stocker

associate

order picker

stocking associate

cashier

Smart & Final

I had 5 different job titles, which I loved because when hours were not available I could do other jobs within the company. Plus, I love to learn and self motivated to learn all the ins and outs of the company by doing different jobs. A typical day would consist of supervising and training new and current employees on specials and changes. Along with serving app. 75-100 customers daily providing them with excellent customer service. Answering phones, taking Togo orders and when problems occur I am the first order of problem solving ensuring the customer leaves satisfied and happy to return. Depending on the job I was doing that day for instance if I was a Line Cook the day id a bit different  I would start off by prepping and cleaning my line for my shift and part of the next shift production. I would also cook half of the restaurants meals for that shift including special orders at a fast pace. This was my first job I learned many many things like the whole ins and out of what it takes to run a restaurant on a cooperate level. I started off as a hostess for a month and then quickly moved up to a waitress and a CEO Trainer. 
I also was the baker and then moved up to a line cook while I was in culinary school to receive experience. The hardest part of the job was to remain calm and organized when you have 20 tickets to fill during rush hour, but when its over its the greatest gratification because I was able to stay focused and constant and the customers enjoyed their experience. Like with any job you are not always going to get along with everyone but even in highly stressful situations everyone is working for a common goal and teamwork was given without question. The most enjoyable part of my job was being able to move around grow in the company with proper training.

Smart and Final is a workplace with many issues. To start off with, the pay is just not good. As a cashier I made minimum wage with no raises ever. I understand a Cashier is not a highly skilled position, but when you pay your employees the minimum you're saying I would pay you less if I could and I don't appreciate your work. Show employees appreciation by giving better pay. I never felt rewarded for doing extra work either at work. There were many times I volunteered to stay an extra hour beyond when I was supposed to be off work when asked and I was told thanks, but I didn't see any actual appreciation. I didn't advance in position no matter how much extra work I put in, I didn't get a better schedule and I didn't feel appreciated. The place is usually understaffed and if basically someone calls out expect to be severely understaffed. The digital coupons also has been one of the worst things Smart and Final ever did. 

Tons of customers do not know how to work the digital coupons and it causes many problems with customers not understanding why they aren't getting certain prices or being unable to setup an account to get the digital coupons. Other flaws are inconsistent schedule and being threatened to have my hours cut when I said no to volunteering to stay past when I was off after I had many times previously volunteered to stay for a longer amount of time. Overall, not worth working here. There's many other entry level jobs where you can make better pay, have a better work life balance, better schedule and learn skills that'll help you build a career. This is a job I would only take as a last resort. I hated this job so much it has made me never want to work retail ever again. 

Start off by breaking down and separating Load onto U-boats, then pushing them to their respective aisles. Once load is broken down, we begin working whats on the floor and Bale cardboard as we finish each aisle. Breaks are taken inbetween the shifts. Once everything has been stocked, overstock is thrown up on the overheads, and then we begin conditioning the store. After that, store is swept and spot mopped before the store is opened.

I have learned responsibility, communicating with others efficiently, patience, going above and beyond to help others, and respecting other workers viewpoints on different matters.

Sadly, I feel that management is extremely poor here. They do not effectively communicate with their employees, and treat them with a lot of disrespect. Most stand around talking to each other all day, and fail to follow some of the rules that they "encourage" their employees to do. When any of my coworkers go and bring something of concern to their attention, they tend to shrug it off and continue with whatever they are doing.

The crew I work with is probably the hardest working bunch of people I have ever worked with. They know their job, and do it well. The same cant be said to all the employees, but for the most part, everyone is kind, and respects me and the work that I do.

The most difficult thing would have to be going in at odd hours of the night, and not having a completely set schedule. Hours vary week to week, and I never know if ill get the same salary one week or the next.

The thing I enjoy most is the fast paced environment, and the interaction with my fellow coworkers and customers. The satisfaction of helping others and knowing they appreciate my help is always gratifying.

Most of the management is terrible. They dont care about you even as a person, let alone as an employee.  The corporate managers have their heads up their rears. They hired so many Mentally Handicapped people for the service clerks that hardly anything got done, if it did get done, it was either a half done job or completely wrong. Before covid I was working 40hrs a week, and i was still classified as a part time employee, so i was never eligible for full time benefits. In 4 years i only got a raise of $3.20, $2.00 of that was solely because minimum wage went up. 
I and many others went to management and corporate over multiple situations that we felt needed to be handled, and they could simply not be bothered. They totally play favorites with employees, I.e. managers going out to get drinks and hang out with employees and become friends with them, who which in turn got treated better and nicer at work.
There were only about 6 employees who didnt act like immature children and actually had some respect for themselves and the others around them. Ive had multiple ex employees, both regular and corporate, tell me that smart and final does not treat their employees fairly and with respect. If you are an employee at smart n final, you are not an employee, you are just pawn in the game, a cog in the machine, thats it. 
If wanna get paid what your time is actually worth and If you want to feel like your work is actually appreciated and If you dont want to feel like the managers are trying get rid of you and under cut you at every chance they can, then DO NOT WORK AT SMART N FINAL!! 

Ive worked for smart and final for a while and when I started it was great. I moved up, I was getting good hours and pay, associates were awesome as well as the managers. time passed and all of that changed. the company was going in new direction and that made everything wrong. more and more associates were being hired little advances were given out because of it, hours were scarce, and if you want to survive in CA you're going to need 2 jobs if you work here. Managers were allowing so much wrong to happen all around the store from lazy associates never getting in trouble, keeping hard workers from advancing, never listening to associates with have constructive criticism that would benefit the store and company over all. LAZY. this isn't just "a" store because I've worked at many, even working at the corporate office for 2 years and this has been all over the company. Only select family members of high ups get the perks of staying and thriving here people. Since working here I was propositioned to advance several times but was denied because the store I was currently working at didn't want me to leave and have to go through any process of finding someone to replace me. it was a compliment in a way but those positions would have helped my future and life. I ask and I am always told I am needed where I am and the next time I will get it. Hollow words to me now, which is why I'm here on indeed, to find a better place for me, that will reward hard work, listen to ideas, have advancements for those who want it and deserve it, and don't turn a blind eye to things that are wrong for any reason. Ive seen so many come and go and if you want to be another number and not a person this place is for you.

If there's anything I learned getting my job at Smart & Final, it's that the best place to start is where you already have your foot in the door. Prior to my job, I actually had a two month long internship there issued by my high school, so that's something.

That being said, I'm sure it's obvious by now that this was my first job, and for my first job? I think I picked just the right place. A grocery store job can have its stressful moments for sure, but there's not a doubt in the world there's plenty of breathing room in between. You're always guaranteed a 30 minute lunch break, and you rarely miss either of your 10 minute breaks either. The job itself might demand a little physical strength and endurance at times, but for the most part it keeps you in good shape.

My coworkers there are arguably some of the most unforgettable people I've ever worked with. Each tend to be very understanding of each other, have a good sense of humor, and overall always have your back no matter what. Not to mention, a lot of the customers I got there, especially more recurring ones, were really nice, and it's fun to have people like them to more directly help and talk to every now and then.

In the end, work here isn't always the easiest, as it can and will have its tough times (holidays, COVID panics, etc), but for my first job, this place set a good example of what a good workplace SHOULD be like.

Working as a new cashier,  dont expect much training.  From day one, you are on a register.  Learn by doing, so be confident in yourself and get a rhythm going.  Learning codes takes time, luckily they supply a code book.  Calling for an manager override is very common and if your lucky enough your working with a good responsive manager that day.  Weekends, they have multiple cashiers working. Weekdays / Evenings: it is just you and one other cashier.  Lines get long quickly!  You find yourself alone, fumbling through the code book and customers getting irritated to open another register.  Where did the other cashier go? Where is the manager?  In the Antioch store, the other cashier was "always away from her register" talking with the security guard, laughing carrying on.  I get paid just as you do, so why am I doing all the work?  Plus, I'm new!  Cashiers that know the codes,  should be setting examples for new hires.  There is always, one that knows "everything ",  and will get in your way putting in there 2 cents.  Did I ask for help?  Cause now, you look like a know it all brat and my rythm is off. Stay in your lane.  
Be confident in your ability! Dont t let anyone, make you feel less than.  When customer(s) complain to you about other cashiers, reevaluate if this job is what you expected.  It should not be on the shoulders of one new hire, if your company succeed or fails.  

If you do not have prior grocery/ retail experience, expect to spend a time in the minimum wage or close to minimum wage area. The environment with coworkers is enjoyable, but there is a fair amount of the blame game.
Customers are similar to any other retail, so nights seem to be the popular shift. Night stocking crew will work a heavy load of product, clean the sales floor, organize displays, and various other jobs assigned by the manager in a typical 8-hour shift, but overtime is not allowed, only if absolutely necessary.
If you intend on working for a year and a half to reach a decent 13 per hour and supervisor position, it is fairly easily attainable as long as you frequently check in with the manager and ask what they need to be done.
 The time gap between raises is infrequent and depending on your effort, you may feel your wage is very underwhelming for the amount of physical labor put in. Especially if you work directly with the manager completing tasks for them throughout each day, verbal praise is heavily present, but they are hardly reinforced with compensation by raises.
Overall Smart and Final is a great first job whether you are young or just entering retail for the first time, but employment lasting a few years plus will land you in a place where the wage is worth the work.

A typical day at work is simple , We come in  i go to my register ask people how they are if they found everything OK, answer any questions or complaints they may have. I learned a lot working at Smart & Final i learned experience on the register i learned how to count my till out properly and to meet certain goals. Management was great my managers , nice guy very on top of his game. Always had the store in top shape. My co-workers were great at times we all work together to get the lines down and get people out on time so their is no problems. The hardest part about my job was when i felt like i couldn't do anything to help a customer, i was  either stuck on the register or i was off the clock. The most enjoyable part was when i had this lady come to my line with four baskets full of groceries, she told me she was sorry and it was for a company she also said she has one more basket but cant get some stuff down , i closed my line helped her pull what she needed and started to ring her up. Her total came out to nine hundred and thirty six dollars and twenty eight cents. After handing her the recite and thanking her she asked if she could speak to my manager i said yes and called him up. She then spoke to my manager thanking me for my great customer service, also going on how i was a hard worker and so polite.She the thanked me once more and then left. That was the best day at work.

I was hired to work in the produce department and was told that I would only work in there. The lack of service clerks available on shifts made it necessary for other departments to work all over the store, but still be held accountable for the amount of work done in their specific department. Whenever I got a chance to build a good relationship with managers they were constantly rotated around store locations. This resulted in a drastic change in the work culture every 3 to 5 months. Sometimes I was left alone to get as much work done as possible, sometimes I got constantly hounded and micromanaged. One time a manager pulled me into an aisle with no cameras to accuse me of pulling some kind of scheme and to "Knock it off." Not only was I not doing anything besides the work I was being paid to do and had no idea what they were talking about, but confronting an employee out of camera view without a second employee as a witness is completely against company policy. The company seems to emphasize hiring people who can work long hours and do not need to leave the store over creating an efficient, inviting, and profitable work environment. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Stocker 10 salaries reported	$28.05 per hour
Associate 3 salaries reported	$17.50 per hour
Order picker 1 salary reported	$25.50 per hour
Stocking associate 10 salaries reported	$1,300 per week
Cashier 3 salaries reported	$19.17 per hour

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