything it would be great!

Thanks,
Meow

JAdkins2451 · 01-09-05, 12:03 PM

Well im pretty sure they cant pay you under min wage, or you can call the labouer board. I think its 7.15 -7.45 but if your a student it think there is a student wage, but I am not sure how much it is. And if you want to pick your hours you should talk to the manager. It also depends on how many employees they have work and what benifits the store.

clint545 · 01-09-05, 12:03 PM

First off, they would by law have to pay you at least mininum wage, unless they're going to pay you cash (under the table).
Not sure what wage is gf thinks it's around $7.45/hr.
If you go to hand in a resume or fill an application you could ask for a brief job description before you do.
If you're a student then when you go for you're interview etc, you can tell them what kind of hours you're availible for and such..

hope this is some help...Good Luck!

p.s. when you go to drop off your resume my gf says don't wear jeans, have a clean image...

silent_truth · 01-09-05, 12:11 PM

Here's some info regarding minimum wage... http://www.gov.on.ca/LAB/english/es/...s/fs_wage.html

Your "job description" is likely going to be explained in an initial training period where your employer will walk you through your duties.

As long as you let an employer know that you are a student and that you require hours that work with your school schedule before you accept the job, then there may be some flexibility as far as choosing shifts, but it will really depend on when they need you.

As far as tips goes, it is important to find people that you enjoy working with. I worked at a large petstore for nearly 2 years and what I found is that I enjoyed the fact that I shared a passion for animals with some of the other employees. Once the majority of those people left, it was no longer an enjoyable position as working at a petstore leaves little to no time to work with the animals. Your primary duty will be to sell and after that, clean the floors and cages etc. The best advice I can give is don't compromise your morals in order to justify any actions or lack of action by the store and do your best. It's your first job, so don't put a lot of pressure on yourself when you're trying to balance it with school too. Take it all as a learning experience and that is what it will be.

Best of luck,

-Adam

HeatherRose · 01-09-05, 12:54 PM

I'm a student trying to get a job too...in my experience:

Minimum wage is now $7.25, up from $6.85 a few months ago. If it's a chain pet store, you'll probably get minimum wage...if it's a privately owned pet store, you may get more, such as 8-9$ an hour. I HIGHLY doubt you'd get less than min. wage, infact I believe the ONLY way they'd pay you less is if you are on commission.

Sometimes on commission, they'll pay you min wage if you don't make more from what you've sold...in big chains they do that anyway.

If you get hired, they'll tell you what's expected of you and how to do what you're supposed to do, and in larger chain-stores there is an actual written 'description' sometimes.

Most places will ask when you are available, and give you a set of hours based on that info. Some places have a 'book off book' where you can make a note on certain days when you can't work...(like if there's a reptile expo that weekend

)

Just to be safe, on my resume I say I'm available from 2pm - whenever on weekdays and anytime on weekends.

As for other tips...if they don't hire you, just apply again! (this works at big chain stores), don't let anyone push you around, and don't get discouraged...find something you like

Good luck!

meow_mix450 · 01-09-05, 02:57 PM

This is a private pet store, I just went by today and saw them working. I asked the manger and they already have people hired. They said they wont be hiring for another 6 months, itsto bad cause its only a 2 min walk from my house. So its more then likly that I'll be applying for a big chain store.

So you apply again at the same store if you dont get hired? or a different one

Meow

HeatherRose · 01-09-05, 03:01 PM

My friends all work at the same grocery store...I keep applying but they get tons of apps. Sooner or later, anyway :P

clint545 · 01-09-05, 03:09 PM

meow, even wait a month and then check back in. Usually when a new place opens they hire more people than they need and then they weed out the bad employees over the next few weeks! You never know, someone might quit after a week or 2.

meow_mix450 · 01-09-05, 03:14 PM

you have a good point, I'm turning 16 on 31st so I can wait and see how things turn out.

Meow

peterm15 · 01-09-05, 03:18 PM

just dont give up... but beware it IS NOT ILLIGEAL to give you less than minimum wage during training sessions (shouldnt last more than a coupple days) most stores dont do this however... you can pick your hours just make sure you state when your free and theyll work around your scedual... they cant make you go to work when your supposed to be at school...lol... but jobs are usually fun... well to me they were... but a little advice..... learn to do things without them asking and sugetstive sell... i used to work at a pizza shop and they had me working 5-6 days a week cause they liked how i worked over everyone else... everyone was complaining for hours... but i was gettin raises and extra little bonouses, like extra free pizza and longer breaks and even got to tell them when im free to work and theyll work everyone elses scedual around that...

when i quit they even offered me a 3 dollar an hour raise to stay... that would have brought me up to the same sallary as the manager and shed been working there for 5 years before i came along... i only worked there for 2..

so when you do get a job work hard and you get things i return

VI Reptiles · 01-10-05, 10:47 AM

Whats the minimum age to work for money during school and how long can u work at that age? Im 14 and I know a petstore right near my school where I could walk to and when my parents would drive home they would pick me up.

Thanks

Thanks

daiyoukai · 01-10-05, 11:49 AM

Best advise, be real and be your self. It's a pet shop so the person saying not to wear jeans isnt realy that important. Just come off as if you know about the animals and have a general interest in them. Explain why you want the job (you said it's not about money but experience which is always a plus).

When you go for the application fill it out either in the store or out side on a bench and return it then and ask to speak to the person in charge. This COULD get you the job on the spot. again about what to wear, make it casual but not sloppy.

to the other younger people wanting to get a job at the pet store do the same. Just make it clear that you ARE going to work at a pet store regaurdless if "this"
one hires you or not. Go in with that attitude and you will be amazed how well it responds with future employers.

peterm15 · 01-10-05, 12:16 PM

i think you have to be 15 to work... and the minimum wage is supposed to go up feb 1 to 7.45 but for ppl, and i quote "Students under 18 and working not more than 28 hours per week or working during a school holiday" it is $6.70 and feb 1 going up to 6.95 per hour..

heres a site that gives you minimum wage details in ontario.

http://www.gov.on.ca/lab/english/news/2003/03-65f.html

all i can say is i should become a fishing guide... there MINIMUM wage is $71.50 and is going up feb 1 to $74.50

i guess well see soon enough if the wage is actually going to go up....

chas*e · 01-10-05, 11:18 PM

About time you got a job....you lazy bum

Slannesh · 01-11-05, 12:59 AM

hate to burst your bubble

but that's not an hourly rate for the hunting and fishing guides, it's the rate you'd get for working 5 or more hours in a day. Not to mention that's a job that would take years of experience before you could even do it

I can speak from experience here on that one. if you're expecting anything less then from before sunrise to after sunset you're dreaming or won't be in the business very long. considering that during hunting season that's about a 10- 12 hour day that 71.50 doesn't last too long.

Now if you're into that sorta thing the job you want is "camp boy" at a good hunting camp. You help with cooking and cleaning and do basically gopher work... but back when I was doing it when I was 17 or so I was making over $100/day in tips on top of what I was getting paid to be there. It was a sweet deal, but a lot of hard work. It's the type of thing you really need to enjoy.

Anyhow, back on topic.

1) Do something you don't hate.

I know that sounds obvious but you'll quickly find that some people REALLY hate thier jobs and yet they stay for months or years without doing anything about it.

2) Like the people you work with.

Even if you have a crappy job, if you work with good people that you actually like it makes a world of difference.

3) Try to get in somewhere with some potential to lead to better things in the future.

This one is less important when you're 16 than when you're 30 obviously but unless you want to be a pet store clerk making just over minimum wage your whole life you need to start working on a long term plan. School is one way, work experience is another. Some of the most successful people I know never spent a day past high school in school and some of the least successful people I know are still professional students at 30. If you do go to school... make sure you really want to be there and it's something that's going to most likely pay off in the end. A degree in Art history or philosophy is cool and all... but it usually doesn't pay the bills or buy new herps