Hi there fellow Opticians! Anyone out there have any feedback to share regards employment with Costco? I've been offered a job, but I'm not sure if I should choose it or private practice. Help!
Hi there fellow Opticians! Anyone out there have any feedback to share regards employment with Costco? I've been offered a job, but I'm not sure if I should choose it or private practice. Help!
Are people who work in the optical department actually Costco employees? I thought they outsourced the optical department?
They don't outsource their optical. They require their opticians to be ABO certified at a minimum. The pay decently, and provide decent benefits. Of course your management team may vary..
If I were to go back into corporate, they would be near the top of the list. I have not heard many complaints from those I know who work for them at all.
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
Nice to have problems of abundance, Marie! Well done.
I'm no help on Costco, but if you haven't had the experience yet I hope you'll strongly consider giving yourself a stint with a private practice...particularly if there's a strong doctor at the top. My learning curve really accelerated thanks to the opportunity to get a little more intimant with patient care during exams as well as after. Private practice (and smaller businesses of any type) can be more of a roullette wheel when it comes to the impact that personalities you'll find will have on your work day regardless of where in the chain of command they'll be. But I wouldn't trade the experience I had for anything, even though I moved on and am with a large organization now.
Welcome to Optiboard!
One of the benefits of working for a larger retailer is 401k, health insurance and vacation. When I was looking for a new job I applied at Costco because I had heard they treat and pay their employess well. Glassdoor.com is a website I used to review employers befor I applied and I think Costco had good reviews or good enough. I have no doubt you would learn more in private practice but if you have a family like me its important to have the benefits that a place like Costco could offer.
If you have talent and ambition I would suggest looking at Costco rather than most independent businesses. A pertinent question to ask yourself is where is the ceiling at the prospective employer - just how high up can you go. In the typical independent practice you can work your way up the limited chain of command until the owners runt of the litter son comes of age and takes over the practice while at Costco there is the possibility of ascending to the ranks of higher management with really big bucks of money and perhaps even a staff and a limousine.
I've been in a private Dr's office for the last 10 years and would recommend it highly. I have all the benefits listed by the earlier poster, health insurance partially paid for by the Dr, paid time off ( 5 weeks at this point), 401K ( Dr does a 3% match plus a profit share at the end of the fiscal year), and the additional benefit of paid holidays (Thanksgiving and the Friday after, Christmas, New Years, Memorial Day, Labor Day, July 4th and one more floating holiday. My normal workday is 8am to 5pm. I only work 1 Saturday per month (from 8am till noon) and one evening per week (till 8pm). The best part of working here though is being treated like a person and not just another number. Last year when my mom's health took a turn for the worse they completely understood when I needed time off, some days on very short notice, and gave me additional PTO when she passed away. (One Doc came to pay his respects even though the funeral parlor was over 50 miles away.) I feel very lucky to have found the work environment I have.
Sounds like a pretty good job, depending on salary of course. I left the Buffalo area about 15 years ago, and was in private practice with an MD for about 3 years, after almost 19 years in optical retail. Didn't get the bennies you describe, but was treated very well, and was able to learn a lot, thanks to a great Doc. I was making about 40k, adequate vacation and time off. Great hours, m-f, 8-4, late days till almost 5 pm. Left the area to pursue other dreams, and most have come true, now being self employed.Originally Posted by BigGuy
Given the choice, corporate or private, I would always choose private practice. Many things I learned there helped me alone the way to where I am today, a very successful independent optician. Thank you Vivian!
I work in a very similar environment, this is my 15th year with the Doc. Previous to my current gig I taught Opticianry; PT, no insurance, no benefits, long hours many of which I was not compensated for. I have put in some time at most of the big chains, Costco being one of them. IMHO, if you have experience and a passion for what you do, this is not the right place. That is not to say that they could not benefit with an, according to Hoyle, caring optician but they may kill your spirit, leaving you void of the passion you once had. I held on for 1 week before severing our relationship with my passion in tack.
I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it. Mark Twain
Costco and private practice are two totally different animals.
It's almost not even worth comparing.
Two totally different business models, target audience, branding, etc..
Even the day-to-day, goals as an optician, service standards, how things are sold, why they are sold, relationships with others in industry and relationships with other locations.
All of this is different.
Wow, thanks so much everyone! All of you have valid points that I have been studying on myself. Benefits and pay are the kicker for me. Costco wins hands down at that level. I've been an optician for 25 years (since I was 20) and worked both private and retail. Last OD I worked with for 20 years private practice and retail with this same doc. The past 11 years I've worked with this same doc in their own practice that was opened in 2003. All I can say is people change sometimes. It was time to part ways! Private and Costco are hard to compare. Neither position is management so I'm at the mercy of those variable schedules, or small practice chatter.
Too bad after 20 years, the doc couldn't take care of you, and vice versa.
On a good note, it is nice to have a little change in life, and new experiences.
Costco has great pay, an accurate lab, and decent benefits. If I remember correctly, you may be on your feet quite a bit. If they locate the optical close to the audio / visual / electronics section, get ready for repetitive music / ads. I like private practice better, but have nothing against Costco.
At the end of the day it's the same results; helping people see. Every Optician I know wants the patient to be happy with a new pair of glasses.
You might as well get paid for your time and effort....
Over the past 20-years many of our school's opticianry graduates have gone to COSTCO here in Canada, and I have never heard a single complaint about this company from any of them.
And there is room for advancement even beyond Costco Store Manager. One of our grads became Western Regional Manager for Costco optical since 1996 and I met another at 1999 SIMLO... she was promoted to COSTCO eyeglass buyer, and enjoyed Costco buying trips trips to PARIS and Milan.
Highest wages offered here in BC... only drawback is that you work in a warehouse environment. So Yes, I say join Costco.
I currently work for Costco. I've been in optics since 2001, and have worked for private, Wal-Mart, LensCrafters....they are THE BEST company I've worked for hands down. Great pay in licensed states, great benefits, and you can wear jeans!!! lol. The warehouse environment isn't a drawback in my opinion, unless you don't like jeans and sneakers. Costco is a great company overall. Quality for less cost. I have zero complaints. I was apprehensive too before I took the job, but so glad I did :D
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