I am going for a part time job at GW?

[Master of fact]

Any tips or information on the interview ect?

Thanks
MoF

 

[IdofEntity]

Any tips or information on the interview ect?

Thanks
MoF

This is just a general interview tip that's paid off for me, but research the company.

If you know a little bit of their history, their products, and their goals for the next few years it makes one hell of an impression on whoever is interviewing you. Shouldn't be a problem if you're a painter like us.

There's a social group of ex GW employees, so you may want to shoot some of them a message for any insider advice.

 

[noneedforaname]

Let them know your happy to work for the worst wage in retail, will follow all contradictory instructions you will receive and are happy to take the blame for the ensuing disaster this will cause as well as whatever the manager is doing to screw his store up. Good luck lol

 

[Master of fact]

Yup im pretty much prepared for that! Thanks though will do!!

 

[generulpoleaxe]

Let them know your happy to work for the worst wage in retail, will follow all contradictory instructions you will receive and are happy to take the blame for the ensuing disaster this will cause as well as whatever the manager is doing to screw his store up. Good luck lol

to be fare it's retail in general that's like that, gw pay quite average for retail staff.

 

[freakinacage]

act friendly and approachable, they seem to like people who can talk to anyone. painting is nice but they prefer it if you can game

 

[Elly3438]

I'm surprised they are still hiring. Around here the word is they are downsizing majorly, trying to cut costs as most companies have been doing, making most shops run by one guy... but what do I know?
My advice is, just be super enthused and knowledgeable about the hobby. Also, seems GW likes guys who will ask the same person over and over again every time they come in "what army do you play?" hehe

 

[Master of fact]

Im in the Uk, il not say where but its the only one there is without having to go to a different country........................................

 

[evil tendencies]

I don't want to damper your enthusiasm, but I wanted you to see a bit about how GW operates here in the States with the below link. You should know how badly they can treat their people sometimes (though certainly not all the time).

A Tale of Two Black Shirts

 

[Wyrmypops]

As I recall from my days with GW, we used to consider all the expected stuff like hobby knowledge, retail experience, availability and keenness, but also the personality is crucial. A bit of energy, geekosity, not so overcome with inhibitions one couldn't approach a customer yet remaining someone that "would we want to work with this person?". Be positive, and don't have a bad word to say about any product, company decision or staff, not even their focus on the Tolkien line at the expense of the old system of supplementary games, nor even John Blanche's crappy art.

Ain't a bad idea to take a few painted mini's along to display painting skills and genuine interest. Would be a good idea to know some relevant gaming attributes about them to throw in when showing them off, to display knowledge. Mini's help you become memorable if they're seeing a few people that day.

Do turn up early for the interview, browse the cabinets. If possible find out who painted what, it could be an extra thing to drop in conversation. Would look good if you bought something too, they'll no doubt ask what it is which should reinforce your interest in the hobby and depending on what you picked could prop up an aspect of the hobby you're weakest in. A book could bolster knowledge of Lore, an uninteresting mini could be an "in" to talk about ones army and reinforce understanding of the wargames, an undercoat spray could show an ongoing practice of painting when saying what it'll be first used on.

Best to go for "smart casual" clothes as they're the most harmless, but make damn sure you don't stink, wouldn't matter if you were the perfect person for the job if they couldn't get past the "would you want to work with this person" for a cloud of funk.

Good luck. Best 5 years of my life (so far) was with GW in London.

 

[Tercha]

Hmm, if it were me, anytime before the day of the interview, I would go there with an army (armies) and take on all comers, be flexible with the rules so your opponents enjoy the game, chat with anyone who shows an interest, tell them how much you love the game(s) take some biscuits, sweets, etc share them, and be an all around "Bon Homme", don't be over the top, if you are any good they will notice and maybe offer you a job on the spot.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

Answer every question with a resounding "WAAAAAGH!".
That's my advice.

 

[ScottRadom]

Ask them if they press charges fro employee theft. Then move your eyes from side to side real shifty like.

When they talk about what they expect from employees just say "...That's nice" and put your feet up on the desk or table and lean back and say "see these boots. They're made for one thing. Kicking ass. If that's not what yuo expect to see me do arounf here then your gonna get a real good look at these boots soon kid."

The kid part is important. Let's 'em know you're boss material.

OOOH! And first thing you do is go over to the thermostat and turn the heat all the way up. Tell 'em it's just how you feel comfortable working with a little heat applied to you.

When they are about half way through the interview interrupt and say "enough of this. I could have sold 6 army boxes and two racks full of paint if I was on the floor by now. A.B.C. Always Be Closing! That's all that matters."

But seriously. I've hired/fired a few retail people in my time. The most important things are that you are gonna show up, and you're gonna be a part of the team. At a retail level you need to be likeable by the customers and the staff. You need to be comfortable being an ambassador for your store. Treat people with respect and enjoy what you're doing. It's not always easy in retail, and the deeper the niche market the more unusual the customers I've found.

When doing the interview I would even mention this site and your participation here as it pertains to the hobby. It'll show that you are enthusiastic about that portion of your potential new job. I'd even bring up that you asked here about advice and that you got some good tips and feedback from former GW employees. I know I would have appreciated a potential employee showing that level of interest in working for me.

Good luck!

 

[Master of fact]

Thanks everyone some really good stuff here. Iv worked retail before at GAME which was a bit different but iv worked with children since i was sixteen, so know how to talk to them on their intelectual level (or lack of...). @scott random i will turn the thermostat up, teaching swimming in cold water for 8 years has made me cold blooded........

 

[mickc22]

be yourself, and be honest

 

[Infidel Castro]

be yourself, and be honest

That sounds almost like he can't be honest if he's himself

Hilarious!

 

[Dedwrekka]

I'm surprised they are still hiring. Around here the word is they are downsizing majorly, trying to cut costs as most companies have been doing, making most shops run by one guy... but what do I know?

They're expanding in the DFW metroplex area. Too many gamers left untapped for so long, they're pulling the cork on this well aged vintage of gamers.

More GW and independent-gw-selling stores per capita around here than in many countries.

I don't want to damper your enthusiasm, but I wanted you to see a bit about how GW operates here in the States with the below link. You should know how badly they can treat their people sometimes (though certainly not all the time).

A Tale of Two Black Shirts

I don't know what bunk they're trying to sell on that blog, but a LOT of what they present as facts is total bull. For instance, not all GW stores are going to one man staffs. The two in the area around here are two man staffed and will be for a long time. They had a recent round of new hires to cover the one man they're losing from one store who's going to be running the only one man store that's going to be opening in a smaller community. The rumor round the tables in the stores here is the possibility of opening a battle bunker as well, with three stores already in the area within easy driving distance of each other.

Meanwhile there haven't been any firings or "testing for your own job" around here either. I know that there are some horror stories around the internet, but I'd point out that a happy worker doesn't complain about being happy at their job. So yes, every so often someone gets a boot in their butt when there appears to be no reason for it.
But that's any job, at the low end of the chain. When you're dangling off the end, you don't see why it's being shaken up at the top.


---------------------------------------------------

Know the game, have something extra to sell yourself with or talk about in relation to the hobby.

I'd also suggest looking at this nice list by Gav Thorpe on Warseer giving advice on people wishing to fill a vacancy at GW. It's for a higher job position, but it couldn't hurt.

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4386341#post4386341

 

[evil tendencies]

I don't know what bunk they're trying to sell on that blog, but a LOT of what they present as facts is total bull...I know that there are some horror stories around the internet, but I'd point out that a happy worker doesn't complain about being happy at their job. So yes, every so often someone gets a boot in their butt when there appears to be no reason for it. But that's any job, at the low end of the chain. When you're dangling off the end, you don't see why it's being shaken up at the top.

I understand what you are saying, but this isn't a "I heard it from a guy who read something online that was written by a guy who knew someone" kind of story. As far as I can tell as a habitual reader of his, and without knowing him personally, is relating a story directly from his experience and that of people he knows personally. That has weight, I think.

Besides this, all of what he relates fits exactly with the tales of the many friends and clients I have who worked or are working for GW. Arbitrary and/or unexplained reorganizations, petty management decisions, forced extra hours without legally required compensation, unwritten rules about your own personal hobby choices...I'm sorry, but I can personally testify fro experience that these problems are real somewhere. Too many stories of the exact same problems from people who don't know each other just can't be ignored. As to things making more sense at the top, if these two Black Shirts were having these kind of problems, then a guy just starting out will not be immune to that sort of thing either.

While I grant that this is not universal (and I'm actually glad of it) Master of Fact deserves to know what kind of situation he might find himself in. I would like him to have a long and successful career with GW, as I know you do, and so it's important that he knows the score going in, both the good things that you related, and the potential landmines that I related.

 

[John@plasticlegions.com]

I don't know what bunk they're trying to sell on that blog, but a LOT of what they present as facts is total bull. For instance, not all GW stores are going to one man staffs. The two in the area around here are two man staffed and will be for a long time. They had a recent round of new hires to cover the one man they're losing from one store who's going to be running the only one man store that's going to be opening in a smaller community. The rumor round the tables in the stores here is the possibility of opening a battle bunker as well, with three stores already in the area within easy driving distance of each other.

Meanwhile there haven't been any firings or "testing for your own job" around here either. I know that there are some horror stories around the internet, but I'd point out that a happy worker doesn't complain about being happy at their job. So yes, every so often someone gets a boot in their butt when there appears to be no reason for it.
But that's any job, at the low end of the chain. When you're dangling off the end, you don't see why it's being shaken up at the top.

I don't usually respond to people basically calling me a liar but in your case I'll make an exception. Where exactly is the "around here" you are speaking of? because the "around here" I am speaking of is the whole damn middle of the United States from Minneapolis to Austin,Tx.

Where I am, in GW's Chicago metro with a dozen stores and the Chicago battle bunker. Every retail store, not in a Shopping Mall or the Bunker is affected (mall stores are required to keep mall hours so they are exempt from the one man store thing and the Bunker is unaffected, but NO ONE here is immune to the re-application process) Every one here has to reapply for their job period.

Bell of Lost Souls reports the same thing in Texas, and friends of mine in MN and WI are telling the same thing there.

Also with the relocation of GW central operations going from Baltimore to Memphis there is a whole lot of changes going on there.(almost every mid level regional manager has been fired/laid off as well)

I'd like to know where you are located. where "this bunk or total bull" isnt happening??..so I can tell my friends and maybe they can ask for a transfer or just ask why the people you know are somehow getting special treatment.

 

[Master of fact]

Guy's please don't, while there has been a lot of great info for myself which i am thankful for i do not want this to regress into an flame topic. If it does i will just request this thread to be closed.

Cheers
MoF