"Promotion" Offer...yay...

[Livgardist]

So, my wife works for O'Reilly Autoparts, and I work for Walmart and together we make a decent living, though she definitely pulls the majority of the money in. I'm not a fan of Walmart, mostly because of the low wage, but the people there, including the two managers I have on overnight shift, are such freakin' cool people it's not even funny. >_> But I've been trying forever to get an interview at O'Reilly's. Finally, this week, my wife walked down to Human Resources and pushed them around, and I got a call for a first employment test thingie, which I took.

But! This morning, my manager asked me if I was interested in becoming a full-time associate with Walmart. Since she started working with us, she's been pretty much very appreciative of my stocking skillz, and even more appreciative whenever I've jumped in a friday to help out (never a saturday. I have principles!). She seems to like me very much. <_< And now the full-time job offer. From what I've gathered since I started working there (late november 2014), it's a pretty big deal to become a fulltimer, so apparently they like what I do. I'm flattered as heck.

But, Walmart doesn't pay as much as O'Reilly's, like, ever. So now I'm wrecked with guilt, because I haven't told her that I'm probably planning to quit. Instead I told her that I would like to think about the offer. >_>

My wife says I'm too nice, and that I should take it, and then head over to O'Reilly's without giving any notice, whenever O'Reilly's contact me. And I say, much guilt, so woe! I can't see myself doing anything but accepting a job that O'Reilly offers me. I also cannot see myself accepting a fulltime position when I'm planning to leave, because I really don't want to do that and then just leave them hanging while I move on. My more ethical side tells me I need to give them notice.

I'm really not looking forward to telling them though, considering how much they seem to appreciate my work. Blah. I know you can't please everybody, and with a wife and a stepson, and plans for a house and a possible kid, in the workings, I need to think of the paycheck, not the people I work with. Still, I feel bad about it.

Does other people feel guilty about crap like this too, or is it just me being an overly guilt-tripped emo?

(EDIT: Oh, and...sidenote...the above guilt trip and heavy labour is also the reason I've been so absent since my 'return'. Alas. :( )

 

[Bee]

Your wife's advice is awful. Don't burn bridges like that - you never know when you might need a reference, or may wind up working for the same employer again. Tell the Walmart folks you've been offered a position with another company (O'Reilly) and try and negotiate for a wage/salary/whatever that's closer to what you'd make at your wife's place. Don't give them an ultimatum or whatever, obviously, but you might be able to get a comparable wage out of Walmart if you put forth a little effort.

 

[Fat Possum]

I also cannot see myself accepting a fulltime position when I'm planning to leave, because I really don't want to do that and then just leave them hanging while I move on. My more ethical side tells me I need to give them notice.

Walmart would give zero ****s in replacing you if they found a cheaper, more efficient option, so I don't see why you should give a shit about them when you find better, more steady employment.

If they cared—and I promise, managers and people forced to be there aside they do not—they would pay and schedule better. But they don't, so bounce whenever you get the opportunity and don't worry about it.

 

[Gaja]

My opinion is that you should take the full time position, because you never know how long it may be before you actually get the other job. Obviously this is general advice and I'm not familiar with the situation where you live but from what you've said I take it the other job is high possible?

Either way my advice to you would be to take the full time position and if you wish tell your manager that you've talked to some other people. Trust me people quit and switch between jobs all the time, so it won't be a shock to them, but I think you should give them a bit of a notice though you should weigh in all possible factors. Either way I'm happy for you, glad to see people working hard.

Best of luck bro!

 

[Logan]

Walmart is a horrible company to work for, full time or not, from what I've gathered. Its a mega corporation that does not care about you, in the realest sense, at all. You are a replaceable cog in their machine no matter what position you hold.

Leave and never look back.

 

[Ser Gregor]

Walmart is a horrible company to work for, full time or not, from what I've gathered. Its a mega corporation that does not care about you, in the realest sense, at all. You are a replaceable cog in their machine no matter what position you hold.

Leave and never look back.

It's dependent on both the country and, more specifically, the region of said country. My second job was at a Wal-Mart in my hometown and they paid well, had a surprising amount of assistance programs for student/part-time workers, and they also offered internal post-secondary bursaries for business programs.

One of my former co-workers (originally a hired associate same as I) now works for Wal-Mart's Southern Ontario distribution center with a degree effectively paid for by Wal-Mart. Likewise, a childhood friend of mine worked at McDonald's throughout highschool and is now in a business-management program being paid for by McDonald's so she can work in regional-level management. Both of these people are in their 20s and are in a legitimate career stream thanks to their one-time part-time highschool jobs.

There are badly run Wal-Marts and McDonald's, and the nature of the work will draw unskilled workers, but generally speaking Wal-Mart Canada doesn't have the level of stigma attached to Wal-Mart in America.

On to the topic. It sounds to me that you have no guarantee of a job at this Autopart place. It'd be financially irresponsible of you not to accept the full-time position being offered to you. Unless you get past the initial interview at the Autopart store there's no reason to assume you'll secure the job, and there's no reason to tell your current employers about it. So, accept the position and go for the Autopart store as well, if that goes well then you tell Wal-Mart about the Autopart store.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

On to the topic. It sounds to me that you have no guarantee of a job at this Autopart place. It'd be financially irresponsible of you not to accept the full-time position being offered to you. Unless you get past the initial interview at the Autopart store there's no reason to assume you'll secure the job, and there's no reason to tell your current employers about it. So, accept the position and go for the Autopart store as well, if that goes well then you tell Wal-Mart about the Autopart store.

Agreed.

 

[Arisalin]

Take what Wal-Mart offered you and wait and see what happens with O'Reilly's. You may be worried about causing issues with Wal-Mart, but don't.

#1: It's your life. Take what you can get when you can get it.

#2: People do this all the time. Get promoted, find a better option, and leave.

#3: Most people will understand if you're leaving for a legitimately better job.

 

[Wit]

On to the topic. It sounds to me that you have no guarantee of a job at this Autopart place. It'd be financially irresponsible of you not to accept the full-time position being offered to you. Unless you get past the initial interview at the Autopart store there's no reason to assume you'll secure the job, and there's no reason to tell your current employers about it. So, accept the position and go for the Autopart store as well, if that goes well then you tell Wal-Mart about the Autopart store.

This. Unless you have already been offered a position from this other place there's no point in turning down the Walmart offer.

 

[Ser Gregor]

Also, if they have offered you a possition (or when you do get offered a position) at the Autoparts store you can always let Wal-Mart know what your new job will be paying you and let Wak-Mart decide if you're worth enough to the company to offer you a better deal. It doesn't seem like it's a special possition, so it's not likely to happen, but there is literally no harm in negotiating politely with your employer about a job contract if you're going to leave otherwise. IE. "Oi, I've been offered a job that pays $15 an hour and it is full-time. I enjoy working here, but I must think of my financials. I'd be happy to discuss this further with you, if you are still interested in retaining me as an employee."

 

[Mistress]

First, congratulations!

In my experience husband and wife working together is a bad idea. If one gets in trouble with the boss, both might get fired; been there, done that.

Secondly, in America never ever tell your boss you are thinking of leaving, never say you are looking for another job, never say if you are working more than one job. Never list on an employment application that its ok to call your current employer for a reference. In the old days workers were given incentives to stay with a company. Today, they can fill your position with another applicant before you can drive out of the parking lot!

If you are offered the new job for full time and choose to accept it, just be nice about leaving by finishing out the week, and an employer will gladly write you a letter of recommendation. Legally today, all an employer can do when calling past employers is answer if you worked there, and wether or not they would hire you again. It wasn't always this way. My Grandfather was hired after his one job gave him such a terrible work reference, the company he applied to believed that they badly wanted to keep him! It was true. Today, if an employer answers that they would not hire a person back, they won't offer that person the job.

 

[Livgardist]

Thanks to everybody for the gratulations and the advise. God knows I needed it to make up my mind about what to do.

I've made the decision to not accept the full-time position. It's just not something I want to do when I'm fully planning to quit - again, because it goes against my own personal preconceptions about work ethics. >_> I've also made the decision to keep working at Walmart until such a time as a job offer comes in from O'Reilly's, and then I'm just going to quit, and move on with my life. The truth of the matter is, Walmart is not the most attractive employer to me, and I shouldn't feel guilty about moving on to a new one, no matter how much I like my co-workers and manager.

Thanks again, folks!

Oh, and Lutomi, I hear ya! Fortunately, my wife says working in the same department is not allowed, and that was never the plan anyway. XD She's working in Corporate, whereas I will be lifting crap at the Distribution Center, so we won't be working together. XD

 

[Brandon Rhea]

I do hope you get the O'Reilly's job, then. If you don't then you'll regret not accepting the full-time position. Hopefully that doesn't become an issue, though.

 

[Livgardist]

Yeah, you're right, it is a bit of risk-taking on my end. Not much, but a little. Still, I feel it's a risk worth taking, if nothing else then so that I don't have to feel like a deserter. :shock:

 

[Mistress]

Don't think like you will be a deserter. It's not like you're running away from your own family business!

 

[Livgardist]

True that!