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I've got a job interview at Gamestop today!

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whytemyke

Honorary Canadian.
I'm really excited. I've been hurting for money all summer and the job market up here has been completely shit for awhile now. But I've got an interview at Gamestop today, which should be awesome. Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

I'm psyched! I really hope I nail this interview and get this job. Then I can add "GameInformer whore" to my resume, right below "PRP MANIAK!"

Anyone else had interviews with video game stores before? I'm wondering how much info I'm gonna need to know. I already know more about software and hardware than most people do at those stores... but still. Maybe I should bone up on my format knowledge and such. Any ideas?
 

tedtropy

$50/hour, but no kissing on the lips and colors must be pre-separated
whytemyke said:
Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

Well you just define work ethic, don't you?

How much you enjoy the job is going to be determined by the manager. Sometimes you luck out and get a sane one, sometimes you get the dick that thinks your job will encompass everything from pimping pre-orders to cleaning the backed-up toilet. Don't assume it's going to be the dream job you envisioned as a kid. I've known a few friends that have worked out your assorted Gamespots, Blockbusters, whatever and it's not exactly a fantasy career. Still, I wish you the best of luck in your interview.
 

bjork

Member
"at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot."

Man, are you setting yourself up for a major letdown...
 

daegan

Member
whytemyke said:
Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

Well, this depends on the store you're interviewing for. Some are like this. Some are hell on wheels.

whytemyke said:
I'm psyched! I really hope I nail this interview and get this job. Then I can add "GameInformer whore" to my resume, right below "PRP MANIAK!"

Anyone else had interviews with video game stores before? I'm wondering how much info I'm gonna need to know. I already know more about software and hardware than most people do at those stores... but still. Maybe I should bone up on my format knowledge and such. Any ideas?

Learn how to speak on each customer's level. Not everyone knows that Zelda is never going to come out for XBox. You will be asked this question many many many times, along with many others on the same level. You may not lash out at the customers' stupidity - publicly.

Oh, and also, if you get the job, be wary of what you talk about online. Being a negative representation of a retail company is a big no-no.
 
whytemyke said:
Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

total_5_2.jpg

"Get ready for a surprise!"
 

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
whytemyke said:
I'm really excited. I've been hurting for money all summer and the job market up here has been completely shit for awhile now. But I've got an interview at Gamestop today, which should be awesome. Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

I'm psyched! I really hope I nail this interview and get this job. Then I can add "GameInformer whore" to my resume, right below "PRP MANIAK!"

Anyone else had interviews with video game stores before? I'm wondering how much info I'm gonna need to know. I already know more about software and hardware than most people do at those stores... but still. Maybe I should bone up on my format knowledge and such. Any ideas?

Like you're going to make that much at Gamestop. :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

And think you can PLAY the videogames? Uh no.

Chill all day redoing the videogame racks... the toy racks... the magazine racks... the DVD racks....
 

Mama Smurf

My penis is still intact.
I guess it's easier than most retail jobs, for us anyway as we know the vast majority of the products as it is...but it is still retail.

Well, try and enjoy it. I didn't.
 

tedtropy

$50/hour, but no kissing on the lips and colors must be pre-separated
DarienA said:
Like you're going to make that much at Gamestop. :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

And think you can PLAY the videogames? Uh no.

Chill all day redoing the videogame racks... the toy racks... the magazine racks... the DVD racks....

He should try for Toys 'r Us. They let you ride Geoffery around the store while playing with Legos. IT'S AWESOME!
 

bjork

Member
tedtropy said:
He should try for Toys 'r Us. They let you ride Geoffery around the store while playing with Legos. IT'S AWESOME!

Are they pirate legos? This sounds lucrative.
 

dog$

Hates quality gaming
Hi.

I was an assistant manager at a few FuncoLands.

Retail sucks ass, unless you're comfortable lying to every customer for the sole benefit of your job.
whytemyke said:
Anyone else had interviews with video game stores before? I'm wondering how much info I'm gonna need to know. I already know more about software and hardware than most people do at those stores... but still. Maybe I should bone up on my format knowledge and such. Any ideas?
All any manager cares about is how well you get the targeted number of sales for whatever they're pushing; magazine subscriptions, preorders, whatever. Actual knowledge of videogames is irrelevant.

You could tell everyone that Sega still makes hardware, Nintendo is a code name to put $10 preorders on Trent Reznor's next album, and that XBox games work on the PSP; as long as you get the sales, that's all anyone above you cares.
 
whytemyke said:
I'm really excited. I've been hurting for money all summer and the job market up here has been completely shit for awhile now. But I've got an interview at Gamestop today, which should be awesome. Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

I'm psyched! I really hope I nail this interview and get this job. Then I can add "GameInformer whore" to my resume, right below "PRP MANIAK!"

Anyone else had interviews with video game stores before? I'm wondering how much info I'm gonna need to know. I already know more about software and hardware than most people do at those stores... but still. Maybe I should bone up on my format knowledge and such. Any ideas?


As a former Babbages employee I would like to say congratulations I'm happy for you because I know that is what you want and I hope that your intro to Atheism class works out for you.

As far as advice pretty much let them know you are a dependable individual and give them a schedule that you can stick to. That is probably the most imporant thing knowing about videogames, systems, and the like are good selling points but, it will range from store to store some managers are more gamerlike and others are more managerlike it just depends.
 
whytemyke said:
I'm really excited. I've been hurting for money all summer and the job market up here has been completely shit for awhile now. But I've got an interview at Gamestop today, which should be awesome. Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

I'm psyched! I really hope I nail this interview and get this job. Then I can add "GameInformer whore" to my resume, right below "PRP MANIAK!"

Anyone else had interviews with video game stores before? I'm wondering how much info I'm gonna need to know. I already know more about software and hardware than most people do at those stores... but still. Maybe I should bone up on my format knowledge and such. Any ideas?

retail business sucks.

you will soon realize this.

you will hate customers and the everyday consumer.

you will also hate soccer moms

this job will most likely not be fun for you.

Welcome....to the Real World

peace
 

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
Fixed2BeBroken said:
retail business sucks.

you will soon realize this.

you will hate customers and the everyday consumer.

you will also hate soccer moms

this job will most likely not be fun for you.

peace

Also if he's not very careful this job will seep the personal fun out of videogaming playing.

Consider yourself warned.
 

whytemyke

Honorary Canadian.
Well, I used to work at best buy, so the whole "lying to stupid customers" thing doesn't really bother me. I still slept fine at night. I actually really enjoyed Best Buy, except for the Godless sales goals, so I figure as long as the sales goals at Gamestop are normal (not expecting me to sell 10 PRPs in a 4 hour shift) then i'll be doing good.

And I think the manager I'd be working for is pretty cool. She was saying how last year, before she was a manager, her boss went to some huge Gamestop show in Texas and got a shitload of free gear from all the developers and publishers and didn't give anything to anyone. Kept like all 4 of his Jax games to himself. She said it was bullshit, and she can't wait cuz she's gonna dole that shit out to everyone else at the store once she gets back. Seems pretty cool... of course, looks can be deceiving.

And tedtropy-- work ethic's got nothing to do with it. How much is there to do in a store as small as gamestop? Check the stock? Level the shelves? Restock the shelves? Answer phones? I mean shit... it's not exactly like it's hard work here. Besides... I actually DID try to get in at Toys R Us.

We're talking about summer and fall semester weekend work while I'm going to college. Most of my shit's gonna be paid with student loans anyways. I just gotta make enough money to pay some of my bills til they get off my ass, put gas in my car and afford some beer. This isn't a 'career' opportunity... at least I don't see it as one yet. It's just someplace relatively fun to work at for awhile.

I mean, shit, as far as college jobs go, you can't get much better than Gamestop.
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
My first job ever when I was 16 was at a Funcoland.

Be warned. It will devour your soul.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
I work at the mall, and all the people that work at Gamestop seemed pretty depressed all the time. Except for the manager, he is usually in a good talkative mood most of the time. But I have to walk by their store to leave at the end of the day, and they're still there...putting games on the shelf...crying softly onto instruction manuals.

Good luck, I hope you have a great experience there.
 
DarienA said:
<spits up soda>

Yeah right.

lol yea.

Actually if I was him Id look into an internship dealing with whatever he is studying in college.

yea, there will be no money to be made but in the long run it will be alot more beneficial.
 
In the interview don't make yourself sound like a huge nerd. They want people who are good salesmen. Once you get the job you can bond with your co-workers.

Have hope, you might get a cool manager who lets you play games all day. And if you get the option to become a third key, take it.
 

goodcow

Member
BobbyRobby said:
In the interview don't make yourself sound like a huge nerd. They want people who are good salesmen. Once you get the job you can bond with your co-workers.

Have hope, you might get a cool manager who lets you play games all day. And if you get the option to become a third key, take it.

Become a third key?
 
goodcow said:
Become a third key?

You get a key to the store, and a lot of responsibilities that an assistant manager has, but aren't a manager, so you don't have to deal with a lot of bullshit.
 

whytemyke

Honorary Canadian.
Fixed2BeBroken said:
lol yea.

Actually if I was him Id look into an internship dealing with whatever he is studying in college.

yea, there will be no money to be made but in the long run it will be alot more beneficial.

I'm majoring in political science and the biggest internship for that happens to be in the state capital... an hour and a half drive one way. Plus my concentration is international relations, which narrows my choice of business/government facilities where I could intern and actually gain something for my career to the only int'l chemical weapons supplier nearby, Dow Chemical-- but they're only taking interns for Chem students to make more anthrax.

What kind of other jobs are there for weekend work during college that don't suck? Cafeteria? Flipping burgers? Pushing a broom around? I mean shit, there's about 2 other jobs in my campus town that would be worse than this-- bartending and bouncing, and i'm not qualified for bartending and you have to know someone to get a job as a bouncer.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Wraith said:
It's really this bad? Another dream dies. Sad.

Most retail jobs in general are going to be that bad. I sat around for 45 minutes on Monday with NOTHING to do. There was nobody coming into the store...I just sat there doing various chores and eating gummi bears. :lol
 

ManaByte

Member
Wraith said:
It's really this bad? Another dream dies. Sad.

After working any retail, you will welcome nuclear war to wipe the mass stupidity that you will face every day off the face of the planet.

If you work near a "rural" area, you'll dread wellfare day/payday. That day is Deliverance live in your store.
 

impirius

Member
Tommie Hu$tle said:
As a former Babbages employee I would like to say congratulations I'm happy for you because I know that is what you want and I hope that your intro to Atheism class works out for you.
:lol :lol :lol

[insert Burger King picture here]
 

DarienA

The black man everyone at Activision can agree on
BobbyRobby said:
You get a key to the store, and a lot of responsibilities that an assistant manager has, but aren't a manager, so you don't have to deal with a lot of bullshit.

You also don't get asst mgr pay... which still IMO ain't say a whole helluva lot....
 
I worked at Best Buy for a couple of months, it was pretty nice. Since I knew the most in the department about videogames, they always kept me in there. There's no pressure to sell in that department, so I'd usually just chill, sometimes stock. Met lots of cool people there too, not just employees but customers too. All retail jobs don't have to suck, they can be fun, you just have to be partially lucky (ie. good co-workers) and have the right attitude.
 

sc0la

Unconfirmed Member
DarienA said:
Like you're going to make that much at Gamestop. :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

And think you can PLAY the videogames? Uh no.

Chill all day redoing the videogame racks... the toy racks... the magazine racks... the DVD racks....
you forgot reserves and subscriptions! *Fires DA*
 

BojTrek

Banned
I just returned X-Box Star Wars III and got $26 at Gamestop... there was a cute young girl working there with an incredible body...

I might have to return NBA2K5 tomorrow just to stare at some nice TA-TA's
 

Scoobert

Member
First, try and find out your hours right away. It's the summer so you might be hired as a "back-up." You might only work 8 hours a week, yes...a week. You might be asked only to come in if the day is too busy or someone can't make it to work.

Everyone here complains about reservations, subscriptions, warranties or what ever, who cares. Most consumers don't even care, or don't even know about that sort of stuff. Also, for certain things you may get a commission. I work at EB and for every PSP warranty you sell you get $6. So hell yeah I push that, only a fool wouldn't.

Edit: I forgot one more thing, has nothing to do with the interview though. Is the store at a strip center or an actual mall? At a mall you'll have more customers. At a strip center you have to be more careful about your own safety.
 
man I have to say the first 8 months or so I had at babbages were the best job ive had so far as far as not hating work.



Me and Popfulmail worked at the local mall, stocked with plenty of girls to ogle at


the manager was his good friend, the cousin of the manager was the assistant (and defined the bellucci animal house character)

then we had mike the resident metrosexual and Kevin the computer nerd (but likable)

man it was fun times, This is back near dc launch mind you and now babbages (gamestop) is a festering asspit of NUMBERS NBUMBERS NUMBERS! oh and our DM at the time was a total nimrod. That can help you relax too.
 

jobber

Would let Tony Parker sleep with his wife
Well they're opening a EB right across the street from a Gamestop round here. I thought about applying PT but from the sounds of this thread I should stay away. I don't even think the store, which is located in a college dorm building (that's right), will do that much business to keep me from being bored.
 

ChrisReid

Member
whytemyke said:
I'm really excited. I've been hurting for money all summer and the job market up here has been completely shit for awhile now. But I've got an interview at Gamestop today, which should be awesome. Not only is it cool that I might be getting a job, but its even cooler that its at a video game store where I can pretty much just chill all day fucking around with video games and whatnot.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

(4.5 year veteran here)
 

iapetus

Scary Euro Man
I never had to spend a summer plantin' trees
I never made my way through forest inch by inch
Doubled over on my hands and knees
Never spent a single day in retail
Telling people what they want to hear,
Telling people anything to make a sale
Eating in a food court with the old and the bored.

I think never is enough (yeah, never is enough)
You never have to do that stuff
 
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