You obviously are interested----so why not give yourself a "trial" period? Try it out till Christmas or whatever date you choose---and if it's not what you thought---then quit! You're not obligated to stay........it's not for everyone. But you'll never know till you try.

Personally speaking, I wouldn't work at WalMart, I also won't shop there, but I'm probably in the minority. Do you need the extra money? If so, then I would look for a part time job. If you don't need the extra money, then tell your dh to take a walk.

This wasn't supposed to be a quote about bashing walmart! Yes, I have worked there and was very happy with my job. Not everyone who works there is unhappy (more often than not, the unhappy employees are the one who don't want to work for their pay).

Now back to the original post! Yes, I would work there....but....when you are hired there will be no guarantee what department you will get....you can set your availability for hours, but that may limit how much work you get. Unless it is a huge fabric department, there will be only a dept manager during the day, so most of the available hours would be evenings and weekends. I guess it really depends if you want to work fot the money or if you just want to get out of the house.

Would you actually get to work in the fabric department? All the Walmarts I have been to have no specific person working that department. You have to find someone to do the cutting and they always tell me they work 3 departments, or they work in another department. None are knowledgeable about fabric. I think they float their helpers wherever they are needed. Maybe that is just the ones I have been in.

Try it as others have suggested...if you don't like it ...quit. After I retired I got a part time job at Joann's....I stated specifically at interview what days/times I couldn't work, no prob manager said.....two weeks....quit...kept scheduling me to work on times I could not...

Walmart is no better or worse than other large corporations...........it's what makes us us..can't think of anywhere else in the world I would prefer to live.

Retail was my first love and career. I spent 13 years in discount and speciality retail. Worked my way into Management fairly quickly too. I was always "recruited" to the next level. Yes, the hours are long, you cant pick your schedule and you are on your feet all day. (Great for weight loss!) . I loved pretty much everything about it, in I fact a few years ago I worked a Part time Christmas job when I was between full time employment jobs. I had a blast!

Walmart is a good company. They get $$$ out of my pocket weekly. No need to be embarrassed! You may surprise yourself when you find that other departments are fun to work in too, besides the fabric department. I was surprised at myself when I found out that I loved working in the shoe department! Baby department....nope. Food service, no thanks. "Returns", bring on the crabbies! Loved it! Human interaction, good and bad. I could write a book!

Sandy

ASK the employees. I love to see their "years of service" on their name tags and I always compliment them and ask them about their experience. You either love retail or you dont. Simple. I could never be a teacher. No thanks.

Go for it!

Sandy

I have worked at Walmart. You don't get to choose which department you are going to work in when you are hired. You don't get to choose what days you want to work or hours! They don't treat their employees very well. No not even in the fabric department if they would guarantee that would I ever work there again.

Only you can decide if you want to work. Be aware that a retail job will require working nights and weekends and maybe holidays. Schedules are not the same week to week. Also, many Walmarts are open 24 hours. As a new employee, you will have little, or no, say about your working hours. Checkout the website indeed.com for jobs in your area.

I have always worked and had a flock of kids at home and I thought when I retired I would be bored silly. NOT! Me and my little weiner dog make knitted baby hats for the babies at the hospital, quilts to donate and for the family, try lots of new recipes and at last I have a real flower garden! Volunteering is very rewarding if you can live without the paycheck. Perhaps you could set up a couple of sewing machines and give quilting/sewing lessons in your home or at a homeless shelter. Or visit a local rest home and visit with the residents. Many appreciate someone to write letters to their families and just to sit with them for a while. Maybe you could do classes there to make walker bags, wheelchair blankets, etc. and encourage the residents to help. There are many opportunities out there for both paid positions and volunteering, just think outside the box.

I would love working with material.....anywhere! Of course I could spend my whole paycheck on fabric, but that's another story. At the local Walmart here, you usually have to grab the inter-store phone and ask for someone to come cut your fabric. Getting out and talking to other women is important, and a paycheck always helps.

Maybe be a tutor couple days...always a need for these badly and part time at WM? That way you experienced two things u like to do but not full time and still get to play with fabrics!

And then there is, Are they hiring?

Noticed here that only one person has addressed the situation of being on your feet the entire time you might be working at WM. And that is on cement floor. Are you prepared for that? Having been a teacher, tutoring sounds like a possibility. Some kids need that extra boost and you can pick and choose when and whom you help. Some retired teachers really enjoy substituting and the pay is good. I"m really sorry to see what WM has done to their fabric depts in our area. The one where I usually shop was always busy with at least 2 people working the dept because there were that many shoppers. Now there is rarely anyone, even the dept manager, available because of how the dept is stocked! They need Mrs. Sam back to tell the men what we need there.

I love what you said. It applies to many things in life. I'm going to remember it.

I would work for fabric LOL I would spend whatever I made on fabrics.

All of the places you mention you may have undesirable hours or department. If you just need social time why not join a quilt guild or sewing circle. Don't know your age but most senior centers (community centers) have a craft or sewing/knitting/ crochet group you could join. Or start one of your own.

If you need the money, then do it! If you are just wanting some time out of the house and some 'fun' money, I would think twice. The above posters are correct...you will work odd shifts and most likely will not be guaranteed the fabric dept. I'm a retired teacher. One year (about 20 years ago) I took a part-time retail job to help with some extra expenses we had. It was in a well-known chain in our area (kind of like a Macy's). At first it was kind of fun...meeting new people, etc. Then it started to get old....having to be there at 5 on a Fri after a long school week...missing church on Sun...sometimes I worked Fri eve, and all day Sat and Sun. Then there were the holidays! One could not request them off nor could one request time off on the stores 'biggest sale of the year' days that happened at least every other month. And, definitely NO having Xmas Eve off. I stuck it out 2 years then one eve I went to work in Sept to discover that a time I had 'requested' no hours had not been accepted. It was another of those 'mandatory' days. I don't remember why I had requested it off but I'm sure it was for some activity one of our three kids had going on. I realized I was missing my children way too much. I wrote an 'I quit' on a piece of paper, signed it and never went back when my shift was over.

I think I can relate. You are looking for something totally different than teaching. I think any part-time work in retail would do this. Unlike those individuals who are working at such a place you are not worried about the larger concerns such as not being able to make a living wage and not receiving benefits. You are just wanting a change and still justify spending too much money on quilting. If you are willing to work at different hours and at different departments not just at fabrics this might be the job for you. Do know it will end up just like subbing, you will be expected to work more hours and at places you might not be willing to do. Also just like subbing you will not be viewed by coworkers/customers in the same positive light you had been when you were a full-time teacher. But as others aptly pointed out as well it is not forever, you can quit at any time you feel like it. Unlike most working there you are not bound to the job. Best wishes.

I would. It should be a nice job unless they bounce you all over

Interesting. I am a RN and DH, a construction engineer. When the recession hit and DH was downsized, I could not find a nursing job that worked with anyone's schedule, so I worked at Pier 1 and a Hallmark card shop. I did whatever I could to help pay the bills. One experience was great and one not so great!
If you don't need the money to support your HABIT, and you are looking for socialization, invite some quilting friends over once/week to all get together and quilt. It will give you someone to talk to and you can get ideas on various techniques from them.

I understand where you are coming from . My mom used to say I should be working rather than all the charity work I do.
I personally find the "free" hours I do to be the most rewarding for me. I started a charity called "Knox Frox" because I had lots of trim --we sew dresses/shorts from used pillowcases that are had delivered to needy children --been taken to 6 countries around the world. Many good things come from my time and the many donations that have been added to this small group of workers. Because I am a sewer this appeals to me. Sew on Wed and have contact with ladies through the week. Maybe I am older and don't want to punch a clock for different hours or be walking on cement floors when I don't have too.
There are so many places --like a hospital gift shop that can use a few hours and meet people.

it's my dream job

Sometimes when I'm in Wal-Mart's fabric department, I'm tempted to bring some order to it....straighten bolts, fat quarters, tidy up, because, without a dedicated clerk, it's almost always a mess. I've often wondered what the reaction would be.....maybe no one would even realize I didn't actually work there! ;)

All I can say is, if you do decide to try it, fabric shoppers will welcome you with open arms!

I work two days a week driving cars for a car rental company and I love it. I call it my mad money, when I get mad I go spend it!! Just kidding, it usually goes for my sewing items.

I know two people in the Walmart I shop at and they both love their job and was so happy when they got fabric back where they could work in that department again. I am to old and not in good enough health to work outside the house but if I could I would love working with beautiful fabric and maybe having a say in what fabrics were stocked in the store.

I kinda feel like I already do, lol. I end up spending extra time at walmart...I ride our county transit bus and sometimes have long waits. I have been know to do everything but put the price tag on my fabric. I have been asked to help other customers with questions also. Our local walmart treats their employees well. A lot better than most places.

I worked at Wal-Mart for 14 yrs., after many job changes for DH, teaching school, substitute teaching, working in his business of insurance, and I enjoyed the job. I wasn't in the Fabric Dept., altho I would have loved it. I was in softlines,and loved that also. Yes, I think you would enjoy the work and esp. not 5 days a week. Hope it works for you. My experience was that everyone works stocking, ect, for several months, then sent to the departments that need the help. So, not trying to "rain on your parade," but don't get your hopes up that you get what dept. you want at first. Mariah.

It would seem to make sense to put an employee in an area where they have some product knowledge!

Be careful, at my Walmart they can have you work in ANY department they want
you to. So, even if you interview and get the position for the fabric department, you
may be stocking the grocery isles…and never return to the fabric department. My
Walmart (also) doesn’t staff properly. So, you may be covering more than one area.
These are actual complaints from the actual people that work there. I’m retired and plan
to stay that way. The small amount I would make working part time at the Walmart would
not even cover my gas expense. But, I live 30 miles one way from the Walmart....

Since I'm not able to stand for more than a few minutes or so at a time, I can't apply, however, I think it would be a great job part-time. Can't say that I blame you for not wanting to teach 5 days a week and grade papers all weekend, unless your school has substitute teachers to fill in when teacher are sick or out for some reason or another. Since you are obviously a quilter, or you wouldn't have joined the QB, I think you would be an asset to the fabric department. When Wal-Mart first opened near me in NH, a quilt guild member worked there as manager for a number of years and really enjoyed it. I'd say go for it, try it you might like it. LOL

Why not? Walmart has special stock options for their employees. I know a lady that didn't need to work, but she wanted to get out of the house. She put almost all her pay in stock. I can say, "Welcome to Walmart".

She is a merchandiser, I used to work for a book company in K-Marts and Wal-Marts and loved it. Didn't have to wait on customers (unless it was a book) could work the hours and days I wanted as long as I get each store (had 5) done every week and many only took 3-4 hours except one bigger one and it was 4-6 hours. Got to meet lots of help and store managers and they were happy to have someone who actually DID THEIR JOB, as I had no one to supervise me, I was in El Paso and Eastern New Mexico and closest boss was Dallas. Great job and I would do it again, knees or not if I had the chance.
Too old and have an old man 81 heading for 82 and knees would not allow me to be on them for long, but I worked for Wal Mart and it was a good place to work, and material craft department, dream job. I used to be stocker and filled in material when they went to lunch and it was great.

I say, "Go for it!" If you don't like it quit!!! We've had one LQS close (for retirement) recently. Joann's came in about 1 year ago or so which was just down the street from the LQS. Joann's couldn't possible come close to the quality of fabric or service they gave. I will miss them terribly. However, we do have another LQS which has lovely, quality fabric and we are hoping people will shop from it, to keep it from going out of business...

I probably would not, but I'm phobic about Walmarts. I live less than 5 miles from one and have not been in it in about 5 years. I only went there then to buy a crockpot because I couldn't find the one I wanted anywhere else. Just my 2 cents.

Wow! You hit the nail on the head! I know that working in retail in any store is difficult. I daresay WalMart is no worse that a lot of others -- you hear more about the company because it is a monumentally large business chain. If I needed a job, I'm certainly not "too good" to work at WalMart or any other place, as long as the work is honest. Just MHO!

Jeanette

I've got several friends who work at Walmart (all at the same store), and to be honest, none of them seem to love their jobs. The shelf-stockers always have more than they can get done, and the cashiers seem stressed all the time. The cashiers mostly stay put, although I've seen a couple of them putting up stock a few times. The shelf-stockers get moved around to different departments a lot.

DH and I shop in the wee hours of the morning, and the fabric area doesn't have a regular attendant at that time of the day. It's kind of funny, because we never know who's going to cut the fabric. It could be the guy from the sporting goods department, it could be one of the cashiers, it could be one of the shelf-stockers, or it might even be the assistant manager. (I like it when the assistant manager does it. He always gives me a smidge extra! LOL!)

I'm pretty sure the night shift manager at this particular store runs a tight ship. She's friendly to us, but I've seen her upset with employees on more than one occasion. She's a tiny little thing ... probably not even 4' tall ... but she definitely keeps everyone on their toes! I don't know how the day shift manager runs things.

I'd say that the management has a LOT to do with how happy the employees are, so if your store has great management, go for it! :thumbup:

No...not at Walmart...you would probably rarely, if ever work in the fabric department...and the customers there can be really awful toward the staff. If you want to work with fabric, why not ask at a local quilt shop? For me..that would be a much healthier atmosphere! Better quality fabrics to spend your paychecks on, too! If you have teaching credentials..you can ask about teaching classes at the shop..even if you don't feel qualified to teach an advanced quilting class..there are always newbies that want to learn everything from pinning, cutting, pressing..choosing colors...but no...I would NOT choose Walmart!!!

I"d have to really need a job or be able to quit at any time to work at mine- I've bought stuff there (though not in the last few years) and it was awful some of the local shoppers - picky about every single thing and so demanding and rude. and sooo many buying that vinyl on those huge heavy rolls...the worker said they usualy get them to cover their tablecloths - and they'd have a big strong man with them yet the little 4 foot somethng 60 yr old employee had to lift and carry it...the one in the town where I was raised isn't like that.

From my family & friend's experiences, large, "box" retail stores mostly have only a handful of full-time employees--every one else part time. That allows them to not provide benefits and too keep wages low--hourly rate usually goes up when you hit a certain # of hours, but you rarely hit it consistently. Also, you will be assigned hours that change weekly, are usually anywhere from 9-10 or midnight, including holidays and weekends. You are assigned to different departments/duties as need arises. Having a "good" manager sure helps, but they too answer to regional supervisors, etc and the "bottom line" is what drives all decisions--including employee management. Some find the conditions fine for what they need--others do not and will move on--turn over is fairly high at big box stores, unless your area basically offers no other jobs. Most of us in small towns are resentful of how the big box stores like WalMart have driven out the small business owners because they can buy, and sell, at such lower prices that customers (myself included unfortunately) will shop there to get those prices.

I too retired after 37 yrs in education and have no desire to sub! I have found that working as a test proctor for AP testing, etc does give me a little extra as I work on getting my long arm business making more $$. But for the socialization you mentioned as your reason, I belong to quilt guilds and
like my quilt friends and through them do community work. I can make a difference in my community but do it without being away from home for hours--maybe that is behind your DH objection to volunteering?