I know your answer is likely "I've worked for kroger for 20 years and nobody is going to give me 6 vacations..." true, but do you realize that if you go to school and get a degree, you can easily make more in 1 year at another job than you make annually at kroger?
I realize school costs money and you'll likely be in debt for awhile, but in the long run you're better off. Kroger is always going to have you working weekends, with a sore back, worse and worse ideas, fewer hours. When is the last time it got better? I say do better for yourself, get out.
You might be top dog at the kroger, but in the real world nobody cares. Kroger is just a slightly better job for people in high school. The only advantage it really has is that it's not fast food.
Honestly, I don't know. I started right before graduating high school and have been there 4 years now. I really want to quit and find something better. I'm in school, but don't want to work at kroger until graduation .
Eh... it was never meant to be a permanent thing. The years just started to blur together at some point, and now, I'm getting close to topping out at almost $15.50 an hour, and not even as a department head or anything, and I've got pretty decent insurance plus a growing pension. I've got some investments elsewhere and if they pan out, great... I will be able to quit, but if not, I will just explore other options while putting in some more years with Kroger. It's not like I mind. My schedule is consistent and I'm in a department I like. It's all pretty convenient for me.
I know your answer is likely "I've worked for kroger for 20 years and nobody is going to give me 6 vacations..." true, but do you realize that if you go to school and get a degree, you can easily make more in 1 year at another job than you make annually at kroger?
You do realize that annually means per year, don't you?
I know your answer is likely "I've worked for kroger for 20 years and nobody is going to give me 6 vacations..." true, but do you realize that if you go to school and get a degree, you can easily make more in 1 year at another job than you make annually at kroger?
You do realize that annually means per year, don't you?
yes, I do. by "1 year" I meant from year 1. You can start off at many other careers earning what's taken you many years to achieve at kroger. You might be making $30,000 at kroger (after 20 years of working there) but someone with a degree can easily make $35,000 in their FIRST year.
Honestly, I don't know. I started right before graduating high school and have been there 4 years now. I really want to quit and find something better. I'm in school, but don't want to work at kroger until graduation .
if you can hold out until graduation (and while you look for a career) you should be good. I'm not suggesting giving up on it. I'm glad you're in school!
I'm a department head and make $18 an hour. I have a 2 year degree and got nowhere with it, i'm making a mortgage payment now and i don't have time or money to back to school.
Kroger isn't the greatest but $18 for what i'm doing isn't bad at all.
I'm making 21 as a dept head, making mortgage payments by myself I make my own schedule get off early on the weekends and close 1 day a week if say that's pretty good. I just my a$$ everyday but I love what I do and take pride in my work
I know your answer is likely "I've worked for kroger for 20 years and nobody is going to give me 6 vacations..." true, but do you realize that if you go to school and get a degree, you can easily make more in 1 year at another job than you make annually at kroger?
I realize school costs money and you'll likely be in debt for awhile, but in the long run you're better off. Kroger is always going to have you working weekends, with a sore back, worse and worse ideas, fewer hours. When is the last time it got better? I say do better for yourself, get out.
You might be top dog at the kroger, but in the real world nobody cares. Kroger is just a slightly better job for people in high school. The only advantage it really has is that it's not fast food.
Your post is so true. Especially the part about fast food, most of the people in management would only qualify to work in fast food if they weren't working for Kroger, and that's the real reason they stay, they can't do any better.
Im just waiting for a spot to open up in the post office. This job is fun & I liked it, but when BS gets in the way, I figure if I got to deal with it I need to get paid more.
-- Edited by DEA2K18 on Tuesday 16th of January 2018 12:25:29 AM
Not a lifer, but will admit it's the first job I've had that wasn't on commission. That has paid me weekly vs. bi-weekly. The work is simple and easy enough without being uber stressful(at least it is if you aren't being super micro-managed). And for the time being it's the only local job opportunity, that I was able to secure when I began my job search a couple of years ago after my mom passed(come from a much older parent home and I knew from the time I was in high school that one way or another I'd have to stay close to look after my folks. As they would wind up living with me one way or another). Everywhere else was just team too far out of a commute everyday for me.
Who knows though. In another few years things could totally change. For now it works.
I'm not sure people really understand reality, if you look at the total job market..... 50% of people work in a retail/food/sales environment. While yes everyone can get a non-kroger job, but the grass isn't always greener. You could find a small mom & pop company, which is always 5 seconds away from closing, most likely not providing and real benefits. You could work for a sales office position, where its cut-throat, or many other positions where downsizing is always occurring. While starting off, people do make mess, long term the opportunities are more available. I challenge everyone to speak to a Store Manager that has been with the company 25-30 years, most likely they do not have a college degree.....but making 80-100k a year. Yes, Store conditions are tough now, but years ago, store ran smoothly and everyone had semi-fun.
I have a degree. Actually make more at Kroger as a Night Manager than my last job offer from a company in my field of study. My store manager worked at Kroger while he was going to college and I doubt he thought he'd still be here 30 years later as a store manager, but one way of looking at it is if you do at least a decent job, you'll always have a job. I remember during the last Recession where it was hell just trying to find a job, any job. I have made more money doing other jobs but there were always caveats. Longer travel, not paid as often, more dangerous, less benefits, etc.
Not saying I wouldn't leave if something better came around, but considering what I'm paid for what I have to do, I can't see that "something better" happening. It's a good gig compared to just about everything else I've ever done.
You can't just get a degree. You need a plan with a job at the end, and especially with today's insane education costs.
I've been trying to finish a certificate in other stuff, but Kroger is an absolutely terrible place to work for someone going back to school (or in general, really). If you are going to go back to school, you need to get a better job first. Something with a stable and reliable schedule, but enough flexibility to fit around your class schedule.
I've had massive problems with them scheduling me overtime (including during finals week), scheduling me during class, lots of 6 day weeks of all closing shifts, and the occasional 12 hour week just to **** with me. Recently, they screwed up my schedule so bad I ended up failing some classes in what would have been my final semester. I can't figure out if it's because they truly are that grossly incompetent (plausible), or if it was a hamfisted attempt to keep me around a little longer. Arson sounds better every single day.
I have educational experience in Psychology, Medical Office Management, Business Management, and Health Science. I have a $60,000+ debt because I went to college. I applied for those positions and none of them would hire me because I have epilepsy. Kroger hired me. Kroger has a 401K Plan, retirement plan, health and medical insurance, and the Union. These things make me stay. I may not get along with everyone, but I do like my job and I do my job. As long as I do my job right, I have a permanent job. Isn't that what everyone wants?
What if I told you that not everyone worries about money? What if I told you that not everyone despises doing physically demanding jobs? What if I told you that not everyone works nights or weekends?
See, OP, you made a lot of assumptions in your post. None of which fit me or my situation. I have flexibility that fits my schedule (necessary when you have 2 school aged children). I work NO nights and NO weekends. How much I make is completely irrelevant because my husband makes enough for us to live very, VERY comfortably. Everything I make could get tossed out the window and our family would be no worse off at all. I do not mind the heavy lifting. In fact, its done wonders for my core. So hey...thats a plus.
I work here because I want to. I enjoy the people I work with, my store has awesome customers who I enjoy getting to know, and I like having something to do each day that gets me out of the mind set of wife/mom. Kroger is a small, small aspect of my life but I wouldnt be here if I didnt want to be.
Same situation, except I only have one school age child. Plus, I have a good insurance. At least I don't sit at home talking to myself, I enjoy coming to work and like my co-workers.
Let's be real, those degrees are not useful for anyone unless you further your study and go the next level and get a master's degree. I'm assuming an AS is associate of science? What the hell are you supposed to do with that? An associate's degree never got anyone much before and won't get anyone much nowadays. Also degree in psychology won't do anything on it's own. It's useless unless you go to the next level. And the other person did not say what they go their bachelor's of science for. Just like a business administration degree is useless, if you don't get a master's. So a lot of these people maybe just went to school ust to go, or didn't know what they were doing because they picked useless degrees. So yeah Kroger is a better option if the degree you have never had much gong for it as far as opportunity anyway.
Let's be real, those degrees are not useful for anyone unless you further your study and go the next level and get a master's degree. I'm assuming an AS is associate of science? What the hell are you supposed to do with that? An associate's degree never got anyone much before and won't get anyone much nowadays. Also degree in psychology won't do anything on it's own. It's useless unless you go to the next level. And the other person did not say what they go their bachelor's of science for. Just like a business administration degree is useless, if you don't get a master's. So a lot of these people maybe just went to school ust to go, or didn't know what they were doing because they picked useless degrees. So yeah Kroger is a better option if the degree you have never had much gong for it as far as opportunity anyway.
Let's be real, those degrees are not useful for anyone unless you further your study and go the next level and get a master's degree. I'm assuming an AS is associate of science? What the hell are you supposed to do with that? An associate's degree never got anyone much before and won't get anyone much nowadays. Also degree in psychology won't do anything on it's own. It's useless unless you go to the next level. And the other person did not say what they go their bachelor's of science for. Just like a business administration degree is useless, if you don't get a master's. So a lot of these people maybe just went to school ust to go, or didn't know what they were doing because they picked useless degrees. So yeah Kroger is a better option if the degree you have never had much gong for it as far as opportunity anyway.
You have to have the income to go higher in college. Without the job you don't have the income. Why don't you be real, you are just angry because you are stuck at a job you don't like and are a very negative person. If you are the OP, You must really hate yourself, if you have to post something in order to cut others down. You asked a question and all these people did was answer it. Ask yourself this question "Why?"
Let's be real, those degrees are not useful for anyone unless you further your study and go the next level and get a master's degree. I'm assuming an AS is associate of science? What the hell are you supposed to do with that? An associate's degree never got anyone much before and won't get anyone much nowadays. Also degree in psychology won't do anything on it's own. It's useless unless you go to the next level. And the other person did not say what they go their bachelor's of science for. Just like a business administration degree is useless, if you don't get a master's. So a lot of these people maybe just went to school ust to go, or didn't know what they were doing because they picked useless degrees. So yeah Kroger is a better option if the degree you have never had much gong for it as far as opportunity anyway.
You have to have the income to go higher in college. Without the job you don't have the income. Why don't you be real, you are just angry because you are stuck at a job you don't like and are a very negative person. If you are the OP, You must really hate yourself, if you have to post something in order to cut others down. You asked a question and all these people did was answer it. Ask yourself this question "Why?"
I am not the op. I actually went to college, but I have not finished, but I will go back. I'm just taking out the pretense that is on here. These people are acting like Kroger is really a step up from jobs that require education and that is not true. It is great for people with no education past high school, but if someone gets a valid degree, Kroger is not comparable. If someone does not want to pursue more education and is fine staying with Kroger, then that's fine for them, but pretending that Kroger is the best thing the job market has to offer for a college graduate is not true. Anyone who has been to college knows that some degrees just won't have much of a financial yield or won't yield much opportunity. A degree in English won't get you much. A degree in business administration will allow you to be a general manager at McDonald's, or a manager at Kroger, and they stock like associates, and a degree is not needed to be a Kroger manager. That type of degree doesn't amount to much. A degree in psychology won't get you much. I worked in a restaurant where one of the managers had a degree in psychology. Without furthering education that degree is essentially worthless, and this is the truth for people reading this and wondering. I like my job, but I also know that truthfully what we do is only a slight step above fast food. If you like the job that is fine, but I'm just telling the truth about our position in relation to other job positions out there. i think sometimes this board or some Kroger employees act like the job is more than it actually is. Our responsibilities are not complicated, it's the people who complicate things. I had a manager who was good at what they did, but when they quit Kroger they went to fast food, and that's when I really started thinking about what are positions really are equivalent to in the job market.
Same situation, except I only have one school age child. Plus, I have a good insurance. At least I don't sit at home talking to myself, I enjoy coming to work and like my co-workers.
So if you didn't work at Kroger, you would be at home talking to yourself?
how long have you worked for the company? What dept? Just curious. A few of my fellow coworkers have worked here quite a long time 10+ years and still work every weekend. I think it depends on the department. If we were front end or pharmacy we could probably pull that sort of thing, but not in my dept.
I think a lot of you guys are defending your job because you're too scared to take a risk. Kroger doesn't provide a comfortable income on its own. If you have a spouse that works or if you have a very low cost of living then maybe it's ok, but with my bills and tuition I am unable to keep a positive cash flow (I concede that much of that has to do with rising cost of education).
If you think of it, no "normal" job is able to comfortably sustain anyone life style in this economy. Wage inflation has not increased with inflation in general. Even making 45k-50k, one stuggles to pay a mortgage, car note, utilities, Savings, 401k and normal expenses.
With the way companies are downsizing, splitting, going bankrupt I don't see people salaries increasing any time soon. If salaries do increase, the physical amount of jobs will decrease.
how long have you worked for the company? What dept? Just curious. A few of my fellow coworkers have worked here quite a long time 10+ years and still work every weekend. I think it depends on the department. If we were front end or pharmacy we could probably pull that sort of thing, but not in my dept.
If theyve worked there 10+ years and are still working nights and weekends, then it is either their option to do that or others have seniority over them and they want the 40 hours. After working there for 5 years you get the 40 hours a week automatically. You get your choice of hours and days according to seniority.
"So if you didn't work at Kroger, you would be at home talking to yourself?"- haha, yes.
My family lives in another state, husband has a job that requires a lot of travel, if I didn't work I'd be bored at home. I wanted a job that gives me flexible hours, insurance, and found that at Kroger. I work in a pharmacy, I genuinely like my co-workers and customers, I don't work weekends, can't complain.
Honestly, working at Kroger is not a way to support yourself and a family, it's pretty much impossible to get full time, wages are so low - I don't even know how people make it month to month. I'm talking about part timers, not managers and lifers. This is a great job for students or people like me who either simply want to work but don't have to, or want to supplement their income.
how long have you worked for the company? What dept? Just curious. A few of my fellow coworkers have worked here quite a long time 10+ years and still work every weekend. I think it depends on the department. If we were front end or pharmacy we could probably pull that sort of thing, but not in my dept.
I work in the deli and have been with the company just under a year...at least this time.
I worked with Kroger a few years ago but left because I broke a bone and needed surgery which came with nearly 6 months of recovery (not work related). Then, last year, my old deli manager (who is now a bakery manager at a different store) told me that the deli at her new store was in desperate need of good people (seems to be the case at every Kroger...all the time lol). So I told her I would come back but that I had conditions. Those conditions were no nights and no weekends. I am part time but get 40 hours a week almost every week.
The health insurance. I have two jobs and Kroger is the only one that offers health insurance. I've been with Kroger for 4 years. I'm in school and plan on quitting once I graduate, but that'll all depend on where I am with my second job.
how long have you worked for the company? What dept? Just curious. A few of my fellow coworkers have worked here quite a long time 10+ years and still work every weekend. I think it depends on the department. If we were front end or pharmacy we could probably pull that sort of thing, but not in my dept.
I work in the deli and have been with the company just under a year...at least this time.
must be nice. A few of us who have 10+ years work pretty much every saturday.
I'm a department head and make $18 an hour. I have a 2 year degree and got nowhere with it, i'm making a mortgage payment now and i don't have time or money to back to school.
Kroger isn't the greatest but $18 for what i'm doing isn't bad at all.
because they picked useless degrees. So yeah Kroger is a better option if the degree you have never had much gong for it as far as opportunity anyway.
implying that kroger provides a lot of opportunity? The retail industry isn't getting any better. Never have I ever thought "man I wish I was a big shot at the kroger, people would be so jealous" LOL. I get that there are some less than useful degrees out there, but for the most part, anything else should provide opportunity--that is IF you're willing to work for it. Kroger gives us just enough to make us question whether or not we should leave. Basically unless you're looking into management (yuck), the opportunity level at kroger is very low.
how long have you worked for the company? What dept? Just curious. A few of my fellow coworkers have worked here quite a long time 10+ years and still work every weekend. I think it depends on the department. If we were front end or pharmacy we could probably pull that sort of thing, but not in my dept.
I work in the deli and have been with the company just under a year...at least this time.
must be nice. A few of us who have 10+ years work pretty much every saturday.
Yep. The first time I worked here I said I could do nights and weekends and that was basically all I got. Didn't make the same mistake this time. But honestly, if I ever went full time I'd have to open my availability just like the rest of you guys. I won't, so I will never have the benefits of being full time.
