Topic: I have a job interview, what can I expect?

[*FFC*]

Congrats on the raise Nate! Wow, $1 an hour raise is UNHEARD of where we work. Good work

[BUDDERS]

Good for you Nate!    I got a 46 cent raise this year......I'm just happy to have a job right now.

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Thanks for the kind words guys, I was pretty stoked to hear I was getting a raise 

Wow im suprised i didnt see this sooner.  ive been working at americas tire for about 2 yaers now and they have treated me great.  its pretty lay back but we can still get our done when it needs to be.  Im making $11.00 an hour and 30+ hours a week now while still going to school and my boss is always pushing me to go full time so i can really make some money.  i really wana become a welder but if that falls through its nice to know that this company will take care of me.  thats one good thing about this company is it does take care of its employees.  i dont kno if you know this but, the V.P.s of the regions make around $250K a year salary and the company buys them a car when they get permoted with a $65,000 limit! stuff like that all the way down to giving part timers a christmas bonus.im very tempted to stay with them with those possabilities but well see how it workes out.  which store do you work at if you dont mind me asking?

Right on, good to know there's another tire monkey on the board    I'm up in redding.  You're down around napa?  Only reason I know they make around $250,000 was from when the boss was telling me about the Halle fund and told me one of his manager friends in the bay area had a garage fire and told me despite how much he made, he still got help from the company without asking when his garage caught fire.

I'd definately like to move higher up in the company when I earn it, but there are plenty of guys ahead of me who'd like to advance as well.  From what I've heard, my only real chance to get into management would be if I traveled to another store.  I've looked around hoping they had one in southern oregon, but the next closest is eugene, which could work out if I absoluty had to go there since my brother lives in springfield.  Even if I didn't live on his couch, it'd still be nice to have family in the area!

Just out of curiosity, what can I expect for a christmas bonus?  My last employer gave us a set amount each year, going up $25 a year till you maxed out at $300, which I did a few years back.  Do they happen to give out bonuses or anything other times of the year?  I wanna ask these questions at work, but don't wanna seem too nosy either.

[te51levin]

I've looked around hoping they had one in southern oregon, but the next closest is eugene, which could work out if I absoluty had to go there since my brother lives in springfield.  Even if I didn't live on his couch, it'd still be nice to have family in the area!

When the time comes, you may find more opportunity by taking your skills to another employer.  I'm certainly not saying that you won't be able to advance with Discount Tire, but there's the possibility that you may be ready for a position they don't have, but Schwab (or someone else) may.

And actually, our couch is pretty comfortable, but we do have a spare bedroom.  We will certainly have more room for crashers soon - we're supposed to start moving in to the new house in three weeks.  You should come up and help us move.  Just be careful with my damn Hummel collection 

[kneedownnate [OP]]

A hummel collection    Tell me about this new house!

[85yotabox]

well for one it is true that you will have to transfer store to move up (full time) and actually sell tires.  its some thing about techs you used to work witj not showing you respect of some b.s. lie that. and as far as a bonus goes it is up to the VP of the region to decide on your bonus but most will give tire techs $100, apprentice techs $200 and im not sure about full timers, but i know it is quite a bit more.  im in a position now where my boss wants me to go full time but i would be transfered to santa rosa ( about an hours commute) whitch i cant really do now while im in school.....any other questions feel free to ask! ill be more then happy to answer them to the best of my knowlage.
Anthony

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Right on, makes sense about not getting respect.  There is definately a respect barrier there when different people step up to be a coordinator.  Some guys roll position to position seemlessly, but a couple guys totally change their demeanor.  It helps when they understand that yelling for the sake of yelling isn't motivational.  Luckily I get along well with everybody there.  Whether or not they think I'm a jerk I don't know, I just keep a positive attitude and don't let anything get under my skin.  Stark contrast to how I was at the last place, but negativity is both contageous and habit forming.

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Wow, it's been almost a year since I updated this!  Things have been going well still with talk here and there of advancement, but it's one of those deals that's completely up to you.  There's not an opening for a sales position per say, but there is the chance to learn the ropes and actually help when needed, plus the salesman are often busy when we find something in the shop that needs attention, and knowing how to properly use the system and actually sell from the back room helps keep things moving along in the back.   

About 5 or so months ago I advanced to the position of bay coordinator and really like it.  It can get hectic and confusing at times, but it gives you a great chance to interact with the customer and help assure they're happy and well taken care of, which is also going toward helping me better understand what I'll need to do in sales. 

And it's been months coming, but I finally got an evaluation today and it went quite well!  Everything is rated on a 1-5 scale, 3 being average, 4 above average and 5 something like outstanding.  He tells me he doesn't like handing out 5s cause there's nowhere to go up from there, and he considers 4 to be really good... so I got 4s on most, 3s on what I'd expect to (mostly stuff like training they haven't gone over with me yet) and a handfull of 5s, for an average of 3.8.  Of the 5 he's done so far, he said I'd done the best    A huge part of it seems to come from my good attitude and willingness to take criticism and learn from it rather than curl up in a ball or start making excuses.  Either way, when all was said and done, I came out with a very good review and a much needed raise 

[Rocksurfer]

Good to hear things are working out for you with what happened.

[brainlessfool]

 

[BUDDERS]

Nice!  Taking criticism and learning from it is what a boss really wants to see.  Most people have a hard time dealing with it - and lets face it, in the automotive world, most "criticizing" words are usually ment to cut someone down.  Sounds like you know what to roll of your back and know what (or who) to learn from.

[hilux-1983]

I was just looking up old threads that I've been on. I came across this one. How are things going? Do you own a store yet?

[kneedownnate [OP]]

Good, thanks for asking!  Only one man owns the stores, about 870 of them.  I have an owner mentality, though   

Things have been up and down like any job, but we lost a guy a few months back, and having interviewed for an assistant manager position a couple months prior, I moved up to take the spot.  The only limit on how high I go is me.  I'm very much enjoying my current position, except for the gut that comes along with eating the same amount of food I did when I was busting ass in the shop!

It took a few years to obtain consistent hours and financial security, but I'm no longer living paycheck to paycheck and finally have a little breathing room.  That feels nice!  I work at least five 10 hour days a week, so I get 2 hours of overtime a day 

And I take none of it for granted.  I lived too long robbing peter to pay paul just to barely scrape by.  That is no fun and I hope never to be in that position again!

[hilux-1983]

I'm glad to hear that. I went through the same. Eating the same as I did when working in the shop and discovering that my body no longer burns food as fast as I eat it. I am now a surgical tech(scrub) and really like what I do assisting the docs in surgery. Guess what? I'm in school again going for my RN. My wife is a nurse(labor and delivery). Surgery is great but I want more interaction with the patients. You keep going up that ladder of management ya hear!!!

[Cheesemaker]

Its good to hear that your doing well and moving up in the business Nate.  I wish I could move up in my job.  But anymore you need a degree to get anything better than where I'm at now. 

[BUDDERS]

Glad to hear it Nate.  I just had to buy some tires for my 2wd Tacoma and shopped around town.  America's Tire Company had the best deal on tires for me and the most customers in their waiting area.  Hopefully now after bustin' tires and payin' dues, you have some job security.