Working in a Supermarket

[ZK-Brock]

Hey everyone
Recently my mother was attending some trades conference and she found me a job as a supermarket worker at a local fresh choice. I'm, looking for a job for the summer, but I'm a bit apprehensive - I don't really like supermarkets.

What are the the average pay rates for a young 15 year old supermarket worker? I believe my job would involve checkout work and possibly stacking shelves.

Also, what are the general working conditions in supermarkets? Are there any things that are quite difficult to get used to?

I'm apprehensive for the following reasons:

• I don't really like supermarkets
• I'd probably have to talk to all the people's mums that I know, don't like that.
• If I saw kids that I knew it'd be embarrasing, and they may make it hard for me to work
• The pay isn't probably very good

Please leave your comments...

Brock

[Craig]

I hate shopping, but i've worked at a supermarket for 2 n a half yrs. I started out on checkouts, then moved to "the floor"

If I saw kids that I knew it'd be embarrasing, and they may make it hard for me to work

lol, u get use to it, once they know and have stirred ya for a bit, they'll get over it

I'd probably have to talk to all the people's mums that I know, don't like that.

A tip for checkouts, the CLOSED sign

Also, what are the general working conditions in supermarkets? Are there any things that are quite difficult to get used to?

Not really, depends on ur boss


My experience

[Zöltuger]

i think Trolly's probably the man to answer your question...

[ZK-Brock]

Thanks Craig...

I think though I'm looking for a more casual,. summer-type job. My friend and I plan to visit all the fruit picking outfits in the region, see what jobs are going, tell em what's what etc..

[Alex]

Hotel's aren't usually a bad choice for low-end jobs. Say a Food and Beverage attendant (waiter/bar staff ) or porter type sorts of jobs.
I'm a porter at the local Duxton Hotel, they give me food at mealtimes (mostly ), its a nice location and the pay isn't bad. Although it can be busy sometimes its usually its manageable.

Alex

[flynz]

With the supermarket if you carry on after the summer holidays you will get a few pay rises along the way as my brother did and went from zero to supervisor in like 2 years. He said the only most annoying things were other checkout people that would want to talk with him that he didnt like and at the start having to learn all the codes for the fruit and vegetables he didnt even know the name of

I like my job though where I just cruise on in and do some maintenance on s few boats for two hours a week. Although mixing nautios chemicals in confined spaces isnt always pleasant

[Jimmy]

Can't be that bad brock, jsut think of the moneys!

I personaly can't wait to ditch my paperround and get a real afterschool job....

Just remeber, working in a super market would be far better than haveing to delever the local news paper and 50 million differant circulers!

James

[Airtrainer]

There are worse jobs out there than working at a supermarket. I used to work at one after school and eventually moved up to a Duty Manager while doing my degree. Since moved on from there but I enjoyed most of my time there.

[ardypilot]

I work at Foodtown, one of the big supermarkets in Auckland and love/hate my job.

The only reason I applied for the job in the first place was because my mate worked there, and offered me the job. I earn around $80 a week now, and work in the grocery department unloading trucks, and stacking shelves (quite physical), and 'facing up', which means bringing all the products to the front of the shelves, which is very tedious and time consuming. I really dislike the work, but my boss is friendly, and heaps of my school mates also work there, which makes it not such a daunting environment.

If I were you, get a job at checkouts- it's way easier than every other department. I am trying to change to their department in the summer.

By the way, pay is real crap considering how much work you do at supermarkets. Fast food outlets, and smaller shops pay more. Usually, the younger you are, the less you get paid. At Foodtown, your pay increases every year older you get. When I started, I was 16 and only on $8.35 and hour (before tax!), Then I got a random payrise to $8.49, then when I turned 17, got a even greater payrise to $8.90

Tax is real stink though, it cuts your weekly pay down a lot, but at the end of the financial year (whenever that is), if you are under 18, you can claim your tax back for some reason. My mate who works at a Butchers got $600 back from his tax- so its pretty sweet.

I don't really like supermarkets

Its better than manual labour, or being a rubbish collector

I'd probably have to talk to all the people's mums that I know, don't like that.

Yeah you have to be real polite to everyone you meet, and show them where stuff is. This has an upside though- at my supermarket, they have a thing called 'shoppers anonymous' where, each month, a secret shopper will come and asses you. You won't know who they are, but if you do everything right, you get a paid day off.

If I saw kids that I knew it'd be embarrasing, and they may make it hard for me to work

Loads of my mates work at my supermarket, and my other mates sometimes just come in to chat. Its not really embarrassing. Most people I know just come up and say hi. It's normally them who are embraced having to ask for help lol

The pay isn't probably very good

That is definitely a downside. Get a job at Nelson airport perhaps- it would be more fun Mind you, in the last three months, I have earned enough to buy a car. I would have had a lot more if I didn't waste so much once I suddenly started getting money in my account. Try and save it if you can, it makes it all worth while when you seeing the amount start to add up on your bank statement!

[HardCorePawn]

I would have had a lot more if I didn't waste so much once I suddenly started getting money in my account. Try and save it if you can

This is very very sound advice and something I wish I had learned when I was 17... when I was in high school (when they used to have REAL exams like School Cert, and University Entrance ), and I started working at Woolworths, I pretty much pissed it all away (literally) going out drinking most weekends, playing video games etc...

And then come tax time, I would stare at the IR12 tax certificate that said "Total Income = $5000" and my bank statement that would say "Balance = $12.36"

Get yourself one of those savings accounts where they charge you like $5 if you want to make a withdrawl... you'll certainly think twice about taking anything out.

If you still want to have access to some of it, talk to your employer and see if they can do split payments (ie. 20% into account A, 80% into account B ). That way you can save most, but retain what the budgeters call "Sanity Money", for you to spend on what you want. B)

[Chookie]

I used to work in our local store and it isn't that bad.

I don't really like supermarkets

A job in a supermarket is better than no job at all, right?

I'd probably have to talk to all the people's mums that I know, don't like that.

There could be an up side to this. Could get a whole heap of juicy goss on your enemies

If I saw kids that I knew it'd be embarrassing, and they may make it hard for me to work

I don't see why it would make it hard. You're out making your own money while they are still bludging off their parents

The pay isn't probably very good

Bad pay is better than no pay



On the Bank account front, Go to BNZ and open up a Ready Saver account. You get one free withdrawal a month. Every withdrawal cost you $5

And I would have to disagree with Trolly saying that a checkout job is easier. You have to deal with the abuse when you refuse to sell them alcohol if they are already intoxicated and the abuse you get from not selling under 18's tobacco or smokes.

[ardypilot]

And I would have to disagree with Trolly saying that a checkout job is easier. You have to deal with the abuse when you refuse to sell them alcohol if they are already intoxicated and the abuse you get from not selling under 18's tobacco or smokes.

You could always just buzz for the supervisor it that happens

[Craig]

And I would have to disagree with Trolly saying that a checkout job is easier. You have to deal with the abuse when you refuse to sell them alcohol if they are already intoxicated and the abuse you get from not selling under 18's tobacco or smokes.

You could always just buzz for the supervisor it that happens

When there's only 2 ppl. might be a bit hard.

Saturday afternoon's i'm the 2ic of a big supermarket, i swear i have nearly decked that many ppl it aint funny

[Chookie]

And I would have to disagree with Trolly saying that a checkout job is easier. You have to deal with the abuse when you refuse to sell them alcohol if they are already intoxicated and the abuse you get from not selling under 18's tobacco or smokes.

You could always just buzz for the supervisor it that happens

You could, but the supervisor isn't going to be there when you're walking home.

The girl before me quit because she refused to sell a girl and her brother smokes because they were underaged and they threatened to kill her. They just ended up beating her up, quite badly too, and thats the only reason I got my job

[ZK-Brock]

Hmm... serious business these supermarkets, eh?

I might still go ahead with it, but I'd prefer a non-checkout job. Do they usually have 14 year olds working the checkouts?

[ardypilot]

Do they usually have 14 year olds working the checkouts?

I am not too sure on this, but in Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown in Auckland, you need to be at least 15 before you can apply for a job. This rule might vary thought the rest of the country and in different chains of supermakets.

[ZK-Brock]

And from 15 they can put you in a checkout?

[ardypilot]

And from 15 they can put you in a checkout?

They don't just 'put' you in any old department, on the application form that you fill out, you can tick/circle a list of departments that you would like to work in, and the shop will only contact you once there is a vacancy in that certain area.

In Foodtown where I work, there are a few 15 years olds working on the checkouts.