@shanewp1988 Thank you, I'm going to scope it out and see for myself how it is. But I will remember all the experiences that every one has had and keep that in mind.
Interview at PetSmart for a grooming trainee, what should I expect? [x-posted from r/dogs]
- Thread starter rochelle
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- dog grooming
justin_mary
New member
@rochelle sooo I worked at petsmart, quit, then went back. here's a different perspective. I think a lot of these things really depends on your stores particular general and district managers. I worked for 3 stores ( worked at one, left, got rehired at a different one, then transferred to another) and none of them were/are nearly as awful as what people are saying here. they have put pressure on to do only 6 dogs for us, and that is stressful for the new groomers and when it gets busy, because they don't have receptionists. also they're new booking system is so awful. I hope they change it because not only do we complain I think the customers are complaining as well. but those things are the worst things that I'm experiencing. there's definitely bullshit but there's a whole other load of bullshit in the small salons. it's just what bullshit you feel like you wanna deal with. I picked petsmart bullshit because it comes with paid vacation. 
@justin_mary 6 dogs in how much time?
Thanks for sharing your experiences and I'll keep the booking system in mind.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and I'll keep the booking system in mind.
justin_mary
New member
@rochelle you have 8 hours to do all of them, and you must take lunch so you're scheduled 8.5 hours. if you have a big one you can only do 5 if you choose. but that's groomers. bathers you're gonna be doing a dog every half hour or 2 per hour, and then you have to do walk in appointments. that's going to be pretty difficult to do for you until you get your multitasking and strategy down. it's gonna feel like a lot but it's the best training for the stresses and demands of haircuts. you're doing less as a groomer but much more work per dog.
@justin_mary 2 every hour doesn't seem that bad, but when you mention the walk-ins, that's going to be hard until like you said I get my multitasking down.
@rochelle Those two in that hour could be a chi or two, or they could be huskies or labs. And maybe they don't like the velocity dryer and have to be kennel dried, or they don't like the velocity dryer and the breed or special conditions makes it so they can only be towel dried, and the customer has extreme sensitivities so you can't use any product to help with drying because it's all scented, and maybe they don't like having their nails done. And now while one is trying to bite you for nails you have a walk in nail trim who has never been in before. You have to put your dog in the kennel and now it will never want to come back out to cooperate for you. So you have to get the walk ins info and the vet info and hope the vet will release the rabies info over the phone to you while your making an account for the customer, and the whole time they are still trying to talk to you about pricing and "can I get a discount because I have two (awful) dogs?" and now that dog doesn't want it's nails done either and there are now two phone calls on hold and management keeps paging.
Starts to get stressful sometimes.
Starts to get stressful sometimes.
imagebeastmarkbeast
New member
@rochelle I very recently got hired at a petsomething store, and while it might not be the same, I'll tell you about my interview experience. All in all it was pretty easy; they asked some basic interview questions (have you ever dealt with a difficult customer, have you ever dealt with a coworker that didn't get along with you, stuff like that) and asked if I had any grooming experience. I told them no but that I've done a lot of research about it and I understand that it's a physically demanding job where I'm going to get my hands dirty, but that I love animals, dogs in particular, and that I'm really passionate about pursuing this career. They offered me a job on the spot.
Idk about Petsmart, but I see people give a lot of crap about working in a box store, and I'd just say that your personal experience might differ from what people here are saying. I mean, it may not- it could be as bad as they make it out to be, and I'm sure that the petsomething stores will really only teach you the basics, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere. I've read plenty of stores of people having all kinds of issues in private salons too, so going private isn't a guarantee that you're going to get a better grooming education. Just take everything (including my own advice) with a grain of salt Good luck!
Idk about Petsmart, but I see people give a lot of crap about working in a box store, and I'd just say that your personal experience might differ from what people here are saying. I mean, it may not- it could be as bad as they make it out to be, and I'm sure that the petsomething stores will really only teach you the basics, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere. I've read plenty of stores of people having all kinds of issues in private salons too, so going private isn't a guarantee that you're going to get a better grooming education. Just take everything (including my own advice) with a grain of salt
Good luck!@r3g3nt Thank you
I'm pretty good with "name a time when.." like questions so I'm not to nervous about that. I'll be honest with them about my experiences.
I'm just wanting to get my foot in the door some where and this is a good spot at the moment. I see that other posters have had negative experiences but it does differ from store to store.
I'll totally keep your advice in mind and do the whole "grain of salt" thing haha
I'm pretty good with "name a time when.." like questions so I'm not to nervous about that. I'll be honest with them about my experiences.
I'm just wanting to get my foot in the door some where and this is a good spot at the moment. I see that other posters have had negative experiences but it does differ from store to store.
I'll totally keep your advice in mind and do the whole "grain of salt" thing haha
@r3g3nt It went awesome! I got there about 20 minutes prior and just got to hang out with the Salon Manager and a senior groomer which was really nice. We got to chat and there was no "formality".
Right before the interview she said that I already made it into the second interview but we have to go through some mandatory questions.
She had me sell her a charity dog stuffie thing, and she asked what I'd do if a customer was looking at a leash. At the end I said that I'd up sell the leash if I could. She told me that in 3 years of interviewing, no one has ever said they'd up sell a leash and she was very impressed!
Second interview is Monday morning!
Right before the interview she said that I already made it into the second interview but we have to go through some mandatory questions.
She had me sell her a charity dog stuffie thing, and she asked what I'd do if a customer was looking at a leash. At the end I said that I'd up sell the leash if I could. She told me that in 3 years of interviewing, no one has ever said they'd up sell a leash and she was very impressed!
Second interview is Monday morning!
ashleysavedbygrace
New member
@rochelle Your mileage may vary. I've been working there as a groomer almost 3 years (with a prior 2 years working private). I would echo most of the other negative comments in this thread while also pointing out that some people are lucky and get situated at stores with good management. Honestly my experience was better when I first started, before they sold the company. Now all the managers are terrified for their jobs, and they're taking it out on the little guys with added pressure and unrealistic sales goals.
That being said, my advice to you would be to take that job, work it for a year and get your foot in the door in the grooming world. If you like it, take that confidence and experience you've gained and go private.
They almost never go after people for quitting ahead of their contracts. It's a scare tactic. You make back the cost of your academy during your field training anyway, and even if they wanted to take you to court over it, they'd have to take everyone who quit too soon. It's too big of an undertaking.
That being said, my advice to you would be to take that job, work it for a year and get your foot in the door in the grooming world. If you like it, take that confidence and experience you've gained and go private.
They almost never go after people for quitting ahead of their contracts. It's a scare tactic. You make back the cost of your academy during your field training anyway, and even if they wanted to take you to court over it, they'd have to take everyone who quit too soon. It's too big of an undertaking.
@ashleysavedbygrace The manager sounded super nice on the phone so hopefully things will go well in person haha!
But yeah, I'm using this job as a foot in the door. I've always kind of liked grooming but now I have the chance to actually try it out.
But yeah, I'm using this job as a foot in the door. I've always kind of liked grooming but now I have the chance to actually try it out.
wayfareringstranger
New member
@rochelle Petco is pretty similar to Petsmart (I worked at Petco for a year), but I've heard each corporate salon is different. It depends on your managers how things will go. Our salon went from 8 groomers to 1 because of a bad salon manager and a store manager who just didn't care that everybody was leaving. It was a VERY difficult environment to train in.
@wayfareringstranger Ouch, that'd be pretty harsh. I'd feel bad for the customers. I hope my experience will be different.
noracharlesfan
New member
@rochelle I used to work at PetSmart as a bather. TBH all they want is someone who seems nice, likes animals, and has even the tiniest form of knowledge with animals. (Or none at all. I'm positive most of the groomers at the salon didn't know shit. I was a bather but I knew more about grooming than them!)
Honestly, if you get the job, go there long enough to learn from experience, or until you find a better position.
They don't teach you much, and what they do teach you is often wrong.
If you've never worked in a fast-paced corporate environment, you will have to fight to stay afloat, because they throw you in the deep end right away.
Honestly, if you get the job, go there long enough to learn from experience, or until you find a better position.
They don't teach you much, and what they do teach you is often wrong.
If you've never worked in a fast-paced corporate environment, you will have to fight to stay afloat, because they throw you in the deep end right away.