Working at GameStop....

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RobotoWorks

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Aug 17, 2008
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Okay, so this isn't about a video game per se, but it does certainly involve them.
I'm 15, about a year away from working part time, at minimum wage. (Yay for me :p)

I understand that at 16, my choices for work are either fast food, department stores, or video games, and the first two are not options for me. (Btw, I'm an avid video game player)

Anyway, I thought I'd ask, either from a current (or former) employee of the chain, or simply from a customer, should I consider GameStop to take the title as "My First Job"?
 

Fightgarr

Concept Artist
Dec 3, 2008
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Well I worked at an EB Games. If you want to know the truth about how terrible it is to work there watch the Zero Originality series. Its spot on about working there.

On the other hand, I worked there for about 4 months before moving on to a better job. I enjoyed my time there and its not exactly a terrible first job, its just not a great one. It was like, my fifth job though.
 

Teh_Doomage

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Jan 11, 2009
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I currently work at a Gamestop....It isn't a very fun job and they ask you do alot for practically no pay, but that's just about all part-time jobs, however some of the benefits working there are good.

Just remember if you work there, quotas.
 

Vivaldi

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Jul 26, 2008
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http://www.dailymotion.com/related/x6wx7h_zero-originality-episode-2/video/x6wy69_zero-originality-episode-3-part-1_videogames

This has really colored my opinion of GameStop.
 

tijuanatim

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Sep 24, 2008
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I thought you had to be 18 to sell the M-Rated games? I could be wrong. I might be thinking of the food industry where you have to be 18 to sell alcohol.

Of course I've only had 3 jobs (Car washer at a Honda dealership, Busser, and Busser/Host/Server at another restaurant).

Either way good luck with joining the ranks of the working class.
 

Avatar Roku

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Jul 9, 2008
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Vivaldi said:
http://www.dailymotion.com/related/x6wx7h_zero-originality-episode-2/video/x6wy69_zero-originality-episode-3-part-1_videogames

This has really colored my opinion of GameStop.
Me too. Amazon and Steam from here on out.
 

Vivaldi

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Jul 26, 2008
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orannis62 said:
Vivaldi said:
http://www.dailymotion.com/related/x6wx7h_zero-originality-episode-2/video/x6wy69_zero-originality-episode-3-part-1_videogames

This has really colored my opinion of GameStop.
Me too. Amazon and Steam from here on out.
Gamefly for me, thank you!
 

Bulletinmybrain

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Jun 22, 2008
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Have fun working for 7USD/H, and selling your sell to be grinded down and turned into a paste to pad their palaces.
 

RobotoWorks

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Aug 17, 2008
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Bulletinmybrain said:
Have fun working for 7USD/H, and selling your sell to be grinded down and turned into a paste to pad their palaces.
It can't be that bad can it?

Btw, the min. wage in my state is over $8 :p
 

Bulletinmybrain

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Jun 22, 2008
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RobotoWorks said:
Bulletinmybrain said:
Have fun working for 7USD/H, and selling your sell to be grinded down and turned into a paste to pad their palaces.
It can't be that bad can it?

Btw, the min. wage in my state is over $8 :p
Still selling your soul, ask khell. I think he ranted extensively about this. If not him, somebody did.
 

CRAVE CASE 55

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Jan 2, 2009
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i work there now and love it its only part time but when im workin i pretty much talk about video games all day like they do to you when your there and the discount is good to and the works not to bad i dont mind puting the games in the sleeves for the drawrs or setting up display boxes just when sombody knocks over a rack on the wall and every game case comes down gets old real fast
 

Bulletinmybrain

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Jun 22, 2008
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sv93 said:
I've heard working there isn't that good but minimum wadge isn't that bad for part time. I might like to work there one day for a bit, depends on how much I can make per week though, when only making $8.50 an hour.
I am taking a class in high school so I will be educated enough to get a part-time job that isn't minimum wage. :)

(Finding one that isn't full-time, is another beast entirely.)
 

Miles Tormani

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Jul 30, 2008
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It's more of a moot point as you cannot work for GameStop until you're 18. Trust me, I tried, several times.

And yes, it was all because of Jack Thompson and Hillary Clinton's Hot Coffee fiasco. I've asked every potential employer for gaming retail about it.

That said, I can't say how the job is myself, but most people I know who have the job say they enjoy it. As for general advice, I would keep your standards low. It is, after all, a job, and a retail one at that. Working retail will, 99.99% of the time, mean having to either cave to the customer's unyielding and irrational demands, or getting your manager to tell them to STFU and leave the store. Usually the former.

I hated working retail...
 

Space Spoons

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Aug 21, 2008
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Despite it's rather spotty reputation, Gamestop seems like a good choice. Even if the pay sucks, the hours are long and the corporate fat cats see you as expendable, you're still surrounded by your favorite things and most likely your peers at the end of the day.

What you have to keep in mind, though, is that it's a job. It doesn't really matter where you end up working, because in all likelihood, it isn't going to be fun, or at the very least something you can stand doing for long periods of time.
 

Frank_Sinatra_

Digs Giant Robots
Dec 30, 2008
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Dude I worked a Christmas shift to help pay for books and I almost shot myself. Good thing the manager is one of my friends because I probably would have been fired for yelling at some little shits mom because she was mad he couldn't buy himself Gears 2.
FUCK.
 

Pyrrian

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Oct 3, 2007
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Even if you haven't graduated from highschool yet, you should still be able to secure a position for better than minimum wage. It might be worth it to consider employment elsewhere if the pay is higher, especially if the environment is better. If you can secure one, an office job - even a secretarial or copy-boy position - can often be used very effectively on a resume.

That said, there are a few things to remember about any part-time retail job.

First, a lot of your experience (and hours) at the store will be dependent on your managers and coworkers. If you don't like the people, you probably won't like the job. Conversely, great people can add enjoyment to an otherwise poor quality position.

Second, consider your benefits. In retail, your primary benefits are going to be some nominal discount (often around 10%), which might just cover sales tax (which you probably have, considering your high minimum wage). Still, it might be worth it if you already spend (or plan on spending) much of your earned income at your place of employment. As a minor, I'm guessing this job isn't to pay rent or bills - maybe just gas and spending money. See if there are any additional benefits available. I'd heard some stores allow employees to temporarily borrow games they have in-stock. Look into it.

Third, customers will (often) suck. That's actually a good thing, because it will help you deal with difficult people later in life. If there's one thing good about the retail work I did back in highschool, it's that the demands of a customer-facing position forced me to overcome my natural introversion. That, plus some luck and a few good positions in college, was key in landing me an excellent job after university.

Fourth, retail employees are a dime a dozen. Don't expect to get much in the way of raises, job security, or respect. At your age, this isn't really that important, but you should at least be aware.

So, should you go to Gamestop? It's really your call. You could certainly do worse for a first job. Heck, it never hurts to apply, and at least you'll get some interview experience. Just consider the pros and cons before you accept the position.
 

Jumplion

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Mar 10, 2008
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Pyrrian said:
Most everything what this guy says.

I plan on working at Gamestop for my first job atleast. It's about a 5 minute drive from my house, and my experience with it has been pretty good overall. You could do much worse than Gamestop, but I'd think it's a good starting job to get into the whole business.
 

AuntyEthel

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Sep 19, 2008
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Pyrrian said:
Third, customers will (often) suck.
This is probably the biggest point. It doesn't matter if you work in a shop that sells candyfloss and flying unicorns, because you'll have to deal with assholes on a daily basis. You never realise what kind of people exist in this world until you have to serve them.
 

un533n

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Nov 24, 2008
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Don't get your hopes up. I applied there when I turned 16, along with best buy and a few other places. Just because you want to work there, doesn't mean they want you to. Good luck
 

xitel

Assume That I Hate You.
Aug 13, 2008
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Angus Young said:
i work there now and love it its only part time but when im workin i pretty much talk about video games all day like they do to you when your there and the discount is good to and the works not to bad i dont mind puting the games in the sleeves for the drawrs or setting up display boxes just when sombody knocks over a rack on the wall and every game case comes down gets old real fast
Use punctuation please, and proper capitalization. Other than that, I'm glad to see that at least someone likes working there. It's just like my job at my local grocery store, a lot of people hated it but I found it quite enjoyable.