Which auto parts store for employment?

[D60]

I just finished applying for a job at NAPA for this very position! Bonus, it's only about three miles away. I'll definitely have to take the "short trip" precautions even more so if I get it (last commute was about 6.2 one way).

My O'Reilly driver tells terrible tales of their handhelds "scoring" them. They get dinged for speeding, etc, but he says it can't differentiate an adjacent frontage road from the main highway just feet away, so it claims he's speeding on the frontage road when he's on the highway.

Also says it is not up to date with speed limits and where EXACTLY they change, which is easy to believe.

You can appeal but the appeals go on for months and this sure seems like a lotta work for a relatively menial job.

He says it used to be you were supposed to be above a score of 70, but now they're requiring 90 or something. I'm assuming this is a scale of 100. He said the commercial guys used to like it if you were near 70 because it meant you were pushing the limits and gettin' shtuff done.

Anyway, I don't play well with that kind of oversight and I'd get my posterior fired in short order. I'd be an excellent delivery driver because I grew up in the area, but you gotta leave me alone and just let me work.

 

[goblin]

I'll go the tangential way: try Costco.

They have a tire department, which requires good professionals.
And Costco's benefits are considered very good for that level of jobs.

Any Costco I've been in, I've seen great service, people with name tags that say "Has worked with us since" 10, 15, 20 years back, and people who are calm and polite. When I ask them running "where is XYZ" I'll get an "Isle this or that" answer in a fraction of a second.

If I go to Lowes or Home Depot, asking for anything is like playing Tomb Raider. You go through several levels till you align the stone blocks, then you have to move them yourself and jump your way out.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I'll go the tangential way: try Costco.

They have a tire department, which requires good professionals.
And Costco's benefits are considered very good for that level of jobs.

Any Costco I've been in, I've seen great service, people with name tags that say "Has worked with us since" 10, 15, 20 years back, and people who are calm and polite. When I ask them running "where is XYZ" I'll get an "Isle this or that" answer in a fraction of a second.

I understand Costco also offers tuition reimbursement for your college education. A great perk, IMO.

 

[Dave Hess]

My son worked for Costco and it’s a well run company.

Lots of long term employees.

 

[Intelligent Molecule]

You folks do realize that it's not that easy to get hired at Costco, right? They get a ton of applications, and do not have the turnover of most retail.

 

[goblin]

Yup, ditto.
Hence the tire shop part. Requires specific skills which the OP has.

 

[D60]

If you're familiar with fasteners I always thought working at an Ace or True Value might be cool. Being a machinist I'm very familiar with fasteners so I'd try to get hired on that way, but it might also be fun to work the other depts like tools, lawn & garden etc.

My Ace also has a Stihl counter and repairs engine driven OPE.

I'm actually not strong in construction trades so I'd tell them if you put me in plumbing you'll be disappointed. Electrical I'm ok but not up on code.

 

[JeffKeryk]

You folks do realize that it's not that easy to get hired at Costco, right? They get a ton of applications, and do not have the turnover of most retail.

True, but you gotta keep at it. My grand niece just got hired; it's been months since she applied. Of course it help if you know someone.

 

[Kira]

My son worked for Costco and it’s a well run company.
Lots of long term employees.

Just want to add that interactions with Costco employees is uniformly good.

Going by the accent patterns I believe I can identify, I wonder if certain European educational systems are better than others.
EX: The employees who work the "front" seem Middle European with some educated Spanish speaking, while the aiels are staffed by predominately Spanish speaking people.

 

[perkz]

Apply at all the places you're interested in. Ageism is a real thing, and it's harder to get a new job as you near retirement age. If your former coworkers are still working, I'd advise them to have another job lined up, before they leave a place where while they don't feel appreciated, they ARE still employed.

Companies are looking for older employees that have a good work ethic and customer relation skills. I have retail rental properties and talk to business owners all the time. Apply and you may be surprised. Local NAPA has only over 60 guys on the parts counter.

 

[goblin]

I think it's mostly day of the week and time of the day, as well as years spent working there.

 

[Lubener]

In my area: O'Reilly's, Pep Boys, Autozone, Napa.

After getting unceremoniously booted out my hospitality career (our dept was laid off, then terminated due to a renovation and not brought back. Was there almost 25 years), I'm looking at these places as I have a great CS background and it's auto related.
I know they have low wages, but at this point, I need to do something and may as well work where there is an interest I have. *I'm sort of leaning towards Autozone, but points, ideas, suggestions would be helpful.
Thank you.

I would try and apply delivering auto parts to repair shops. The day goes faster and your dealing with professionals who would treat you more respectfully. To me it beats standing around waiting on sometimes rude and ignorant customers at the counter.

 

[97prizm]

In my area: O'Reilly's, Pep Boys, Autozone, Napa.

After getting unceremoniously booted out my hospitality career (our dept was laid off, then terminated due to a renovation and not brought back. Was there almost 25 years), I'm looking at these places as I have a great CS background and it's auto related.
I know they have low wages, but at this point, I need to do something and may as well work where there is an interest I have. *I'm sort of leaning towards Autozone, but points, ideas, suggestions would be helpful.
Thank you.

One of my coworkers works for Autozone and he told me they get 60% off of everything. One of the Advance Auto parts near me that had been a carquest has some of the same employees the other I swear has a new manager every time I go in. If you have a Bachelor's degree I'd look at Napa's corporate training program. I had two interviews for the position and it came down to myself and another guy. After 8 hours of deliberation the other guy got it. Of all of the parts stores in my town the Napa has the same 4 or 5 guys that have been there for fifteen years so they must be offering something to keep employees around.

 

[97prizm]

@LDM I hear ya! It's messing with me mentally as I don't want to be unemployed, but looking at what I can do and the wages is a real kick in the berries compared to what I used to make and the benefits (seniority and a month vacation).
@Urshurak776 Considering my location, I wouldn't want to be in the open air bays changing oil when it's 115*. But it did come to mind!
@Dave Hess I've tried and run into no's, a certain way of thinking that recently got the boot and can't be talked about on here, and bad timing. At my age, I think it may be time for a change. Even ex coworkers my age (56) and older are looking for an out as they don't feel appreciated and aren't listened to. As with more and more businesses, it's more about $$$ than anything else, which is backward thinking when you're in the service industry. Especially at the level we're in (4 star resorts). Cutbacks, farming out departments for savings, piling on duties not normally associated with your job and then they wonder why complaints and bad rating go up. But they're still happy about the bottom line! Right now, it is also coming into the part of year where no one is hiring due to summer slowdown. They'll have employees "make-do" until after August.

You must be in either death valley or Phoenix as alot of resorts are gearing up for summer travel.

 

[Toy4x4]

Well, since my last post, a job popped up for a brand new, higher end hotel and I applied/interviewed. Smaller than what I've worked in in the past, but it is a tower hotel so 99% will be inside (great when its 115*!). Full time and supposedly great benefits. They called today, asked if I was still interested and of course I said YES! Will start mid May to early June. 1.5 miles from home, too!
So, beginning 6/3/23, after the dept layoff and termination at my last job of almost 25 years (planned to retire there possibly in 2030), a mild heart attack, a bowel/hernia mesh issue (51 days in hospital total for both in 5.5 months), rehab, denial of the position of said old job, multiple job rejections, I am happy, still trying to grasp it, that this nightmare is coming to an end.
Thank you all for your suggestions and info. If all goes well, this may be my last job until retirement. All fingers and toes crossed!

 

[Dave Hess]

Congratulations on new job.

I remember you posting about your heart attack and multiple health complications.

Bad times don’t last forever.

 

[researcher]

@Toy4x4 congrats on your new job! Thanks for updating us on how it turned out, after all the trying times, bad stuff that happened, finally some good news. And it's in a line of work you're well experienced in.. I hope it's a fun time for you!

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

The O'Reilly stores in my area have more employees who seem to care about the customer. I'd recommend you go there. I don't have a Napa or Pep Boys in my town, and the folks at my local Autozone are knuckle dragging mouth breathers.

I HAVE noticed for some reason AutoZone has more of those real (rude) winner types behind their counters than some other parts stores.

 

[Bailey28]

Advance auto the workers are usually engaged in some type of open debate/argument while customers are in the store. Autozone, gang members work the registers. O'reilly a range of island of misfit toys rotate through.
Napa, old men or hot blonde girls. Seriously, some of the hottest women work at the Napa near me lol.
All of them say 'year make model' when you approach the counter. But at Napa they have more unique hard to find fasteners, especially little interior parts, clips, retainers, etc.

This has nothing to do with where to get a job, but the drivers for each of these companies start out around $10/hour.

I miss the days of the mom and pop auto parts. We had M&M, Big A, Jerry's etc. where the guy at the counter knew what you wanted as soon as you walked in with the old part in your hand.

 

[D60]

Advance auto the workers are usually engaged in some type of open debate/argument while customers are in the store. Autozone, gang members work the registers. O'reilly a range of island of misfit toys rotate through.
Napa, old men or hot blonde girls. Seriously, some of the hottest women work at the Napa near me lol.
All of them say 'year make model' when you approach the counter. But at Napa they have more unique hard to find fasteners, especially little interior parts, clips, retainers, etc.

This has nothing to do with where to get a job, but the drivers for each of these companies start out around $10/hour.

I miss the days of the mom and pop auto parts. We had M&M, Big A, Jerry's etc. where the guy at the counter knew what you wanted as soon as you walked in with the old part in your hand.

I asked one of my drivers last week what a driver starts at and he said $15 ‐‐ which is basically the new $10 from five years ago AFAIC.

Still, you can't stay afloat at $15/hr here even full-time. I'm not sure how they do it