New to Tacoma and need some help on how to go about getting hired somewhere over here. (Kent: sales, insurance)

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by seattledreams

Oh about my customer service experience. I have one year of experience working at Burger King as a Cashier and Assistant Manager meaning I learned all of the things for that and cashiering. I also worked at Mcdonalds for about 6 months I believe and again at a Taco Bell KFC Combo for 2. I keep getting told that the banks want someone with experience or something but I thought I had a lot of experience with just being a cashier.

Anyway I don't mind going back into food, however I guess I can't be doing a place that is open all the time. I need to have a work life balance.

Getting out of the "fast-food" trap can be a challenge, because it can brand you. Bank tellers are not just "cashiers", so that would be a vertical move that could require additional training/certification:

ABA Bank Teller Certificate

I'd look to make a lateral move, just to get out of the "fast food" category. For instance, grocery jobs: bagger, stocker, checker (cashier), etc. "Open schedule" availability will increase your chances of being hired. This can also be a move from non-union to union work, so a step up.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Getting out of the "fast-food" trap can be a challenge, because it can brand you. Bank tellers are not just "cashiers", so that would be a vertical move that could require additional training/certification:

ABA Bank Teller Certificate

I'd look to make a lateral move, just to get out of the "fast food" category. For instance, grocery jobs: bagger, stocker, checker (cashier), etc. "Open schedule" availability will increase your chances of being hired. This can also be a move from non-union to union work, so a step up.

hm.... I see how maybe fast food cashiering might not be considered adequate for bank tellering. But I wouldn't get a job as a stocker, either. If you want to move into a bank environment, you should go for a grocery (or whatever) cashier job. Banks do take people straight from that type of cashiering. Bank teller jobs are also salesmanship, in that you're required to push products on clients, ask them if they want to get the new credit card plan, etc. Just fyi.

At this point, you should probably be applying to anything that you can get, that will forward your goals, like all the grocery stores in town, pharmacies, other retail, as well as pursuing the school jobs and university temp staff jobs. Just blitz everything with applications and well-crafted cover letters. And don't forget private schools. Was there a reason you wanted to get into the public school system? Better benefits and retirement?

Good luck, OP, and give us progress reports!

[seattledreams]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

hm.... I see how maybe fast food cashiering might not be considered adequate for bank tellering. But I wouldn't get a job as a stocker, either. If you want to move into a bank environment, you should go for a grocery (or whatever) cashier job. Banks do take people straight from that type of cashiering. Bank teller jobs are also salesmanship, in that you're required to push products on clients, ask them if they want to get the new credit card plan, etc. Just fyi.

At this point, you should probably be applying to anything that you can get, that will forward your goals, like all the grocery stores in town, pharmacies, other retail, as well as pursuing the school jobs and university temp staff jobs. Just blitz everything with applications and well-crafted cover letters. And don't forget private schools. Was there a reason you wanted to get into the public school system? Better benefits and retirement?

Good luck, OP, and give us progress reports!

This is directed at everyone and their help.

Thanks again. I actually have 2 interviews with ACTUAL jobs. I have an interview with the YMCA by my house for a building supervisor as well as an interview with a prestigious 4 star hotel near my house. Both of these are walkable and over minimum wage. Really hope I can get them but I won't get too excited yet.

Again, thanks for the tips everyone and support. I hope one day I will have contacts and networks that can help someone else in my shoes right now

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

hm.... I see how maybe fast food cashiering might not be considered adequate for bank tellering. But I wouldn't get a job as a stocker, either. If you want to move into a bank environment, you should go for a grocery (or whatever) cashier job. Banks do take people straight from that type of cashiering. Bank teller jobs are also salesmanship, in that you're required to push products on clients, ask them if they want to get the new credit card plan, etc. Just fyi.

He might have to start at the bottom (bagger?), but can work up to being a cashier, maybe manager. At least he'll get outside of the fast food trap. With extra training: butcher, baker, pharmacy assistant. A teller job would likely require extra training/certification, I'd think, although there might be exceptions.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

He might have to start at the bottom (bagger?), but can work up to being a cashier, maybe manager. At least he'll get outside of the fast food trap. With extra training: butcher, baker, pharmacy assistant. A teller job would likely require extra training/certification, I'd think, although there might be exceptions.

In my observation, the bagger jobs are part-time gigs for HS and college students. The baggers at Whole Foods are the cashiers; they double-up as baggers when things slow down at their station. With fast food experience, the OP shouldn't have trouble going into a cashier (retail) job. And from there, to a teller job. Teller jobs don't require any special training. I've seen a local bank hire the entire cashier staff from my local co-op when new management took over. Those certificate programs are mostly for people who have no experience in cashiering, possibly little to no higher education, and need a leg up to be competitive. They're also money-makers, like the for-profit colleges.

I've also seen Whole Foods hire as cashiers the entire service staff in the bakery dept. of a local restaurant, even with minimal or no cashier experience, when the restaurant closed. I'm surprised at the turnover in cashiering, too. It seems like there are always openings everywhere. Whole Foods and my co-op hire college students, and tailor their work schedule to their school schedule, to support them. And they provide on-the-job training.

The cashier field seems to be wide open; businesses always need cashiers. Maybe that's not as true of the unionized jobs, I don't know.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

In my observation, the bagger jobs are part-time gigs for HS and college students.

They might be "open schedule", as I pointed out, which could mean fewer hours. Doesn't mean one can't work as a bagger and stocker. As to "HS and college students", that's not what I'm seeing at my local QFC. It could mean that a higher minimum wage is making those jobs more attractive.

My point is that a fast food -> grocery bagger/stocker -> grocery checker -> bank teller career path is a good deal more plausible than fast food -> bank teller.

[bostonguy1960]

I, also a gay male, made a career of office temping in the 1985-1994 era. I seemed to have no problem getting word processing, medical transcription, and receptionist jobs most of the time. Not sure if my liberal arts degree helped to secure them. Even got a real job with benefits as an administrative assistant for a year.

But, it's just that temp agencies offering these jobs seem far and few now, as everyone can type, and they don't need secretaries to take messages.

I was a bank teller two summers in college. I wasn't required to do any upselling (as a poster earlier wondered) but maybe the permanent tellers were.

Maybe a cashier job at Macy's would be easy to get? I did that for a couple of months after college.

We're cheering for you. Keep us up to date.

[seattledreams]

Small update

I am waiting for interview callbacks but I have good feelings for the YMCA and the HOTEL.

I just got hired at a Dollar Tree for super part time like 0 to 15 hours. That will be my foot in the door. I guess at least I have something? Thank you everyone.

[fluffydelusions]

grats^^

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

They might be "open schedule", as I pointed out, which could mean fewer hours. Doesn't mean one can't work as a bagger and stocker. As to "HS and college students", that's not what I'm seeing at my local QFC. It could mean that a higher minimum wage is making those jobs more attractive.

My point is that a fast food -> grocery bagger/stocker -> grocery checker -> bank teller career path is a good deal more plausible than fast food -> bank teller.

Right. My point was that the intermediate step of bagger/stocker is unnecessary, and would lengthen the timeline for the OP to get into the kind of job she/he wants.

Let's hope her interviews go well! Maybe there will be good news, soon.