Torn about a potential (retail) job offer at Starbucks.
December 18, 2019 6:30 PM   Subscribe

Long story short, after I was laid off in October, I was able to land a seasonal job at a major, well-known retailer. I also applied for a local Starbucks as a bartsia, in a great spot where I know a lot of people. I was able to land an interview with the Starbucks manager earlier this week, and was asked about my availability. No formal job offer yet, though. This is where some complications come in.

a) My job at the major retailer is currently seasonal; however, I was told there was a chance I (and other seasonal employees) could become "promoted" to permanent store staff. This is not guaranteed, however, it's anecdotal data, but many employees/friends at this retailer told me they began as seasonal, and became permanent. So, it's still up in the air, with a (?)goodish(?) chance to continue. My employment with this retailer ends when January ends. This isn't a run-of-the-mill seasonal gig like at Target, as there is a legit, although not-determined chance to stay with the company.

b) If I were to start at Starbucks, I'd start mid-January. There'd be about a 2ish week overlap period, where I'd be working at both retailers at the same time. Working two retail jobs at the same time exhausts me just thinking about it... currently working at this retailer can be fun and incredibly rewarding, but it's also very exhausting, especially being on my foot. Retail, that. With 2x, this would be very exhausting and hard on me and my body.

c) The Starbucks position would be much lower in pay (it'd be at minimum wage where I live), while the current job I'm at pays much higher than that. It'd also include cleaning toilets and mopping the floors, which aren't bad things inherently, but something I'm not used to doing, especially in a public place, as a germaphobe. (The current job has custodial staff who takes care of all those things, not us.)

I'm on the fence, and the manager is waiting to hear about my availability, but I just can't make my mind up whether or not to proceed or drop out altogether from Starbucks.

For Starbucks:
-Good backup and temporary stopgap if the current position does not work out or continue after January (temporary until I find a full-time desk job)
-Good local spot for me and the community
-Permanent position, not seasonal

Against Starbucks:
-Much lower in pay
-Job tasks that I don't like or want to do (although to be fair, this is commonplace for all jobs)
-Working two retail jobs at the same time (even temporarily)

The thing is, standing on my feet all day just does not appeal to me. :\ I had a cushy desk job for years, so working this new job at the major retailer has been a big adjustment to me. Having a somewhat unpredictable schedule (opening shifts or closing shifts, or in-between; nothing set) and being "on the go" all the time has been quite exhausting for me. I can foresee the same problem at Starbucks; however, I don't want to regret turning down the job there (if I am offered), if my current position does not work out or extend past January. The temporary overlap, while temporary, I'm concerned will take a toll on me physically. Also, what if I accept the Starbucks job, and it ends up the major retailer offers me a permanent position?

I'm stuck in an indecisive, mind loop, and want your help/input. I'm in my mid-30's, so retail may not be for me, for the long term anyway, but the Starbucks manager wants an answer soon, so... any advice or thoughts would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks!
posted by thoughtful_analyst to Work & Money (9 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Starbucks and similar places tend to have an ongoing flow of new staff. I would tell the Starbucks manager that now is not the right time for you and if the retail doesn’t work out then get back in touch with them at the end of January.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 6:56 PM on December 18, 2019 [10 favorites]


I believe Starbucks offers quite good benefits if that's a concern. But really, its retail. Accept both jobs and do what suits you when it comes to it.
posted by fshgrl at 9:34 PM on December 18, 2019 [5 favorites]


One of my part time jobs is retail. They rarely hire full time. Often jobs are called "permanent part time" which means they cut your hours down to 8 hours per week when they don't anticipate business and then expect 39 hours from you during peak periods. It sucks; big time. Don't expect a permanent position to mean anything else.

There's always another retail job somewhere if it doesn't work out. So, feel free to take the Starbucks job if it's a better quality of life, but be sure which kettle you're jumping into.... ask lots of questions about scheduling.
posted by mightshould at 3:22 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Keep the higher paid retail job. Starbucks will always be hiring later.

I worked at Starbucks for 24 months in my mid-30s - weirdly, it felt longer. I've described it as "the best minimum-wage job I've had", with a strong emphasis on that qualifier. They have better safety and scheduling than similar food service jobs.

That said: it's physically tough. Everyone in my store over 30 had wrist issues - we weren't switching positions often enough. The 20-year olds could recover faster than we did. Stores are minimally staffed and people are sent home when things are slow. Promotion from within isn't a big part of the culture anymore.

I miss the coffee perks - and I miss the quiet of the opening shift. But I don't miss working harder than any office job I've ever had for half the pay (or less).

This isn't just Starbucks, of course - all retail is harder than office jobs, and people who haven't worked retail / food service since they were young have no idea what it's like now, or what it's like to work there when you aren't 18 (and can do "clo-pens" just to show off how tough you are).

For me, it was a stop-gap job - and it's better than nothing. You have one already which is more highly paid. I would stick with that, and re-apply to Starbucks if it doesn't work out.
posted by jb at 5:59 AM on December 19, 2019 [2 favorites]


Find out how long in advance you would need to give notice if you want to quit the Starbucks job. (Probably 2 weeks?) Then when you find out whether you'll be promoted to permanent at your other seasonal job, you can decide whether to quit the Starbucks job. Finding a job that pays significantly better is always a good reason to quit a minimum wage job, and no one will fault you for it.
posted by heatherlogan at 6:16 AM on December 19, 2019


however, I was told there was a chance I (and other seasonal employees) could become "promoted" to permanent store staff. This is not guaranteed, however, it's anecdotal data, but many employees/friends at this retailer told me they began as seasonal, and became permanent.

Almost certainly all or most of the permanent staff started as seasonal hires. But I would bet lots of money that not very many seasonal hires end up permanent. (Some aren't looking for a permanent gig; some aren't good workers; some don't make the cut; etc.) So I'd be cautious about putting a lot of eggs in that basket unless you are getting clear signals that this is the plan.

I would also make sure you are including the value of the benefits for each in your comparison. Starbucks is known for having comparatively good benefits, so if the other place isn't matching them (or benefits are conditional on eventually getting a permanent position), that makes the Starbucks offer more attractive than just comparing the hourly numbers.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:34 AM on December 19, 2019


Can you chat with your manager at the good retail job and let her know that you're interested in a full time job with that company, and ask when they might be in a position to know more? That might give you a timeframe, AND it puts a bug in your manager's ear that you're interested.

If there's just no way to know, I'd overlap the jobs and ask Starbucks for minimal hours to start to 'work your way in'. This is a month away, and your body may well be more acclimated to working in retail by then.
posted by hydra77 at 8:40 AM on December 19, 2019 [1 favorite]


Treat employers exactly as employers treat you. That is, do what works for your needs. Every employer will treat you as a disposable commodity, will lay you off without warning, etc. Be courteous, be as good to them as is reasonable, but do what is best for you.
posted by theora55 at 11:14 AM on December 20, 2019 [1 favorite]


I would rework your pros/cons to consider the difference in benefits. Starbucks has better benefits than most other retail operations.

I would also think about which job will give you the most flexibility for job hunting/interviews if you're looking for another office position.
posted by Orrorin at 7:18 PM on December 20, 2019


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