When Are You Going to Get a Real Job?

Have you ever let it slip that you do not consider your friend or relative's job as a bagger to be a "real" job? If so, you likely caused a lot of offense, even if you did not know it at the time. While it is true to say that many people who work as baggers do not intend to still be doing the same job in 5 or 10 years' time, that does not mean to say that they should be made to feel inadequate for working as a bagger. Consider the alternatives. Many people are unemployed and struggle to get by on government sponsored assistance pro grammes. Those who are working as baggers are actually earning a living, even if it is not $100k position with a full benefits package including a company car.

How Much Did You Make Today?

While baggers earn as they work on a day to day basis that does not give people the right to ask them how much they have made in tips that day. Would you ask a lawyer or a doctor how much they earn? It is not likely, as they would find it rude and intrusive. The same is true when talking to a bagger. Even if they do not earn as much as you do, there is no reason to highlight this fact by asking them how much they have made on any given day and then lecturing them on how they are wasting their time with their current job.

Check Out This Job Opening!

Many well meaning friends and family members are always on the lookout for an alternative job for those who work as baggers, even pointing out when there is a local opening that they feel would be the perfect fit. But many people who work as baggers are content to stick with their current job for the time being as it fits in well around their children's school hours, their spouse's work schedule and other important aspects of their lives that other jobs have not been able to do. Unless a bagger actually asks for help in finding another job, it is wise to keep quiet and not search for a job for them.

When speaking with a bagger about their job, do not automatically assume that they are dissatisfied with what they are doing and offer them a "way out" of their job. Remember that if they really hated their job and wanted a way out, they would take the initiative to look for another job.

Many employees are stuck in the rat race and they can see no way out. They have to beat the daily morning commute to work, face a stressful job and an employer whom they do not like. Add to that the fact that not all employees are able to ask for flexi-time whenever their child is sick or they have to visit the doctor and that can heighten a person's stress levels. But many people choose to work as baggers because they can take time off when they need to run errands, go to the dentist or attend an important function at their child's school. As baggers are not DeCA employees, they do not have to apply for time off from work months in advance and then hope that they get the time off that they want.

Paid Daily

One of the biggest incentives that baggers recognise is the opportunity to be paid on a daily, rather than a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Ready cash is useful for baggers who could do with the extra cash to do their family's shopping, pay for incidentals and other smaller expenses without having to delve too deeply into their bank account. Of course, "cash in hand" should not mean tax-free money for baggers. They should still keep good records of their earnings so that they can declare their earnings to the IRS.

Family Shopping

Another benefit that baggers can utilize while working at the commissary is the ease with which they can do their own shopping during breaks, before or after work. Working in a commissary gives baggers an insight into the price of items, when the latest manager's special is on or when the next case lot sale will be held. They can then take the time to either shop for a few items each day or do a larger shop towards the end of the week. This can save the whole family money in the long run and help conserve extra petrol costs as well.

These are just some of the reasons why some people choose to work as a bagger in their local commissary. It gives them the opportunity to make use of flexi-time, they are paid on a daily basis by customers and they can take care of the family shopping while they are at the commissary.

Unlike DeCA employees such as cashiers, who receive an hourly or salaried pay, baggers in the commissary are not DeCA employees with any of the rights, or benefits that DeCA accords its employees. As such, they do not receive any financial compensation for the work that they do. While some commissaries have tried to combat the problem of non-tipping customers by posting signs by the exit stating that baggers work for tips only, many baggers still spend part of their day working for free.

Unknown Customer Response

Looking at it from a customer's point of view, how would you feel if the bagger who had just bagged your groceries and then loaded up your car mentioned that they work for tips only as you are about to get into your car? While some customers feel ashamed of themselves for not reaching into their pocket to offer a tip to the bagger for bagging two carts' worth of groceries, others might feel offended. Some customers are so offended at the mention of tips that they voice their complaint to the commissary manager.

Correct Thinking

However, some commissary customers are not at all aware that there is any distinction between DeCA employees and baggers, who work on a tip only basis and rely on each and every customer they assist to compensate them for any services rendered. That is the reason why some customers do not offer a tip to baggers, as they feel sure that DeCA already pays them to bag people's groceries. So while the bagger may be fuming at the third customer in a row who has failed to tip them, the customer may be driving away oblivious to any wrong action on their part. But baggers who are forthright enough to politely mention that they are not being paid by DeCA can do much to improve the situation for themselves and for their colleagues who regularly have to deal with some customers who do not give them a tip.

Some commissaries around the world have taken action to try and improve the work environment and overall experience of baggers by posting signs at the cash registers as well as the exits to alert customers of the fact that baggers work for tips only, whereas other commissaries do not offer the same level of support to baggers and it is left to baggers to use discernment before mentioning to customers that they rely solely on tips during their usually work day.

Punctuality

If a job interview is scheduled for 9:30am, employers will expect candidates to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the job interview. Candidates should find out in advance where the exact location is and endeavor to do a practice drive to the location, not just at 8:00pm when traffic will be calmer, but around the time of the interview. The reason for this is so that delays caused by rush hour can be counted into the travel time. Candidates who arrive late for a job interview already have a strike against them. It is very unprofessional to be late. The employer will doubt your interest in the company and the job if you are not punctual. If for any reason there is a genuinely good reason why you cannot arrive on time, due to a traffic accident, then call ahead of time and ask whether the job interview can be re-scheduled for a more opportune time. The employer's time will not be wasted, and they will also appreciate this common courtesy.

Bad appearance

Unkempt hair, an unshaven face and clothes that have not been ironed will send out all the wrong messages to the employer. They will base a lot of their impression of a person's character and capability on their outward appearance. If they meet with an unprofessional, disheveled appearance, they will want to quickly move ahead to the next candidate. The same applies for people who have a lot of body piercings and tattoos. Whatever a person's tastes in this regard, they need to be kept to themselves and covered up during a job interview, not be put out on display.

Complaining attitude

A job interview is not the time to start complaining to the employer about previous colleagues or the manager. It is highly unprofessional, as well as inappropriate. It is simply not the time or the place to air past grievances. They are best left at home.

Failing to ask for the job

A very basic thing that many people fail to do at job interviews is to close properly. One thing employers want to see is a willingness to actually obtain the job. If a candidate sails through the job interview but then fails to actually ask for the job or at least hint that they want it, what has the candidate really achieved? It is puzzling why people forget to do this. It should be their objective to find out more. They can do this by coming out and saying they are keen to have the job and to ask when it would be a good time to call and find out if the job is theirs. Employers will be expecting to hear this. It will close the interview in the correct manner and allow the candidate to check back in and see if they were successful.

Answering their mobile phone

It is not unheard of for job candidates to go into a job interview and to allow themselves to be distracted by their phone. They should have their mobile phone switched off so that they can focus exclusively on the job interview. People who have their phone on and actually answer it if it rings are showing great disrespect to the employer. Their focus should not wander at such an important time.

Lying

Employers hate to be in a room with a job applicant who is lying to them to their face. They are easy to spot and can often be caught out. If they are lying at their job interview, the employer may wonder what else they have lied about and just decide that they are not worth the risk to the company.

Job candidates are not all so obvious in their annoying habits at their job interviews, but they must do all they can to avoid doing anything that will make employers look upon their job application. Many of the above suggestions are basic and avoiding them can help to make all the difference in whether the job applicant is successful or not.