This is For Gotbisto. « I Hate Starbucks

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This is For Gotbisto.

(7 posts) (5 voices)

Started 5 years ago by ballisticbarista
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ballisticbarista

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I left school last year to join up with an internet start-up. The start-up finally failed and I ended up moving back home temporarily. I have a lot of small options (some consulting type stuff, per diem projects, etc.) but nothing consistent.

I'm not looking at Starbucks as a way to make a lot of money. Essentially, I want to get the health benefits while working part-time & be able to pursue my other projects until I go back to finish school in the summer or fall.

My Questions:

(1) Is it that hard to maintain the 20/25 hour average to get health benefits?

(2) How much do the benefits cost?

(3) Is it easy to transfer stores? (there's another Sbux very close to my college's campus and I'll likely move there once in Fall 08' so it'd be nice to hop over there).

(4) Opening vs. Dayshifts vs. closing shifts. What are the pluses/minuses? I'd like to try to maneuver to stick to something consistent but I don't know which ones are worth going after.

I should note that I really have no ego or anything like that about having bad bosses or dealing with bad customers. I worked in a coffee shop for 4 yrs in high school so I think I'll pick up the drinks quick enough.
So any info you guys have would be great and most appreciated.

The store, FWIW, always seems to have a sign for opening. I know they had a multi-day hiring thing within the last month or two and they've had a sign in the window for help for the last few weeks.

(5) I guess my final question then: is there anything I can gain in terms of info re: this specific store before I go in there and hand in my resume?

I've worked at Starbucks for about 2 years now and I'm a Barista and Tea Lead.
Here are some answers to your questions:

1.) Yeah, to get really good benefits you have to work atleast full-time ish.
2.) Benefits aren't that expensive, it depends on what packages you choose to take as well.
3.) You have to work atleast 6 months at a store before transferring. you have to be certified as well.
4.) If you're speedy mc speedy at putting pastries out, Opening is a really good shift because the time goes fastest because its the busiest. A negative of opening is prep though. Preps a **** and theres no way to get around it. Midshifts are the best because you just make drinks, clean or do register so its fairly simple. Closings are the worst, they really suck, you never get out on your scedualed time. EVER
5.)Eh, that kinda looks like youre kissing up to them, ya know. so just relax and hand in your appication.

Posted 5 years ago #
Freakshow

Member
Internets:102

Hey I did this same kind of thing - I got laid off and then had to do something...I didn't want to be in charge and I wanted a set schedule - which in the SB standards "can't be done" you have to be available some **** 2 mornings 2 evening 1 weekend kind of thing

So here is what I did - PS I am still working for SB like 1-3 nights a week -

1. Go introduce yourself to the manager - on MONDAY's that is when they have the Admin Day so they can actually come off the floor and talk to you. - If Monday isn't Admin day find out when it is - and go then.....
2. Ask them if they have any shifts they are having a hard time covering!!! Look at making the SM life easier - I happened to go to a store which needed an opener - I wanted consistancy - meaning I didn't want to have to look at my schedule every week and have to change it. Some managers know the value of this some don't....it is a case by case situation....
3. My availability was M-F 0430A-1200 SAT 430P-close Sun 0430-1100 or something like that....it worked out for me - and I got a pretty set schedule based on the fact that I showed up on time, in uniform, learned fast and made myself someone the manager came to depend on me...
4. Morning are tough - most stores do most of their business then and you can't be hungover working this job so it makes your social life a bit of bummer...Ok you can do this hungover but it sucks and you usually suck at the job too....I loved it!
5. The benefits as mentioned are reasonable
6. Networking if you want to (with customers) is great depending on the area.....
7. I hate mids - too boring and have the clean up the crap they didn't do in the AM - also least staffed so if you do get rushed or have stuff to do - never get it done...
8. I close now - It is not bad - kind of boring from a customer point of view - my stories aren't as good.....you really do get the **** part of the job - that is to say mopping/cleaning bathrooms/catching up on the prep etc
9. Getting certified is not hard - and then you can transfer - Hard - suck up to your manager after you get hired - PS wouldn't tell them initally that your plan is to transfer - has to be how many training dollars each store gets - managers not interested in hiring someone who is going to be leaving - goes against their bottom line and the whole turnover rate - which are some of the factors taken into consideration for Manager bonuses
10. Good luck
11. They keep me on as I am "old school" and train all the newbies....which means my boss doesn't worry too much - AGAIN - can't emphasis the sucking up and need to be considered low maintenance to the manager....

Posted 5 years ago #
Freakshow

Member
Internets:102

hey finished my MBA and they won't hire me as a DM - can you believe that crap - :) i have a masters in business - and 15 years in hospitality management lol cracks me up!!!

Posted 5 years ago #
Freakshow

Member
Internets:102

sorry about the typos and missed grammer points - NOT hard is what I meant to say about transfering

And meant to say "has to do with the training dollars ...."

Posted 5 years ago #

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tuffgirl

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One thing that I advise you to do is listen to the SM if they always talk about what they want and how they can never get a break.Work nights alot of manager never work nights. And yeah there is alot of cleaning but hey what could be easier. If the manager listens to you and asks questions outside of what the job requires, than you should be okay, because they are trying to get to know you. But be where the all too personal questions, their are MALE managers that you hireing as their own personal dating service.

Posted 5 years ago #

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sixdigitsoldier

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not all male managers are like that.

Posted 5 years ago #
Anonymous

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Internets:24

BallisticBallerina:
I'm a store manager for the Bucks...and have worked for the company for over 5 years. I can at least try to provide you with answers based on my experience...

1. Maintaining 20/25 hrs/week to keep benefits depends entirely on how open your availability is and what the store needs. As a store manager, I can't guarantee any of my partners a minimum number of hours each week, but I've also never had a problem keeping them above 20-25 hrs as long as the availability they give me isn't ridiculously specific (i.e. want to work 3 days a week between the hours of 10 and 5). I always ask the potential new hire in the interview how many hours they are looking for and what their availability will look like. I'm also honest with them and will tell the person if I can't provide them with the hours they are looking for. In my experience, most managers are usually pretty straightforward about that. We often get screwed, however, by applicants who provide open availability on their application and then try to change it dramatically after being offered a position. I've actually sent a few people home on their first day for pulling that stunt.

2. The cost of benefits is pretty reasonable. We offer 3 different plans: minimal coverage, decent coverage, great coverage. How much you pay depends on which plan you choose and how many people you wish to ensure. I use the middle plan and pay about $66/month for my benefits.

3. The level of difficulty in transferring stores depends upon a number of factors. You have to have been at your current store, in your current position for a minimum of 6 months. Your store manager (and possibly your DM, depending on what region you work in) have to approve the transfer. The store you wish to transfer has to have room for you. And you have to have a solid work history with your current store...which means no write-ups, time and attendance issues, cash handling issues and so on. I agree with freakshow though, you should not walk into the interview and tell the manager that your ultimate goal is to transfer. I personally don't enjoy paying to train someone who isn't planning on sticking around.

4. As far as Open vs. Mid vs. Close. It really depends on what you enjoy doing or not doing. If you're comfortable getting up super early, opens are great because they are typically the busiest daypart and go buy quickly. Mid-shifts involve a lot of cleaning and setting up the closers for an easy close (which I personally enjoy because I'm a clean freak). And closers are basically task focussed. There's not a lot of customer flow at this time so they spend most of the evening and cleaning and getting everything set up for the next morning.

5. If you really want to know about the store, get to know the partners. Start asking them questions about the job. Most of the time they'll be pretty straightforward, especially because they don't have sell you on the company the way a manager does. I've actually encouraged a few of my applicants to talk to my partners to get an idea of whether or not this job is a good fit for them.

Hopefully some of this info is helpful to you.

Posted 5 years ago #

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