Has anyone here worked at a big name retailer?

To be honest, I'm not happy at all at my new job. I work at a local pc repair/parts shop. The problem is, I'm really just a power computer user that got lucky. I am by no means an expert. I really only know what I'm talking about maybe 40% of the time. As I often have to ask someone for help, my fellow co-workers seem like they all hate me and they respond with the worst tone of voice. They are condescending to me, and to customers (which would explain the owner admitting that business is bad lately). Rather than teaching me things and procedure, I just get taught as things happen which is embarrassing in front of customers.

Nothing is automated so it is very easy to make a mistake. There is no scanning system, and EVERYTHING must be entered manually. Product number, price, discount, returns/exchanges. And that process isn't even connected in any way to the credit card machine. Half the time the rest of the guys don't know/argue about what we're supposed to be charging for services.

I just want to go back to a big name company and work where I actually know what I'm talking about. Ever since GameStop checked my status and fired me, I haven't been able to be happy at any job.

I know I may sound bratty (I'm not working in a furnace hellhole anymore), but I would at least like to return to what I once had, if not get as close as I can to it. If I can't reach the success of others in this country, I don't think that's too much to ask, is it?

If you are in California there is a big name retailer called



If they check your status there then all hell has broken loose..

Try asking around; sorry about what you are going through.. But computers are so easy...

I'm in Illinois.

It may be easy to you, but I'm not at all comfortable with the job. I'll continue to try to learn until they fire me for destroying someone's computer or something like that, or until I find something better. As a previous coworker once told me "hey, you only work there", and I guess the worst that could happen is I get fired and I get a bit of a vacation despite not having money. I'm still just very frustrated, though.

Well as long as it's just a software problem an easy way to fix the computer is to save all of the data (Movies, Pictures, Documents,) and them completely reform the drive.. Then put all the data back and listo! Computer all fix and like new..

Also if you are ever cornered against a wall use me as a last resort option i'm good with computers..

Thanks very much for your input.

The main things that I've run into where I'm like wtf are usually hardware problems. Like confirming 100% if a hard drive is bad and unrecoverable, confirming a dead motherboard vs memory vs video card vs power supply. And when someone asks me to compare video cards/cpus/motherboards, I'm just like uhhh...this one is better ! (not fully confident) lol. And we sell virtually every cable in existence so I'm often like wtf I don't know what that random awkward connection is. Especially if it's as old as I am. And I don't have much experience in installing all types of parts. I get most nervous with cpu coolers and scared that I'm going to snap the clips on the cooler or bend cpu pins or something.

As far as service goes, if the pc doesn't boot, the less likely I am to know what to do.

Wow!!! Hold on there Que... I only know how to fix broken things lol haha...

Ah, so you're from Illinois too. Hmm, as far as big name retailers, I can't really help you. In the past, I worked for a dollar store chain but then they started checking ssn and even took up e-verify. You can definitely get a job in most restaurants and grocery stores. I've even have heard of insurance places hiring people like us but I've never really tried it. I do also know a few dreamers who work as receptionists for doctors offices and as hotel... clerks? Idk what you'd call them lol. Nothing too glamorous. The closer you are to downtown Chicago, the easier it is to find different gigs.

Man I'd kill for your job, I'm all about building and modding rigs. But I think you can forget about large chains, unless you have fake docs.

Well, I decided that in any event I need to go back to school to prepare to find jobs in a more broad spectrum. I signed up to back to community college even though I already graduated. I'm taking what I need still to be able to transfer to ISU hopefully someday. I actually only need 4 classes, but because it's so expensive and because I need to keep working this job at least for now, I decided on 2 classes for $945 One will be on a day off of work and the other will be online.

I hope this is an investment rather than a gamble...

Gotta agree here with the receptionist and clerk positions. It isn't very hard to find these jobs. All you need to do is just go through contacts and I'm pretty sure you can find something. There's a lot of small businesses that need office work done. You don't even have to change your major or take up a course of study to understand what you're doing in these jobs. These are businesses just like big name companies so there is nothing to feel low about. They make money as well. Only difference is that their clients are different. For example, I work part time for a small multi service company that has over a thousand clients, mainly small grocery and package stores. The big accounting firm probably has only a few big clients. It all evens out. Experience is experience regardless of where you're working. Good luck!