# What would you do?



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

So, yesturday I was in my LFS and chatting with the owner. We have really gotten to know eachother these last few months and he respects my advice. As most of you know, I currently work at petsmart, an organization that I have a few problems with, but its an okay job and I feel very secure working there (probably will be moving up the latter in the future)... however, lat night I got offered a job at the LFS. $8 per hour (.50 more than my job at petsmart without the commute), the problem is, there isn't really a chance to move up the latter here, it might be a dead end job. However they do give great discounts to employees and actually have saltwater fish. Unfortunatley there also is another catch... I signed a contract with petsmart stating I couldn't "work" in pet retailer place until 6 months after I quit. Which brings up some money issues, although the LFS owner has offered me odd jobs to compensate.

So my question is, what would you do?


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

well..... Im assuming you have benefits of some type with PetSmart, i.e. insurance, paid vacations, paid holidays, pension, 401K?? If so, STAY! This stuff might not seem important to you now but trust me, they are. MY advice to anyone with a job with benefits is to keep it - you will be better off in the long run. Beautiful fish at awesome prices will come and go - a chance to build your retirement wont!


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## Torpedo (Jan 23, 2006)

i really dont see how Petsmart could enforce that contract. are they going to follow you around for the next 6 months checking to see if you work for a pet store?? that seems like a huge waste of their time. besides, you dont need them as a reference since the LFS owner has already offered you a job. 

As far as moving up the corporate ladder, youre only 21 and theres lots of time in the future to be worried about that. take the job that makes you happiest for now. Working in a job that makes you happy is worth a whole lot more than any monetary gains youll get.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

It's a toughie, alright. PetsMart absolutely can and will enforce that contract. On the other hand, they're morons who can't teach you anything. On the other hand, they're rich morons who will be around forever, while your lfs won't be.

I guess it comes down to how much money you'll make total. Not per hour, but per hour X how many hours. What good is 12 bucks per hour if you only get 15 hours a week?


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## BlueMaxx (Jan 10, 2006)

Stay with PS and pass on the other offer.
Seems there is no "perks" so best stay with what you have now.
learn more on fish and expand your self. Your 21 and theres alot out there for ou.
Not say make a career out of it but get knowlegable and go from there.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

Stick w/ PETsMART. It's not worth being unemployed for 6 months. Even I hate to be unemployed for the months between working summers and I'm only 14 and don't have to worry about paying bills and stuff. 

But.....does the contract say you have to do the 6 months thing if you're fired? I can give you some creative options on that


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## Cliffizme2 (Oct 15, 2005)

It's only $0.50 more, and you said you could possibly move up in the future at Petsmart, that would probably bring a raise. I'd stay.

If I were you I would have never signed that contract, seems pretty stupid to me. Petco has been getting at me since I started in April because I won't sign the fraternization policy form. They hired me and forgot to have me sign it and they remembered a month later.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

If it was me, I would stay at petsmart (providing you do get the benefits) $7.50 may turn into something more than the $8.00 you were offered by the lfs.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

i prefer to work for locals, petsmart cant enfore that contract, it usually only applies to direct competition, like petco, and such. large corporations are usually cold, and will get rid of you if they dont sell enough dog biscuits, a lfs usually has more ties to their employees, and if he offered, it shows he respects you, and will stick up for you in hard times. thats something to consider too. the 50 cents is ok, but ask if their is any room for improvement, maybe manager? maybe the owner never has to come in at all, and you run the store yourself. that wouldnt be bad either, i had the best time of my life woking for a reptile only store, learned way more than i ever imagined, had more cool stuff, more control of my life, plus, i always root for the underdog. my 2 cents.


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## Aquatictreasure (Jan 24, 2006)

stick with petmart, always a chance for advancement :mrgreen:


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

Georgia Peach said:


> well..... Im assuming you have benefits of some type with PetSmart, i.e. insurance, paid vacations, paid holidays, pension, 401K?? If so, STAY! This stuff might not seem important to you now but trust me, they are. MY advice to anyone with a job with benefits is to keep it - you will be better off in the long run. Beautiful fish at awesome prices will come and go - a chance to build your retirement wont!



Gotta agree with G. Peach. The first time you need health insurance and don't have it...... well all I can say about that is > :shock: !
Regardless of where you work your still going to learn about fish keeping one way or another. LFS or PetSmart(most likely more from the LFS), here or other sites, books(hey, don't count that one out  ) and personal experience. 
If its more about "the little guy" Vs. "the man" then follow what you feel is the best thing to do. Your the only one that can make that decision.


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## mrmoby (Jan 18, 2005)

Well, this is my two cents. First thing, DON'T sign any more contracts. I have never heard of that before, at least for a retail associate. Usually that is reserved for people in highly specialized technical fields, or broadcasters. If the contract is legal iin your state, they can enforce it, but I would be inclined to beleive they woouldn't, and don't even really see how they even could.

As far as taking the job, I would give it serious thought. Please don't take this as being demeaning, but your opportunities at Petsmart probably aren't all that great, or at least not something that you couldn't find in any number of large retailers. I don't think you would be throwing away a once in a lifetime opportunity if you bailed from Petsmart. The job at the LFS may seeem, and may in fact be dead end, but if you get in, pay attention, you will learn the ins and outs of the business. If running your own shop is a future ambition, I would jump on it. You stand to get more hands on business learning there, than from Petsmart.

The others are right though, when they mention benefits. You don't want to jump ship, and get into a long term situation with no medical or vacation. My advice would be to seriously think about what it is you want, think of where you want to be in 5 years.

Good luck.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

mrmoby said:


> think of where you want to be in 5 years.
> 
> Good luck.


 celebrating the 5 year aniversary of the day you asked this question. 

sorry haha. mitch hedberg is a fav comedian of mine, that was one of my fav jokes for a job interview. lol sorry again.


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## euRasian32 (May 19, 2005)

Not to hijack or echo, but my first question is where do you see yourself in 5 years? What would be the ideal occupation, realistically, in 5 years? Are you in school? Are you currently getting benefits/health insurance? How many hours a week are you working now and how many hours a week are you offered at the LFS? 

The answers to these questions can determine your answer. You're still sort of young however, pretty soon job/career decisions like this will have a grave impact in your retirement years.

When I was 18-22, I loved having the ability to jump from job to job, do this and that, meet all kinds of people, make some money... it gets old quick. When I realized I needed to button down and stick with something long term, it had to start then. It was that cut and dry. I was a late bloomer tho, didn't get my licence 'til I was 19, started to party late, etc. You may be where I was at 24, and if so you need to really give these decisions a lot of thought and weigh out what you want to do and what is offered to you. Luckily, when I was 24 I got a job with the federal government after applying on and off for 2 years. I'm 31 now and currently a GS-double digits and I'm still climbing. If I hadn't smacked myself and got in check years ago, I'd probably be working at ____ (<insert fast food restaraunt here).

Best of luck


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## AshleytheGreat (Jul 24, 2005)

We need people like you at petsmart!! You are doing an awesome job for the community and the fish by educating people about what they are buying. Im sure if you werent there, countless fish would die from peoples ignorace. More people go to Petsmart anyways when first starting an aquarium so its good that someone like you is there to help.

GGooddd lucK!


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## mrmoby (Jan 18, 2005)

So........what did you end up doing?


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

well so far, I've asked to see my contract, I'm supposed to go over it with a manager this weekend... Also I'm going to sit down with the head manager and discuss my future at petsmart. If they can say that I definately could be pet care manager or team lead when I get out of school, I'm going to stay with them... if not and my contract has a loop hole, I go to the other place.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Here's something Fish, lookat it closely, u stated "I signed a contract with petsmart stating I couldn't "work" in pet retailer place until 6 months after I quit." u said "I quit" now quit and getting fired are two completely different things. If the contract says only "quit" nothing about fired, there's a loop hole right there! Just get fired then, does the new owner of LFS know about it?

Or can u go down to extremem part time with petsmart to work at other place? Lawyer is right across the hall in my building, let us know on that contract, i will see what i can find out.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

there is something about contracts, that if they make you sign one in order to work, its invalid, i believe contracts have to entered in free will. if you couldnt work there with out that contract, i think thats b.s.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

Oh, just and update, I asked the owner of scales and tails how many hours I could work, he said 40-80 heheh, so I'm not getting short changed there.


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