working at ZALES

[Sizzle]

Yes, I already know what the prevailing opinion is about Zales, but I have credit card debt that I want to get paid down. Besides, at least I know I won''t spend my check there!

Our local Zales is hiring. I am completing the application and it asks what salary I am looking to make. What''s reasonable? I know I won''t work for minimum wage (not worth it). Has anyone done the "holiday jewelry store" work thing? HOw much did you make. I am in the midwest if that means anything.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I worked at Peoples (parent Zales) throughout my high school years. I learned a lot about dealing with the public and customer service. I became the "watch" girl--learned a thing or two about them

(they carried Rolex at one store). It was a nice, friendly place to work, and I really enjoyed it!

cheers--Sharon

 

[MichelleCarmen]

If it's a mall job and you don't have much sales experience, I'd say $10. Sorry

If you do have experience, possibly $12. (oh, and what is the min. wage in your state? It's $8.07 in WA, where I live, so that should make a difference in how much you ask for.)

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/8/2008 12:41:09 PM
Author: MC
If it's a mall job and you don't have much sales experience, I'd say $10. Sorry

If you do have experience, possibly $12. (oh, and what is the min. wage in your state? It's $8.07 in WA, where I live, so that should make a difference in how much you ask for.)

That seems pretty high for a mall jewelry store in the midwest. It seems through a quick perusal of the ads in the paper here where I am in the midwest that stores are paying around $7-8.00 an hour for holiday help...I think you'd be really lucky to get $10-12 unless you are in downtown Chicago or something.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I have no idea what to ask salery wise, but I wanted to say good luck to you and I hope that you are able to pay down your debt quickly!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 10/8/2008 12:58:47 PM
Author: neatfreak


That seems pretty high for a mall jewelry store in the midwest. It seems through a quick perusal of the ads in the paper here where I am in the midwest that stores are paying around $7-8.00 an hour for holiday help...I think you''d be really lucky to get $10-12 unless you are in downtown Chicago or something.

Okay, yeah, like I was saying, depends upon the min. wage of the state. $7 is below min. wage where I live. I''m not sure how people can live off of that. I was shocked when I recently looked up wages and found some states are still at around $3.00 an hour!!!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/8/2008 1:17:25 PM
Author: MC

Date: 10/8/2008 12:58:47 PM

Author: neatfreak



That seems pretty high for a mall jewelry store in the midwest. It seems through a quick perusal of the ads in the paper here where I am in the midwest that stores are paying around $7-8.00 an hour for holiday help...I think you''d be really lucky to get $10-12 unless you are in downtown Chicago or something.

Okay, yeah, like I was saying, depends upon the min. wage of the state. $7 is below min. wage where I live. I''m not sure how people can live off of that. I was shocked when I recently looked up wages and found some states are still at around $3.00 an hour!!!

It''s obscene isn''t it? I believe the fed. minimum is around $6.50 but still it just doesn''t even seem worth it to work for that much unless you are a teenager...

 

[Sizzle]

style="WIDTH: 99%; HEIGHT: 199px">Date: 10/8/2008 1:53:40 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 10/8/2008 1:17:25 PM
Author: MC

Date: 10/8/2008 12:58:47 PM

Author: neatfreak



That seems pretty high for a mall jewelry store in the midwest. It seems through a quick perusal of the ads in the paper here where I am in the midwest that stores are paying around $7-8.00 an hour for holiday help...I think you''d be really lucky to get $10-12 unless you are in downtown Chicago or something.

Okay, yeah, like I was saying, depends upon the min. wage of the state. $7 is below min. wage where I live. I''m not sure how people can live off of that. I was shocked when I recently looked up wages and found some states are still at around $3.00 an hour!!!

It''s obscene isn''t it? I believe the fed. minimum is around $6.50 but still it just doesn''t even seem worth it to work for that much unless you are a teenager...

Umm wow, I guess I didn''t remember how little people actually work for around here! It''s been a while since I was in the hourly world! I might have to keep it that way!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 10/8/2008 1:53:40 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 10/8/2008 1:17:25 PM
Author: MC
Okay, yeah, like I was saying, depends upon the min. wage of the state. $7 is below min. wage where I live. I''m not sure how people can live off of that. I was shocked when I recently looked up wages and found some states are still at around $3.00 an hour!!!

It''s obscene isn''t it? I believe the fed. minimum is around $6.50 but still it just doesn''t even seem worth it to work for that much unless you are a teenager...

It isn''t worth it. Seems like welfare and food stamps would be the way to go at that point especially if there are four people to feed.

Check THIS out. . ."Kansas - $2.65 Employees not covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standard Act are subject to Kansas minimum wage laws."

Okay, sorry I know this is going very much outside the OP. I just find that appauling. It looks like most others are around $6-7.

That quote from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_minimum_wages

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 10/8/2008 5:04:02 PM
Author: Sizzle

Umm wow, I guess I didn't remember how little people actually work for around here! It's been a while since I was in the hourly world! I might have to keep it that way!

Yes, also, I've heard in retail, you're often treated very poorly by customers. I'm debating getting a retail job while my kids are in school, but *aside* from the lower wages, I'm fearing being yelled at and abused by over demanding unhappy consumers.

If you think you can pay off the majorty of your debt and you KNOW that the job will be short-term, it's different than applying knowing you'll be stuck there for years! You can count down the days until the holidays are over.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I always thought those stores offered some hourly compensation plus commission. Do they not pay commission to part time or holiday sales people?

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 10/8/2008 10:26:25 PM
Author: MissGotRocks
I always thought those stores offered some hourly compensation plus commission. Do they not pay commission to part time or holiday sales people?

A lot of jewelry stores do this, but I don''t think Zales does. Otherwise they would be super pushy like the ladies at Jared''s. The people I have dealt with at Zales are always so pleasant and far from clingy.

 

[jewelerman]

Date: 10/8/2008 8:28:19 AM
Author:Sizzle
Yes, I already know what the prevailing opinion is about Zales, but I have credit card debt that I want to get paid down. Besides, at least I know I won''t spend my check there!

Our local Zales is hiring. I am completing the application and it asks what salary I am looking to make. What''s reasonable? I know I won''t work for minimum wage (not worth it). Has anyone done the ''holiday jewelry store'' work thing? HOw much did you make. I am in the midwest if that means anything.

Most jewelry store holiday help do not make commission ...just a hourly rate....closer to $8 if you dont have experiance.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Minimum wage in Chicago is around 7.75 per hour. However, this jumped minimum wage employees up into a higher tax bracket...ergo leaving them with the same if not less take home pay.

I would suggest getting a job like a nanny if you''re looking to make fast, easy, serious cash. My DH and I (ttc and all) have been interviewing different agencies...nannies in the Chicago area make upwards of 40k a year. We would pay a flat rate weekly...approximately 1,000...and after the agency takes its cut, a Chicago nanny can expect to make around $625.00 or more!

Plus, if you land with a family like my DH and I, my DH works from home (although I don''t) so work would generally be only like 9-5 m-f and have your weekend and holidays off.

However, if you''re dead set on working for Zales...hold off and try to get hired around the holidays...chances are you''ll come in at a higher base pay since they anticipate making more during that season....

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Commission can be made--but you have to attain a certain level of sales first--then it is a % based on that. A part-timer would have a difficult getting to that level--you'd have to sell many diamnd rings (highest ticket itmes) a shift! Minimum wage here too. Staff discounts, tho.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Haven]

I worked at a mall jewelry store during the holidays when I was in college. I had zero experience and the pay was $10 an hour plus 1% sales commission. That was in a northern suburb of Chicago around 2002.

The minimum wage in Illinois is currently $7.75, so I can''t imagine working for $8 an hour today, that sounds so very low.

And if you''re open to other suggestions, I think Italia''s suggestion to work as a nanny is great. If you''re not looking for full-time work you could babysit part-time. It''s probably much more rewarding than working retail.

Oh, and I hear good things about working at Starbuck''s. I have a lot of students who work there and they quickly become obsessed with it!

Good luck!

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 10/9/2008 10:02:35 AM
Author: Haven
Oh, and I hear good things about working at Starbuck''s. I have a lot of students who work there and they quickly

I worked for Starbucks when I was in college. I would agree that it isn''t too bad working there so long as you have a thicker skin and can deal with rude customers (as with any retail/food service job). It was nice to know that I would make anywhere from $1-$2 an hour extra in tips per week. Not sure how they handle tips there now because its been 6 years since I worked there but it added a little extra to my pay. They also started me well above minimum wage but that was because where I lived/worked good hourly labor was in high demand so they had to be very competitive.

 

[Sizzle]

Oh I definately would NEVER work as a nanny. I don''t like other people''s kids. I''m just looking for a part-time job to pay these bills off. I already have good full-time employment, I just didn''t want to upset the balance of my current budget. I guess I was listening to Suze Orman for too long.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Date: 10/9/2008 2:06:01 PM
Author: Sizzle
Oh I definately would NEVER work as a nanny. I don''t like other people''s kids. I''m just looking for a part-time job to pay these bills off. I already have good full-time employment, I just didn''t want to upset the balance of my current budget. I guess I was listening to Suze Orman for too long.

Children certainly aren''t for everyone...but I could probably tolerate them better than some of the pushy, bossy, looky-loo''s you''ll soon be hob knobbing with at Zales.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/9/2008 3:41:18 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor

Date: 10/9/2008 2:06:01 PM

Author: Sizzle

Oh I definately would NEVER work as a nanny. I don''t like other people''s kids. I''m just looking for a part-time job to pay these bills off. I already have good full-time employment, I just didn''t want to upset the balance of my current budget. I guess I was listening to Suze Orman for too long.

Children certainly aren''t for everyone...but I could probably tolerate them better than some of the pushy, bossy, looky-loo''s you''ll soon be hob knobbing with at Zales.

I don''t know... a lot of those people are the same people that hire nannies and then treat them horribly.

 

[Rhea]

Good luck! I would guess that about $7-9 would be the norm. I honestly can''t imagine a part-time mall employee in my area making more than that, but since I haven''t done it in 4-5 years I could be very wrong. I worked at a mall in college and make minimum wage starting out with little steps up every few months. I think after six months at one place I ended up with min wage plus 35 cents per hour.

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 10/9/2008 3:41:18 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor

Children certainly aren't for everyone...but I could probably tolerate them better than some of the pushy, bossy, looky-loo's you'll soon be hob knobbing with at Zales.

hmmmm.....that's like, um, US, isn't it?

(sorry, couldn't resist!)

LS