Tips for getting a job at Shopper's Drug Mart?

[Jonathan Bones]

Can anyone offer any tips for getting hired at Shopper's Drug Mart? Has anyone here ever worked there? My local franchise is hiring a part-time cashier, merchandiser, and photo lab technician.

I'm a mature student finishing up the very last of my high school credits, currently. I have a year's worth of experience doing sales/cash/customer service at a computer store, and a few months' experience doing sales/customer service over the phone for home phone/cable customers. This would be my most relevant experience.

I live right next door and can work flexible hours, available Monday-Friday after 11:00 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday all day. My English is perfect and I'm proficient with computers (which might come in handy for the photo lab, if they're willing to hire someone without experience).

How would you approach an application and cover letter?

My thanks for your advice.

[pitz]

In Shoppers Drug Mart parlance, the 'manager' of the store is known as an "Associate". The name of the "Associate" for each store is on their website -- look up the name, and direct your application towards that person.

Any other 'manager' in the store essentially has no real authority, but the 'pharmacy manager' is usually second in command.

[Wilmega]

Which Shopper's Drug Mart is it? If its the one on Warden then i can help you out

[DaVibe]

If you have experience already, I wouldn't waste my time at Shoppers Drug Mart. Unless you want to apply to work as a manager of sorts (and even that, schmeh) I wouldn't bother.

Why? Talk to me through PM I'll tell you why. Years of family and friends with the company tells me about its positives and many of the negatives. Look forward to $8.50 an hour, short staffed all the time.

[BMNB2tches]

If you have experience already, I wouldn't waste my time at Shoppers Drug Mart. Unless you want to apply to work as a manager of sorts (and even that, schmeh) I wouldn't bother.

Why? Talk to me through PM I'll tell you why. Years of family and friends with the company tells me about its positives and many of the negatives. Look forward to $8.50 an hour, short staffed all the time.

A job's a job. People have good experiences, people have bad experiences. Deal with it.

[DaVibe]

A job's a job. People have good experiences, people have bad experiences. Deal with it.

Well again, some companies are better than others and the OP wants to hear about SDM, then I'm telling what I've come to see and know.
To be completely honest, you're likely better off at Wal-Mart than you are at Shoppers Drug Mart, in terms of satisfying your mental state.

Jonathan Bones:
If you're serioulsy considering working at Shoppers Drug Mart, you can go the "Can I speak to the manager route" but at Shoppers Drug Mart, 9/10 times you're going to get "Which one" or the puzzled look of who YOU should speak to ... it just works like that and in most cases, may not be beneficial.

If anything, I'd strike up a conversation with a staff member during some down time ... make yourself memorable with them. At least that way, they turn off the resume. Many resumes get lost, some people submit it 3 times and it never see's the right person. Very unorganized in terms of hiring practises.

Ask that it go to the cashier manager or merchandising manager even ... maybe request that.

Shoppers Drug Mart works on a paygrid, so for many cashiers who have worked there 1-3 years, they will likely see little wage increase while there. We're talking 50 cents at most over 3 years.
Only movement is by moving up.

I think you're probably familiar with the cashier job. It's actually not that demanding compared to the code remembering grocery markets but again, get in to a place like Food Basics and you're not bagging anything.
Shoppers Drug Mart has many promotions you'll need to familiarize yourself with as a cashier and they are constantly checked up on for customer service since THAT has to be there for the company.

A Photo Lab Technician involves more knowledge to be learned and may seem like quite a bit at first but overall, is a more rewarding job. Is much greater than Cashier or Merchandiser.
Again, understaffed so you will be the "Go-to" person in most cases and a lot of the time, you too will be a regular cashier.

A Merchandiser is a regular do-it-all at the store. Don't expect HEAVY lifting or anything too crazy but do expect a lot of "Facing" (making sure everything looks right, pushed forward, etc), stocking and dealing with customers on a face-to-face basis. Not much "do it yourself" type work, as you'll constantly be hearing from a manager who's telling you what's on the night's agenda. And that list will be long and never end. Even with tasks being small and not too physically demanding, don't expect downtown. It's not there.

[mrcantrell]

Can anyone offer any tips for getting hired at Shopper's Drug Mart? Has anyone here ever worked there? .

Best way is to know someone who already works there, that's how I got in. Just don't expect to be well paid, and customers will think you're a pharmacist.

Since they stopped giving staff everything at cost, it doesn't seem to be nearly as worth it to work there. I worked there probably 8 years ago, so lots has changed I'm sure.

I found it much better working at Starbucks, including the pay. Go get a job there.

[pakwan]

A friend of mine started working at a particular Shoppers yesterday and was told he'll be getting $8.05/hour.

I guess it really depends on which Shoppers you'll worked at.

[Jonathan Bones]

Well, location is key for me. It's less than five minutes from my door, and offers flexible hours. (With my schooling, I'm not available till around noon Monday-Friday.) I can put up with minimum wage if it means not having to take the bus and bother with an hour and a half of TTC travel each day.

[Jonathan Bones]

Should I apply for all positions together, or do you apply directly to the photo lab manager for the photo lab position?

[DaVibe]

Unless you have Photo Lab experience or something Photo related, I don't see you becoming a Photo Lab manager.

When you apply with your resume, you could get a cashier to write on the resume that you're interested in ...
- Cashier
- Merchandiser
- Photo Lab

or you can personalize the resume FOR Shoppers and put that in the opening line. Tell them you live close (tell them how close). All SDM's like that since people coming in can always be a problem.

And of course, they'll ask you for more hours but just work what you can. 2 Days a week, 4 days a week, whatever.

[Jonathan Bones]

They're not hiring a photo lab manager, just a technician. (Unless that's code for manager.) They once were hiring for that position, and I asked one of the other technicians about it. They said experience was preferred though not necessarily required. They also told me I should speak with a photo lab employee in particular; so that's why I wondered if I should apply for that position specifically through him or her.

[DaVibe]

Sorry, I misread what you wrote, I thought you had "Apply AS PL Manager" and not "Apply TO PL Manager".

Yes, you should speak to them if you can. Tell them you live close, you're interested, want to educate customers, whatever you want to tell them.
Definitely speak to the manager though.

They're probably in the Photo Lab from 8 until 4PM M-5 or 10-4 or something of the sorts, depends on the store.

[miamon]

Since 6 months ago I have been trying to get a job there as a manager. I'm with other company and well experianced. The first location interviewed me and he was very happy and excited about me applying there. I didn't hear from them for three weeks. When I called they informed me that they had hired someone from inside. The second location posted the job on Friday I applied on Monday. They didn't call for a week. I called them to make sure they have received my application. She said "yes, it's on my desk, but I haven't eschedule anyone for this job yet". The third location had posted the job a while ago. I called and asked if they have hired anyone yet. She said not yet. I applied. No call from this one either. The forth location had posted the job months ago. I called and talked to the store manager. He said "we haven't done anything about that job". couple days later I saw it was posted again. So I went to store myself and asked for store manager. His assistante came out and said "The store manager is technicaly not here, It's his day off, He's in the office doing paper work and won't see any one" I asked for store owner. He said she won't be around for a while..
It's like a joke. I alled their head office and said I'm realy interested in getting a job at your company but are these job postings real? He said that each store is owned individualy and basicaly can do whatever they want.
I'm not a cashier. I'm a professional yet they screw with people like that and there's nowhere who gives an answere. It's a shame.

[professionaldude]

A friend of mine started working at a particular Shoppers yesterday and was told he'll be getting $8.05/hour.

I guess it really depends on which Shoppers you'll worked at.

Isn't the minimum wage $8.50/h in Ontario