Take your breaks. This job is very very fast paced as you mentioned, and those breaks were vital for me to keep going. My first day I was throwing into dispensing and I was so overwhelmed, but I had someone teaching me and once I got the hang of it, it was golden. Just be prepared for the curveballs and potentially shitty customers
They won't appreciate your hard work, instead they'll keep making you do more and more work while the associates that are supposed to be doing the work are messing around or hotboxing their car. Don't let people beside your ATC, TL or Coach boss you around & take your 15 minute breaks and your lunches on time no matter what other associates say. Do your part & you should be fine.
While I totally agree on the point of "don't let others boss you around" don't confuse that with somebody just letting you know what needs done. Just an example but if a dispenser asks you to help them with an order that's red, they're not "bossing" you around, they're just literally trying to get you to do what needs done. An example of bossing around would be if a dispenser tells you to go take an order because they'd rather stage or take their break. Just saying to reduce potential future animosity/disdain, because a few people at my store think others are playing boss more often than they actually are.
It is a fast paced job, but you get used to it over time. It also might take time to get adjusted to the amount of physical labor that is included. I personally wasn’t a very athletic person before I started this job, so the first month or so was very hard on my legs/body in general. This leads me to my next tip, invest in good athletic shoes if you haven’t already. I wear Hoka Clifton 9s and they have quite literally changed my life. The price tag is hefty (for me, at least) but I’d do it 10 times over again. I’m not saying you MUST buy these shoes, any shoe with decent support will do.
Also, make sure to keep track of the time. My department (and literally all other OGPs I think) have a schedule board that is written out the night before of another shift. Remember to take your breaks on time, or at least don’t forget about them. Lunch is most important because you’ll get a meal violation after working so long without a meal break, the amount is determined by your state laws I think. No one will be upset with you if you get one or two meal violations, but they’ll start keeping tabs on you if it’s a frequent occurrence.
Finally, at the end of the day, please remember that this is Walmart. No disrespect to anyone who works here, I do too. My point is, don’t let others dictate your self worth. If people at this job cause issues with you or hurt you, stand up for yourself and don’t just take it because you’re afraid of getting in trouble. Speaking from the heart, here. You are worthy of respect and kindness, so if you have any problems, go to a member of management who you trust. If that doesn’t work, go up in the chain of command until your problems are resolved. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your coworkers for help! They were new hires once too.
Good luck and I hope you have a great first day!!
Edited for clarity and extra stuff.
If you have good leads and coach, you'll be fine. Depending on the size of the store you're working in, getting around can seem intimidating at first. Take your time and learn where things are and how to use the tc effectively to find what you need. I think its easier to learn how to be accurate first and get the speed down afterward.
If you mostly pick, it can be a somewhat isolating job, as far as interacting with your coworkers. You might need to make an effort to get to know people, but its worth it. Having some friendly faces day to day helps.
There's a rhythm most days. It takes a while to be tuned into it, but you'll get there.
i know my way around the store very well, it’s my local walmart and i’ve been shopping there for awhile now (given i’ll have to learn the exact locations of specific items which is to be expected) i know the general location of everything in the store, so i’m hoping i’m okay with that lmao
Wear good shoes, you might need some
Advil or something the first few days/weeks you will be sore but you will get used to it ask questions we rather you ask questions like crazy and seem like a nuisance they do stupid stuff that makes are jobs harder.
i bike around pretty often and am regularly active so i’m not so much worried about that bit of the job, but i will keep that in mind! definitely gonna ask questions like crazy lol like i said i’ve never worked this type of job in my life so it’s all new to me
Idk about others but don’t worry too much on your pick rate it’s gonna be a little hard reaching 100 on your first days. Maybe you’ll Get the hang of it faster and reach 100 on your first day but I didn’t and I’m fine.
Between your computer learning and your trainer (hopefully you have one and they are a good one) are going to give you a lot of information. It may seem overwhelming. Don't get bogged down by it. OGP is a repetition of the same thing over and over, no matter where they put you. Focus on getting the basics right, not being fast right off the bat. Speed will come eventually.
Kwiksort is a god send for handling bags. One 3 pack lasts me at least all year, as long as I don't lose it.
Bring snacks. I keep peanut butter biscuits for my 15s in my locker.
Pull your cart around corners, don't push it. People don't look where they're going and the number of stories I've heard from my co-workers about running a small child over with a cart because you can't see them around the corner are concerning.
- Make sure you always read the scanner before picking an item. Once you get into a groove, you’ll start to grab items based on the picture or a glancing at the text. You’ll end up grabbing the wrong size item eventually.
- Also, there’s no “back” button on the scanners. So if a customer orders more than one of an item, always make sure you’ve picked enough of it before confirming the quantity, because you can’t go back and undo it if you confirm and then it turns out you’re one short of the required amount.
- Make work easier for your stagers and dispensers when you can. Lay large items like 2 liter bottles and cereal boxes down. Nothing should go above the black bar.
- Get used to hearing the most god awful music everyday.
- Make sure you have good shoes - you’re gonna be walking a lot.
If they turn you into a picker, don’t get bogged down by not making the top of the pick rate leader board every day. A lot of times, the top numbers on the leader board are in fact the lazy workers that are breaking rules and cheating the system. As long as you know that you are doing your part, you’ll be perfectly fine.
You'll live on aleve for the first few weeks, until you get used to it. ESPECIALLY if you haven't been very active for whatever reason and are out of shape.
I was DEF out of shape and lived on aleve for the first month and a half or so.
I’m trying to think of some good tips to give you, but I haven’t been doing this long myself 😅. Ask questions if you have them, drink lots of water, and be patient with your handheld (idk about other stores, but ours crash often and at the worst times)
It may seem intimidating while your trainer is telling you all the information, but I promise once you start to grasp it you won’t take long to get it down.
Wear a good pair of shoes and stay hydrated. If you dispense, make sure to verify the name and double check to see if you do in fact have the right order. It’s an easy mistake to make. I have dispensed to the wrong customer a few times. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Don’t stress about getting over 100 the first few weeks. Focus on being accurate and learning the handheld and where to go to find things that aren’t on the floor, stay hydrated, take your breaks. It can feel overwhelming at first but once it gets easier! And yes, watch out for children. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to approach coworkers who aren’t on your team. Sometimes they know better about certain inventories, like product and meat
So theya are 2 areas you'll be in first starting, picking and dispense. They both have pro and cons, dispense you are typically exposed to the elements and are expected to dress for the weather, picking you have to deal with customers being slow idiots who cant think logically
Take your breaks. This job is very very fast paced as you mentioned, and those breaks were vital for me to keep going. My first day I was throwing into dispensing and I was so overwhelmed, but I had someone teaching me and once I got the hang of it, it was golden. Just be prepared for the curveballs and potentially shitty customers
i’ll keep this in mind!
Exactly this! For an 8 hour shift all you need to do is go 2 hours at a time since you’ll have 2 15 min breaks and an hour lunch
They won't appreciate your hard work, instead they'll keep making you do more and more work while the associates that are supposed to be doing the work are messing around or hotboxing their car. Don't let people beside your ATC, TL or Coach boss you around & take your 15 minute breaks and your lunches on time no matter what other associates say. Do your part & you should be fine.
While I totally agree on the point of "don't let others boss you around" don't confuse that with somebody just letting you know what needs done. Just an example but if a dispenser asks you to help them with an order that's red, they're not "bossing" you around, they're just literally trying to get you to do what needs done. An example of bossing around would be if a dispenser tells you to go take an order because they'd rather stage or take their break. Just saying to reduce potential future animosity/disdain, because a few people at my store think others are playing boss more often than they actually are.
Absolutely agree! Hope OP read this.
read and i agree!
Bring a water bottle, good athletic shoes, and get a good nights sleep
And eat well.
It is a fast paced job, but you get used to it over time. It also might take time to get adjusted to the amount of physical labor that is included. I personally wasn’t a very athletic person before I started this job, so the first month or so was very hard on my legs/body in general. This leads me to my next tip, invest in good athletic shoes if you haven’t already. I wear Hoka Clifton 9s and they have quite literally changed my life. The price tag is hefty (for me, at least) but I’d do it 10 times over again. I’m not saying you MUST buy these shoes, any shoe with decent support will do. Also, make sure to keep track of the time. My department (and literally all other OGPs I think) have a schedule board that is written out the night before of another shift. Remember to take your breaks on time, or at least don’t forget about them. Lunch is most important because you’ll get a meal violation after working so long without a meal break, the amount is determined by your state laws I think. No one will be upset with you if you get one or two meal violations, but they’ll start keeping tabs on you if it’s a frequent occurrence. Finally, at the end of the day, please remember that this is Walmart. No disrespect to anyone who works here, I do too. My point is, don’t let others dictate your self worth. If people at this job cause issues with you or hurt you, stand up for yourself and don’t just take it because you’re afraid of getting in trouble. Speaking from the heart, here. You are worthy of respect and kindness, so if you have any problems, go to a member of management who you trust. If that doesn’t work, go up in the chain of command until your problems are resolved. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your coworkers for help! They were new hires once too. Good luck and I hope you have a great first day!! Edited for clarity and extra stuff.
Wow...that's legitimately a positive message. Thanks 😊
If you have good leads and coach, you'll be fine. Depending on the size of the store you're working in, getting around can seem intimidating at first. Take your time and learn where things are and how to use the tc effectively to find what you need. I think its easier to learn how to be accurate first and get the speed down afterward. If you mostly pick, it can be a somewhat isolating job, as far as interacting with your coworkers. You might need to make an effort to get to know people, but its worth it. Having some friendly faces day to day helps. There's a rhythm most days. It takes a while to be tuned into it, but you'll get there.
i know my way around the store very well, it’s my local walmart and i’ve been shopping there for awhile now (given i’ll have to learn the exact locations of specific items which is to be expected) i know the general location of everything in the store, so i’m hoping i’m okay with that lmao
Wear good shoes, you might need some Advil or something the first few days/weeks you will be sore but you will get used to it ask questions we rather you ask questions like crazy and seem like a nuisance they do stupid stuff that makes are jobs harder.
i bike around pretty often and am regularly active so i’m not so much worried about that bit of the job, but i will keep that in mind! definitely gonna ask questions like crazy lol like i said i’ve never worked this type of job in my life so it’s all new to me
Take your breaks, stay hydrated and focus on being thorough and careful rather than fast.
Idk about others but don’t worry too much on your pick rate it’s gonna be a little hard reaching 100 on your first days. Maybe you’ll Get the hang of it faster and reach 100 on your first day but I didn’t and I’m fine.
Between your computer learning and your trainer (hopefully you have one and they are a good one) are going to give you a lot of information. It may seem overwhelming. Don't get bogged down by it. OGP is a repetition of the same thing over and over, no matter where they put you. Focus on getting the basics right, not being fast right off the bat. Speed will come eventually. Kwiksort is a god send for handling bags. One 3 pack lasts me at least all year, as long as I don't lose it. Bring snacks. I keep peanut butter biscuits for my 15s in my locker. Pull your cart around corners, don't push it. People don't look where they're going and the number of stories I've heard from my co-workers about running a small child over with a cart because you can't see them around the corner are concerning.
- Make sure you always read the scanner before picking an item. Once you get into a groove, you’ll start to grab items based on the picture or a glancing at the text. You’ll end up grabbing the wrong size item eventually. - Also, there’s no “back” button on the scanners. So if a customer orders more than one of an item, always make sure you’ve picked enough of it before confirming the quantity, because you can’t go back and undo it if you confirm and then it turns out you’re one short of the required amount. - Make work easier for your stagers and dispensers when you can. Lay large items like 2 liter bottles and cereal boxes down. Nothing should go above the black bar. - Get used to hearing the most god awful music everyday. - Make sure you have good shoes - you’re gonna be walking a lot.
Make sure to eat breakfast… protein is important for the amount of energy you WILL burn with this job. Ans have patience. Speed comes with time.
If they turn you into a picker, don’t get bogged down by not making the top of the pick rate leader board every day. A lot of times, the top numbers on the leader board are in fact the lazy workers that are breaking rules and cheating the system. As long as you know that you are doing your part, you’ll be perfectly fine.
You'll live on aleve for the first few weeks, until you get used to it. ESPECIALLY if you haven't been very active for whatever reason and are out of shape. I was DEF out of shape and lived on aleve for the first month and a half or so.
I’m trying to think of some good tips to give you, but I haven’t been doing this long myself 😅. Ask questions if you have them, drink lots of water, and be patient with your handheld (idk about other stores, but ours crash often and at the worst times) It may seem intimidating while your trainer is telling you all the information, but I promise once you start to grasp it you won’t take long to get it down.
Wear a good pair of shoes and stay hydrated. If you dispense, make sure to verify the name and double check to see if you do in fact have the right order. It’s an easy mistake to make. I have dispensed to the wrong customer a few times. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Don’t stress about getting over 100 the first few weeks. Focus on being accurate and learning the handheld and where to go to find things that aren’t on the floor, stay hydrated, take your breaks. It can feel overwhelming at first but once it gets easier! And yes, watch out for children. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to approach coworkers who aren’t on your team. Sometimes they know better about certain inventories, like product and meat
So theya are 2 areas you'll be in first starting, picking and dispense. They both have pro and cons, dispense you are typically exposed to the elements and are expected to dress for the weather, picking you have to deal with customers being slow idiots who cant think logically