Help me somebody to choose between Sam's Club/Costco or Lens Crafters/For Eyes

[CaramelCutie79]

To all who have worked in any of the following optical stores: Sam's Club, Walmart, Lens Crafters, For Eyes, VisionWorks, being an ophthalmic Tech for doctor or private optical buisness.

I need your honest opinion based on your experience and knowledge about any of these above. What advantages and disadvantages did you have working with that company has far as pay, work hours, company benefits, customers, fellow co-workers and the environment?

Which company would you suggest to me with my credential: I am a license optician with 3 years of experience, I am looking for a pay at least $23/hr, great benefits, paid vacation, full-time work hrs, & rarely work in the weekends if possible.

I greatly appreciate your honesty and your time. ;)

[coupe]

I have owned my store for thirty (30) years and don't make $23.00 US and hour...I don't have long vacations... and I don't have a great benefits package and I work weekends.

Youe qualifications as a 3 year licensed optician mean nothing without proven results. I know that what you are asking...you would never get in my store.

[DestinieNicole]

Hey,

I worked for WalMart Vision Center for 2 years about 6 years ago, and unless everything has completely changed like crazy in the past 6 years I don't think there is any way you could get paid what you are asking. I didn't get paid vacation till after I was there a year and then it is one week, the med benefits were ok. The stock option was great and the profit sharing was a fun once a year pay benefit but thats really it. They don't have to pay quality opticians they can just get a cashier from the main store to cross over and train for less than half of what you are asking. I mean if you can get it great! Good luck dear!

[DestinieNicole]

I forgot to add you are always ALWAYS obligated to work weekends with most big chains. It's the nature of the beast!

[Happylady]

Your best bet if you don't want weekends is a doctor's office but a lot of them are open at least part of Saturdays.

[Lee Prewitt]

Of the choices you gave I would go with Costco. I remember them listed as one of the top 100 companies to work for. They also won a JD Power award a few years ago.

[Jacqui]

Your first choice should be an Independent optical, next on your list would be Costco. Contact Optiboard member Nettie (do a search on the members list), she is a manager for them somewhere. No matter where you choose, you'll get to work at least some weekends.

[CaramelCutie79]

I know somebody that was considering to work for walmart, and he said they start people off at least $22/hr. But that's somewhere in miami fl, and he didn't mention if experience matters.

[CaramelCutie79]

Thanks, i will definately get in touch with this person with my questions.

[CaramelCutie79]

ok so far I've seen couple of people said some good stuff about Costco. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks.

[CaramelCutie79]

Well to be honest, I know one guy he recently became licensed and applied with Walmart. He told me that they will start him $22/hr (in miami fl.). At the time of him becoming licensed (2007) he had only 1 yr of experience in the optical buisness.

[IndianaOD]

Well to be honest, I know one guy he recently became licensed and applied with Walmart. He told me that they will start him $22/hr (in miami fl.). At the time of him becoming licensed (2007) he had only 1 yr of experience in the optical buisness.

Wow, wally in Indiana would pay you around $8 and hour.

[Happylady]

Wow, wally in Indiana would pay you around $8 and hour.

Maybe Florida is a license state? But even in a non license state $8.00 an hour is very low. That is barely above minimum wage.

[hcjilson]

The best advice anyone can give you is to nose around and check with the people in your area. It shouldn't be too difficult to find folks that have worked for these companies. Going back and forth between licensed and unlicensed states and geographically going from Fl to Canada with a brief stop in Indiana isn't going to get you what you are looking for. Next thing you know, folks will start trashing some companies, particpants will get heated......and you STILL won't have your question answered.

[CaramelCutie79]

that's true. thanks for your advice

[spexguy]

the only place you could find a job making $23 an hour with only 3 years exp. is with mr.rourke on fantasy island.get real with that little exp!

[Johns]

I think if you want to "look to the future", WalMart is definitely the way to go!

Just think of it...every day, you'll be looking forward to that magical hour when you get to go home.

Plus...

-They've got sharp uniforms, and you can earn merit badges.

-You get to serve an extremely diverse group of people.

-They've got a great training program. You get trained in stocking, cart collection, and other aspects of retail.

-You may qualify for the current national health care plan...Medicaid.

-You get to work with great products like Safilo and Aspex.

-You don't have to work with the nasty Italian product.

-You don't have to worry up becoming one of those rich snobs.

-Your office will be located close to the official greeter, in case you want to cross-train.

-You get to learn new things, like the Walmart cheer:

Wal-Mart Cheer

Sam Walton does the Wal-Mart cheer

Give me a W!
Give me an A!
Give me an L!
Give me a squiggly!
Give me an M!
Give me an A!
Give me an R!
Give me a T!

What's that spell?
Wal-Mart!

Whose Wal-Mart is it?
It's my Wal-Mart!

Who's number one?
The customer! Always!


That’s the Wal-Mart cheer!

Don't be surprised if you hear our associates shouting this enthusiastically at your local Wal-Mart store. We take it seriously — it's one way we show pride in our company and how much we value our customers.
Our founder Sam Walton wrote the cheer.

He saw workers at a Korean tennis ball factory join together each morning for a company cheer and calisthenics. He liked the idea so much that he couldn't wait to get back home and try it at Wal-Mart.
Mr. Sam believed work can be fun.

As he once said, “Just because we work hard, we don't have to go around with long faces. It's sort of a 'whistle while you work' philosophy and we work better because of it."


-You'll learn to be more flexible. (See the above picture of Sam Walton? If you choose WM, they'll have you bending over just like that in no time!


-You won't have to leave work to go grocery shopping.




Do you need any more reasons than this? I've got more, but the more I write, the more tempted I am to run out and apply for the job myself!


Good luck!!:cheers::cheers:

[CaramelCutie79]

THank you John...sounds like Walmart is an option for me. :-)

[Kubai46]

:finger:

Umm... CC79? You may want to rethink the walmart thing if you'er taking it solely on John's recomendation. If you look closely, his tounge is firmly planted in cheek. ;)

I believe he's being sarcastic.

[obxeyeguy]

:finger:


I believe he's being sarcastic.

Johns?????;)

[paradeyes2]

Not Lenscrafters! They do not pay their licenses well, and cut hours based on sales. Now working for a private practice and LOVING it.

[clumsy lab guy]

Anywhere is better than Lux. stay in private if can get it.

[Johns]

The bottom line is this: How bad can these big boxes be if they manage to hire, and maintain the employment of so many employees? Granted, the turnover is high, but some of them must be staying.

There is a job out there for every type of optician. YOU have to decide what type of optician you are. And remember, where you works says a lot (not all of it true) about what type of optician you are.

Many of us, myself included, have worked at big boxes and survived. I thought of it as "paying my dues". I made enough for an engagement ring, a down payment on a decent house, and a honeymoon.

Some of us moved on, but some stayed and moved into managment. (Cole). Of course, when Lux bought Cole, their jobs were vaporized, and they started over, or went into other fields. There are no guarantees, regardless of whom you work for.

[CaramelCutie79]

well if Johns was being sarcastic...no hard feelings. I was only asking anybody for their honest opinion & suggestion.

[CaramelCutie79]

ok...so far I've heard not so nice things about Luxxotica...hmmm, got me thinking to stay away.