Right now I am an ACSM on the front end. Wondering if it would be worthwhile to keep climbing the Kroger ladder (a long journey between each rung it seems). I make $18/hr, net 560-580 per paycheck, have heard rumblings that a CSM makes $21/hr (which is $840/paycheck *before* taxes at 40 hours, unless taxes hike up). I typically get $150-200 taken out of my paycheck, so wondering if my estimate of $100 more each paycheck would even be worth the headache that so many other ACSMs say is not worth having.
Can you break into the ASM (co-manager) world without being a lead? Or is CSM the next gradual step for me if I want to keep going?
I hear from some ASMs that even though they are salary paid, that they get worked to death, especially if hourly exertion was accounted for, instead of a flat salary rate. Are there bonuses involved?
I have also heard that you have to be at least a ACSM for 9 months before you can even apply to become a CO-MGR/ASM.
In my time I have seen COs that work all through the night or leave at like 2am or some crazy **** like that. I kinda want to have a normal life. I know that CSMs only work odd hours if there are corporate visits coming; otherwise the latest shift I have seen any work is a 1-9. Not sure if I want to keep going with this crap if I wojld still never be able to really enjoy my life or have that cliche 8-4 or 9-5, M-F life, ya know? Thinking about going back to college and becoming a banker or something more normal. I wanted this gig for so long yet now I still dont have any real amount of money and want to be one of those customers that spend so much shopping because they either a) are in huge debt, lol or B) have an actually good paying job that is not so stressful.
Kroger hires co-managers straight out of college with no previous experience with Kroger. I've seen a few 22 year olds in charge of million dollar stores for hours at a time whenever other co-managers/store manager aren't there. So, yes, you can become a co manager even as a clerk. I've seen that happen too.
Now whether it's worth it is up to you. You'll be on call and working at least 50 hours a week, sometimes more. And have to baby sit an entire store rather than one department. I'd honestly just go for FE lead and take the $21/hr. That's $43,000 annually, combine it with a lot of OT and you can make nearly $60,000, which is more than a lot of co-managers make.
as a csm, not its not worth it. The stress is ridiculous on front End And depends heavily on the management team and coordinator you have. But it doesnt end there you also have a guest care staff that might be overworked and do stupid things. You have to worry about baby sitting cashiers and courtesy clerks and mediat between floor supervisors and you will NOT get a thank you for any successes just reminded of any numbers you arent making. Communication will also be intolerably bad and you will shoulder the blame for thing you dont even know you dont know. We do pretty well on quevision, cash is ok, friendly good, sweeps get done, prodcue scan is ok, ring tender is not and all i get is chewed out from both ends bcause they want MORE until i threaten to step down and they panic and be polite a few weeks. Same with my last ASM before I became one. There is also NO incentive. You got your pay and thats it and getting overtime is still not acceptable.
Kroger hires co-managers straight out of college with no previous experience with Kroger. I've seen a few 22 year olds in charge of million dollar stores for hours at a time whenever other co-managers/store manager aren't there. So, yes, you can become a co manager even as a clerk. I've seen that happen too.
Now whether it's worth it is up to you. You'll be on call and working at least 50 hours a week, sometimes more. And have to baby sit an entire store rather than one department. I'd honestly just go for FE lead and take the $21/hr. That's $43,000 annually, combine it with a lot of OT and you can make nearly $60,000, which is more than a lot of co-managers make.
That OT really helps. I get a lot of it due to how our store is and I'm not even the Department Head, just the Assistant. Plus there's relief pay for when the head goes on vacation, and if your head has been at the company a long time ... my boss gets five weeks vacation a year, so five weeks out of 52 I'm making right at $20/hr.
