Uno Ill Nino
Banned
I'm going to turn in a resume/app to EB Games tomorrow. Any last-minute pointers?
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Any tips for applying at EB Games?
- Thread starter Uno Ill Nino
- Start date
Ninja Scooter
Member
uhh, dress nice? and don't forget to wipe.
Uno Ill Nino
Banned
LOL @ Ninja.
Yeah Ferrio I've worked at a Gamestop before. Its not a big deal for me. I know there's boatloads of nerds who can jade you, but I don't care. I'm older and better at dealing with acne-ridden dateless wonders. Hell, can't be any worse than the bums I have to help on occassion at my current job.
Yeah Ferrio I've worked at a Gamestop before. Its not a big deal for me. I know there's boatloads of nerds who can jade you, but I don't care. I'm older and better at dealing with acne-ridden dateless wonders. Hell, can't be any worse than the bums I have to help on occassion at my current job.
Ned Flanders
Banned
Uhm..."Don't"...??
Uno Ill Nino
Banned
Why not? They're looking for a store manager. That could be a great stepping stone to better things...maybe even things within the EB company. Who knows.
keeblerdrow
Member
gonna echo Ned.
"Don't"
"Don't"
Diomedeskun
Member
Having friends in the company is very useful. Also, just try to gauge your interviewer. Some are more professional and looking for skills, others will just hire someone they like.
Finally, store manager is hell and you may be asked to take a great many responsibilites on that you will not be paid for. Only apply for manager if you can actually handle people very well and have a high tolerance for stress and misuse by the corporate side.
Finally, store manager is hell and you may be asked to take a great many responsibilites on that you will not be paid for. Only apply for manager if you can actually handle people very well and have a high tolerance for stress and misuse by the corporate side.
TheDiave said:
You and fifty other people. Game Stores get hundres upon hundreds of applications each year (or even just each month during the holiday season at busy/mall stores). These stores hire an average of 5-10 people all year (and most of those will just be temp holiday people). Chances are they won't hire you.
Hellraizah
Member
.
Sho Nuff said:
That would actually be good advice if you're going to work at the Gamestop near me. It's Nintendomania over there- the only store with a guy NUTS about Nintendo I've ever seen (he holds monthly tourneys, gives away games [bought with his own salary], holds contests, has a Nintendo Club going where you get points to buy Nintendo gear/games).
open_mouth_
insert_foot_
Get drunk, act like you've got the most monumental-sized pole up your ass, and disregard your hygiene completely and they'll think you're already an EB employee.
SiegfriedFM
Member
I applied for EB Games here in Sweden, but I was told by a friend who already works there that I have no chance in hell to get in. They want salesmen, they couldn't care less about "gamers". They want someone who can tell the customer with a straight face that "oh yes, Medal of Honor Rising Sun is a splendid game, do you want a strategy guide with that, and could I interest you in Rainbow Six 557: Even More Evil Terrorists To Kill as well?", not someone who goes around trying to sell Disgaea and Guilty Gear to poor ignorant mainstream idiots.
Hellraizah
Member
.
It seems like around where I live (Eastern PA), you really do have to know someone to work in an EB -- I've applied at at least four different store locations around the area, sometimes multiple times for one location, and have never even gotten an interview, despite taking upon myself to give the manager a follow-up call after about a week. I would consider myself a fairly friendly, outgoing person (at least, when the situation requires it), and I made sure my dress attire was appropriate when I picked up and dropped off the application, so I've sometimes wondered why I never even got a call-back.
Of course, it's worth mentioning that although I have plenty of work experience, none of it is in retail. Maybe that's what they're looking for...?
Of course, it's worth mentioning that although I have plenty of work experience, none of it is in retail. Maybe that's what they're looking for...?
DarkGiygas
Member
Make sure when you give me my Fable preorder slip, its for Halo 2 instead so I have to go back and complain to you.
Hellraizah
Member
Or maybe their staff is full.human5892 said:
Manabanana
Member
human5892 said:
When they just open, they're mostly looking for full-time employees.
You really, really, really don't want to work that far inside the EB company. Bad experiences all around.Uno Ill Nino said:
Truth be told, I enjoyed my time working at EB. But I've seen so many managers come and go in the EB stores I frequent. I've seen it break men, I've seen really enthusiastic, proud people who just wanted to do a good job slowly grinded down into a shadow of their former selves over the years, only to realize that the pay increase they took wasn't worth it.
I could go on and on, and probably should, but I don't think it'll change your mind. If you want to go for it, good look.
i'd recommend not looking towards a store manager position at any company, unless you want no life and high stress. But if you do, read on.
Ask to speak to the store manager and introduce yourself. When you hand them your application, make sure you have a resume attached, or at least with you. It wouldn't hurt to show some product knowledge, like asking if they've already begun accepting PSP preorders. If they don't seem to preoccupied or disinterested, you might wanna ask how their Nintendo DS orders are as well. It's a good time to build rapport with someone who will probably be hiring you in a situation that's a lot less stressful than an interview.
And it doesn't hurt to dress up. Shirt and tie, etc. Most people looking to work at a gamestore (or any retailer) will be handing applications in in plain clothes to whoever's working the desk. You'll be wearing plain clothes pretty much every day you work. And to reiterate, always go for the store manager, even if you have to come later or another day. They're the ones who make decisions, and it'll really make an impression on them if you ask for them directly.
Ask to speak to the store manager and introduce yourself. When you hand them your application, make sure you have a resume attached, or at least with you. It wouldn't hurt to show some product knowledge, like asking if they've already begun accepting PSP preorders. If they don't seem to preoccupied or disinterested, you might wanna ask how their Nintendo DS orders are as well. It's a good time to build rapport with someone who will probably be hiring you in a situation that's a lot less stressful than an interview.
And it doesn't hurt to dress up. Shirt and tie, etc. Most people looking to work at a gamestore (or any retailer) will be handing applications in in plain clothes to whoever's working the desk. You'll be wearing plain clothes pretty much every day you work. And to reiterate, always go for the store manager, even if you have to come later or another day. They're the ones who make decisions, and it'll really make an impression on them if you ask for them directly.
Mr_Furious
Member
I worked for both EB and Software Etc combined for almost 3 years and it's not that bad. Sure people suck but they suck in ANY retail job. Also working at a game store should not jade you or turn you off to gaming at all, imo. It didn't affect me in anyway. I generated opinions about certain gamer types but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of playing the actual games at all. I knew plenty of people that have worked at a game store at one point or another and never noticed them get turned off to gaming based off their job.
Mr_Furious
Member
Wrong again. I worked in QA at Interplay along with a bunch of other gamers and we weren't affected by that job either. Even when I was stuck doing Mario Teaches Typing for 3 solid months, I'd still jump on the opportunity to get some OT in on testing Descent (yes, it was that long ago). Testing bad or boring games turned into just a job but getting onto good games was a lot more enjoyable.Blackace said:
EDIT: In a nutshell: I didn't become jaded or turned off by being a tester either and neither did any one of my friends that were in QA at that time. We'd still all head out to lunch together, picking up the latest and greatest games.
Uno Ill Nino
Banned
Buddy C: You mentioned having no life in exchange for a salary increase that wasn't worth it? People do that at my job all the time. The people above me work 70+ hour weeks sometimes and I remember figuring out that some of them were averaging $4.00 an hour. They were salary so they got shafted like that. I worked 40 hours a week and made almost as much, but didn't have the title. To me, that's a worthy trade-off. Maybe working at an EB is just like where I am right now. If I didn't make the poor decisions my supervisors did, I wouldn't make it at another store, either. I'll always keep my best interests in mind.
No no, it wasn't the fact that he had no life. It was more along the fact that whenever he'd actually meet goals, he wasn't rewarded in any shape or form, not even in the "Gee, good job." Meanwhile, if he didn't, well, he got his ass chewed out. Blah blah blah, it's just a tough position to be in unless you have a really good DM and a decent staff, which is rare these days.Uno Ill Nino said:
I'm not naive enough to think that you'll actually listen to me, and who knows, it may turn out great for you. Just realize you'll be putting in long hours with no thanks whatsoever, and it only gets worse the higher up you get. I honestly, truly wish you the best of luck.
Uno Ill Nino
Banned
It's that way where I work now. I get bitched at all the time for whatever it is that the guys in my shop mess up on now and then. But the 98% of the time we actually do shit right, we don't even hear so much as a "good job" or anything.
I fuckin hate the store manager where I work. He hires complete jobbers for his assistant managers and won't talk to anybody who's not one of them. He's an introvert with no social skills. Its a wonder how he ever got into that position to begin with. So I figure, if I'm going to be underappreciated, it might as well be for somebody new who I don't completely hate looking at. Maybe it'll even work out and I'll be happy. I've got nothing to lose.
Thanks for the advice though. I appreciate the concern.
Take it easy and I'll let you know how it turns out.
I fuckin hate the store manager where I work. He hires complete jobbers for his assistant managers and won't talk to anybody who's not one of them. He's an introvert with no social skills. Its a wonder how he ever got into that position to begin with. So I figure, if I'm going to be underappreciated, it might as well be for somebody new who I don't completely hate looking at. Maybe it'll even work out and I'll be happy. I've got nothing to lose.
Thanks for the advice though. I appreciate the concern.
Take it easy and I'll let you know how it turns out.Around here if you want to get a job at Gamestop/EB all you need to do is know jack shit about gaming. The workers at Gamestop near here are about as stupid as hell as you can get. They even have a couple of girls working there who don't seem to know a game title from the name on their mascara.