Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Did a quick search under hobby for Monster.com seatch engine and came back with no less than five positions being offered by Games Workshop for Hobby Center Managers at different US locations:

http://jobsearch.monster.com/Search.aspx?brd=1&cy=us&lid=316&re=14#brd=1&q=hobby&cy=us&lid=316&re=0&pg=1&dv=1

Anyone have an idea if these are new locations or simply something they do every so often.

And the postings were from 7/30/10, so this is a bit old too.

They go through managers faster than McDonald's goes through fries. By now you would have figured people would know not to work for them.

This is more like "job punishment" than a job "offer". i cant imagine how torturous it would be to try to manage one of those stores

The ironic thing is that I was there when the San Jose hobby manager got fired, along with the entire staff a few weeks later. The Hobby Manage position has since been filled, though.

Very exciting jobs, lol. how much do they pay?

(not that i'm interested, just curious if the pay > punishment? ) haha

Prob 20k a year salary? So you're gonna be working 60s hours for 38.5 hours of pay

The more you think about it the worse it sounds.. So get back to work and obey your bean counter overlords

also you need to 'reinvest' some of that into getting an army for each main system... go buying a lotr or 40k or fantasy army if you've not got it already.

Also dealing with psycho kids :-D

I'm surprised it does not also state 'Must not leak pictures of new models to the Internet' as I imagine that is how a few of those positions became available!

Games Workshop wrote:
Hobby Center Manager- Los Angeles
About the Job
Entrepreneurial Spirit? Hard Working and Independent? Read this and see if it excites you!

Imagine yourself commanding a futuristic army of super soldiers, powerful vehicles, and mighty heroes combating a monstrous alien force. Or maybe you prefer, a vast medieval landscape, where your regiments of knights, sorcerers, and powerful war-machines defend against dragons, monsters and evil creatures beyond imagination.

Games Workshop is the largest and most successful tabletop fantasy and futuristic battle-games company in the world. We sell our products through our own chain of 340+ hobby centers and 3,700+ independent toy and hobby shops. Our major brands include Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000 and The Lord of the Rings strategy games.

Tabletop gaming is a hobby and our hobbyists are enthusiastic, passionate, and dedicated. Their dedication to the hobby is what drives the employees of GW to provide not only the best model soldiers in the world, but also the most outrageous customer service imaginable! Which leads me to this...I am the Recruiter for Games Workshop and I’m seeking enthusiastic, passionate, goal oriented, people friendly, business savvy individuals to run our hobby centers throughout the US.

Requirements

I’m not looking for mediocre opportunists because our Hobby Center Operators aren’t average, they’re exceptional! You must be creative, gregarious, teachable, and enjoy working with people of all ages. If you don’t know our product, check out one of our shops or visit our website at www.games-workshop.com. I’m confident that you’ll develop a passion for the company and our hobby.



Games Workshop isn’t “just a job," it’s about being a part of something exciting, something you can believe in and contribute to. We need someone that approaches their job with energy and integrity. I’m sure you’re wondering what we can offer you. We can give you a competitive salary with a performance related bonus structure. You’ll receive a phenomenal benefits package, continuous training, discounted products, and an amazing company culture!



Think you have what it takes? Looking for a career that provides training, growth and excitement? We would love to hear from you!

I am curious as to what a job like this really does pay, especially in Los Angeles.

The cost of living there is... a bit on the high side.

That ad makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck... it screams "Run away!" in corporate double speak.

These are the phrases that are really telling:

Use of the first person: someone is making this a little too personal. Any ad should be written at least in the plural, because you aren't working for the recruiter, you're working for the company.

"I'm not looking for mediocre opportunists..." WOW that is a loaded phrase. Translation: Don't try to improve the system. Oh, and you better get ready to start kissing my butt. The last guy had criticisms that hit too close to home and didn't suck up enough. Or shared "super secret company information". We need someone to nod and smile to everything we say.

"I'm confident that you'll develop a passion for the company and our hobby". Translation: You had better develop a passion for the company. Company first, hobby second. And by "passion for our hobby", I mean you better be prepared to be my new BFF.

"We need someone that approaches their job with energy and integrity." Translation: the last sucker we had in this position was too relaxed, and did something we said or implied we didn't like, so we canned him. Maybe for pocketing things on the side, and/or for going around my back, and/or for making comments & criticism. Probably made too many great suggestions that someone higher-up couldn't steal.

Note: it is the combination of these three phrases that hoists a huge red flag. The last dude (or someone) to hold the position left on bad terms: basically didn't have enough enthusiasm (however that is defined), and certainly didn't toe the corporate line. Probably was used as a scapegoat for one of the corporate cronies. Whatever occurred will be used as a benchmark for any subsequent holder of the position. It is hard enough to work to clearly stated performance metrics, but when there are invisible metrics? Like "don't be that guy"? Nuh uh. No way.

Other red flags:

"Competitive salary". Translation: Our salary pool is "retail sales clerk" because that is what you really do, isn't it? We pay what the local Walmart pays. IF you currently make less than a Greeter, we'll pay your current crap wage "plus a little more".

"Performance related bonus structure". Translation: Bust your butt, and we'll give you a couple hundred extra bucks at the end of the year. Do merely a fantastic job and you get nothing. Performance goals are never spelled out- the goalpost always moves so it is out of reach. Oh, and don't worry, we'll tweak the corporate and individual calculations for the bonus so you get much, much less than you should. I can hear it now... "Yes we met our (corporate / sectional / division / store) goals, but your (region / division / store / personal performance) was just shy on this one metric. Sorry to say that halves your bonus." Note the preceding statements are altered as needed to ensure that the bonus isn't paid.

"Phenomenal benefits". Translation: The newly passed national health care law is phenomenal! And you should see the public clinic down the street, there are brand new bars on the windows! Phenomenal!

This ad would have been tempting... if I were in high school. I've been burned by companies that place ads like this. Zero substance, evidence of drama, nothing but buzzwords = walk away. I guess with the economy the way it is, they can place any ad and still get people begging for work. Sad, really.

Manager by default because you're going to be the only poor slob in the shop all day.

Maybe they would do better if they would remove the vampire creep greeter dudes who interrogate you( behind you like Klaus Kinski in Nosferatu) or not have stupid hours of operation or actually have some products that I can't buy at my local store ( who do a much better and much less annoying job). I would love a job like that but I also love food and oh a car and not having to buy LOTR! Corporate crap is so dishonest and surreal ,read that thing. Gregarious? and TEACHABLE. I'm sorry sir before I take this job I feel its only fair to let you know that I am completely UNTEACHABLE! Do they even realize that they are killing the stores with that follow you around the store crap. I dont blame the workers. No normal human would do that without being told. If I managed one of those I would never have my people doing that. I dont remember what I was told but I hear they make peanuts.

I'd do this, except I am not interested in the job and I'd have to move to America. And the problem with that is that the Yanks wouldn't except me due to my British accent. They distrust intellect after all.


But seriously; knowing GW the pay is probably poor and you'll be running around due to the place being under staffed.

A brand new manager in LA is paid hourly (as per the law, but I'm not going to get into that) and the new system pays the managers more than they did redshirts. That being said, the effectiveness of your store determines your decently sizable bonus.

20k is too low. 50k is too high.

Edit: to be fair, GW's benefits ARE really good. They offer extremely good health insurance, 401k, etc.

Can you actually live in doors with a 50k job in LA tho?

legoburner wrote:I'm surprised it does not also state 'Must not leak pictures of new models to the Internet' as I imagine that is how a few of those positions became available!

That and buying gift cards with your staff discount.

scuddman wrote:Edit: to be fair, GW's benefits ARE really good. They offer extremely good health insurance, 401k, etc.

Agree with this. I went to one of their recruitment sessions awhile back when I was between jobs and the insurance compared to every job I've had was phenomenal.
They made it very clear that they did not want to hire fans of the hobby. They wanted salespeople. Product knowledge was not desired.

You couldn't get me to actually work there, though. They expect the work of 2 employees out of every one.

Kirasu wrote:Can you actually live in doors with a 50k job in LA tho?

You'll be sharing space with someone, or living in an absolute flop house, I'd imagine...

skrulnik wrote:

scuddman wrote:Edit: to be fair, GW's benefits ARE really good. They offer extremely good health insurance, 401k, etc.

Agree with this. I went to one of their recruitment sessions awhile back when I was between jobs and the insurance compared to every job I've had was phenomenal.
They made it very clear that they did not want to hire fans of the hobby. They wanted salespeople. Product knowledge was not desired.

You couldn't get me to actually work there, though. They expect the work of 2 employees out of every one.

Weird place, isn't it?

Strange company...

skrulnik wrote:

scuddman wrote:Edit: to be fair, GW's benefits ARE really good. They offer extremely good health insurance, 401k, etc.

Agree with this. I went to one of their recruitment sessions awhile back when I was between jobs and the insurance compared to every job I've had was phenomenal.
They made it very clear that they did not want to hire fans of the hobby. They wanted salespeople. Product knowledge was not desired.

You couldn't get me to actually work there, though. They expect the work of 2 employees out of every one.

Thirded, I worked for an insurance company at one time and was very surprised at the package they had available; second only to working for the Government.

Sadly none of this is really a suprise. Its kinda where the market has gone. Almost any retail chain/store pays pennies now. Its not hard or skilled work (yes i know you have to paint and build terrain but at the core its still retail) so why pay someone a decent wage when any joe schmoe will do it?

They expect the work of 2 employees out of every one.

Sounds like every employer, actually.

There are 3 major ways to make big money:

1. Offer a service or a product that either no one else offers or at a price no one else can compete at.

2. Make your money off the backs of other people

3. Go into business for yourself...which usually incorporates the above 2 but not always.

If you do the typical thing and hold a 9-5 job, it's essentially impossible to become wealthy off the job alone. It doesn't really matter if it's a GW job or something else.

This is how a skilled plumber, doing all 3 of the above, can make more money than an engineer from a top college.

Obviously if you work for GW you have a special circumstance for wanting to do it.

There is a difference between trying to become wealthy and making a livable wage.

Working in retail for GW will get you neither.

Gymnogyps nails it. This posting is scary because even after reading it, and kind of guessing what the job entails from experience with the stores and retail, I have no idea what the job requires responsibility wise. Beyond that, no idea of salary (10$ an hour in San Jose; how many hours?), types of benefits, what sort of experience they are looking for, etc.

That posting made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and honestly I might not mind a job like that for a bit until we move... enough to pay a few bills and all.

Le Grognard wrote:Manager by default because you're going to be the only poor slob in the shop all day.

Except on the weekends.

Alpharius wrote:

Kirasu wrote:Can you actually live in doors with a 50k job in LA tho?

You'll be sharing space with someone, or living in an absolute flop house, I'd imagine...

skrulnik wrote:

scuddman wrote:Edit: to be fair, GW's benefits ARE really good. They offer extremely good health insurance, 401k, etc.

Agree with this. I went to one of their recruitment sessions awhile back when I was between jobs and the insurance compared to every job I've had was phenomenal.
They made it very clear that they did not want to hire fans of the hobby. They wanted salespeople. Product knowledge was not desired.

You couldn't get me to actually work there, though. They expect the work of 2 employees out of every one.

Weird place, isn't it?

Strange company...

Not really. Actually,it's fairly common for "recreational" companies to hire employees with little to no product knowledge. I worked for 2-1/2 years for a paintball e-tailer and had never played paintball at all before being hired on. They actually explicitly told me that they were looking for someone without paintball experience for the job. The reason is actually pretty simple. If GW hires somebody that has no wargaming experience,then they know that person is interested in a job and will treat it like a job. If GW hires somebody that has played GW games for years,then they are most likely hiring somebody that thinks the job will be fun,and won't take it as seriously. They are also more likely to steal product and/or give discounts to their wargaming buddies. You can always teach somebody product knowledge,but you can't teach work ethic.