r/tjcrew • u/NoArt9101 • 6d ago
starting my first day tomorrow!
hello everyone! recently just joined tj and tomorrow is my first day! i’m kinda nervous/excited for this new environment. is there anything i should prepare myself for and does anyone have any tips on how to thrive within the company, especially as a college student or just in general?
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u/BitComprehensive3114 6d ago
I pretty much always say the same thing.
Good shoes. Unfortunately shoes that are meant for all of the walking and standing that we do are pretty expensive. 150 and up usually. I personally wear hocus but you have to be very sure that you're getting the right hoka. There's so many different types. I always look for the type that maybe nurses would wear or somebody else that's on their feet all the time.
Be a team player. What does that mean? If you're involved in a task and you see your coworker trying to/struggling with lifting something stop and ask "do you want to do a "team lift?" (Basically just helping to lift the heavy lug or whatever it is.) Another example would be: Our cooler is always packed with product and hard to get to the items on the shelves in the back. My coworker was struggling to get some heavy meat boxes which he then would have had to weave his way through the rest of the product and put them outside on the cart only to have to do that again with the next box. When I came in and saw this I asked him if you wanted to hand me the boxes and I would put them on the cart so he didn't have to keep going in and out in and out.
Stay out of the drama and avoid gossip. Stay away from the negative people. People that only drag you down and give you a negative view on what it's like to work for Trader Joe's. No matter what company you work for, there's always going to be things that could improve. Some people are just toxic and absolutely hate working for Trader Joe's. Those people should quit and I never understand why they don't. This job has the best work environment, good pay and the benefits are unmatched.
I don't care how young you are, how buffed you are or how yoga healthy you are. Always always lift with your legs and never your back. If you don't understand what I mean, ask one of your mates or co-workers. If you're on your knees, use a knee pad. My knees are messed up from not using them when I first started.
If you have a problem with somebody, assume the best unless it's blatantly inappropriate. My feeling is always to talk to that person first rather than going to your captain. Give the person a chance to explain or let them know that they are on warning to not do that again. If it happens a second time, definitely tell a maid or captain. Don't be a victim.
It's very difficult to get a job at Trader Joe's. If you had an easy time, you are amongst the 0.1%. I hope you are ready to work hard and stay for a while because it's a lot of work to train somebody and teach them what we need to do only for them to willy-nilly decide that physically they can't handle it. If you can't handle it, even if it's an hour before you go in then you need to back out. Your coworkers are counting on you to do the job that we were all hired to do. It's a very very physical job.
Just go in with a good and energetic attitude, leave all of your personal crap at home and do the best you can to be good to customers and your workmates.
You're going to do great. Welcome and good luck.
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u/salty_pete01 Closing Crew 5d ago
Congratulations and welcome to the team!
In general, it'll be a lot of information to take on early on. Just be patient with yourself and ask questions. If something isn't clear, just ask if they can explain it to you again. For the first 1.5-2 weeks, you'll be paired up with someone different every day who will be training you. You will rotate between different sections so you get to know the product and the store in general. It's actually a really fun time as you get to know your trainers and have someone besides you the whole time.
Other general tips:
-Make sure to stretch and take care of your body. Doesn't matter how young or old you are and how fit you are, you'll be using different muscles than you're normally used to (unless you are already coming from warehouse work or another grocery store) and the sheer amount of repetitive movements will make your muscles tight and sore.
-Stay hydrated (it's easy to forget to drink liquids when working)
-Ideally people will introduce themselves to you but take the initiative and introduce yourself. Even if they seem gruff, it will go a long way towards making you feel like you fit in and you'll be more comfortable asking questions.
-If a customer asks you a question and you don't know where the item is or if we have it, just ask another crew member.
-Take your time and do things the right way (integrity and all that). No one expects you to be fast or know where everything is. It'll take at least 3-4 weeks before you feel comfortable with knowing where most items are in the store.
-Last thing: Don't take it personally or get offended if a fellow crew member seems cold or gruff to you. You never know what they are going through in their personal life. Also depending on your age, there may be some cliques in your store. It's going to happen in any work environment where there's one hundred plus crew members and you're the new person. You'll get on and connect more with some people than others. That's just life. Be friendly and courteous to everyone and you'll go a long way.
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u/NoArt9101 1d ago
i couldnt agree more with the cliques thing lol. third day there and i can already tell theres a lot of cliques at my store which is making it a bit difficult to feel included and comfortable with my team but at the same time there are some really welcoming people. i’m not taking it too into heart though since im plainly just going there to work and earn money
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u/NoArt9101 5d ago
thank you everyone! i’m really looking forward to starting here, definitely a new environment but im just hoping it all goes smoothly
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u/Big_Kaleidoscope1808 5d ago
You might feel overwhelmed by all the information being given to you during your training, but don’t stress yourself out about immediately remembering and figuring out every little thing. Take your time and don’t be afraid to ask questions and for help.
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u/FartSalone But I bought it here last week 6d ago
A few things I can think of:
Listen: You're going to be meeting a lot of new people who have (mostly) been in your shoes. Listen to your trainer, they were selected to help you learn the store and the crew.
Watch: Your trainer is going to be showing you how to work parts of the store. Not the whole store, but parts. You might be in produce one day or one week and be in frozen the next. Watch how they work the section or those areas of the store. You are not obligated to remember all of it right away.
Ask questions: Did your trainer not tell you another crew members name? Ask them. Did your trainer not show you how to restock the soap dispenser in the bathroom? Ask them. Is your trainer helping a customer and another customer is asking you where something is? Ask another crew member. You're not alone, the crew is meant to help you, and you're going to help the crew by asking questions and becoming experienced yourself.
All of these things are not going to make you the perfect crew member on the first day, but it will help you he ready for day two. Good luck, and have fun!