Is working at Sports Direct really that bad?

I have an interview with Sports Direct next week for a summer job as a Casual Sales Assistant but I have heard horror stories about that place. I heard that they give you hardly any hours because it's a 0 hour contract so you may end up making hardly any money. I need money to help me pay for my student accommodation so I don't want my time being wasted on a job that doesn't pay me sufficiently. If they give me the job on a 0 hour contract, should I reject it? Or will I get more shifts if I'm available to work whenever they need me to (I'm completely free for most of the summer).

Reply 1

inksplodge

17

Why not just accept it anyway and see what happens. The worst thing that'll happen is you get no hours but you could always look for another job in the meantime. On the other hand you might get plenty of hours so nobody can really tell you for sure.

Reply 2

Diaxer

8

Don't reject it. 0 hours doesn't mean you'll never get any work off them. Just means, if they don't have the work at certain times, you don't get any work and you can't complain about it. It's 'Casual' so likely the amount of work you do each week will vary. If you get offered the job, take it. Any money is good especially if you don't have other options atm.

Reply 3

i.am.lost

18

Didn't their full time employees get £40k bonuses last year?

Reply 4

StacFace

18

'Casual' does mean you get the 0 hours contract. I used to work for them as a Casual Sales Assistant and it was a few weeks before I actually got a shift but I did then get 1 or 2 a week most weeks. If you need money accept it as you can still get some money from it, as well as experience. Also you only have to give a week's notice to leave until you've been working there for 2 years (if I remember correctly, if not it is a week's notice for the first 6 months at least) so you can do that if you find something else and will only have one or two shifts left afterwards (or may have none, as where I worked after handing in a notice they didn't give you shifts for your final week).

Reply 5

KJane

15

Better to be earning something and looking for something better than turning it down completely.

Reply 6

Londonpie72

6

I know a few people that work there, It may not be excellent but still a job.

Take it and with experience if you get a better job then you can leave.

Reply 7

johng

I worked there and hated it, the pay is terrible and comes with no extra benefits.

Thou it was useful as a first job, was able to use it as experience for my job at Asda where I get double the pay plus employee benefits.

Reply 8

Celtic_Anthony

12

They treat their staff very poorly, and you have no job security.

That said, any job is better than no job. If you're flexible and hard working, you'll get the hours. And if you have a decent management team and colleagues the job itself is alright.

Reply 9

Celtic_Anthony

12

Original post by i.am.lost

Didn't their full time employees get £40k bonuses last year?

I still don't think they've received them...

Reply 10

SirMasterKey

18

Better to earn some money than none.

Besides with a 0 hour contract, if you don't want/can't work a time for any reason than you don't have to (as long as you haven't signed up for a shift, not sure what their policy is on getting cover) and they can't make you.

I'd much rather work there than have no job and as has been said, if offered, take it and look for something better.

Reply 11

MoonGazer

9

Original post by Celtic_Anthony

I still don't think they've received them...

And it's irrelevant and hardly worth mentioning in my opinion, given that say for example, in the store I work at, we have maybe 3 full time staff (manager, assistant manager and footwear supervisor), if not the supervisor as well, then just the 2....out of about 20-30 part-time/casual staff.

I was horribly ill the other week and had a not fit for work note from my doctor, telling me to take the week off and my boss expected me to find cover for the rest of the weekend when I'd told him at about 11am on the friday - I thought the point of having management was to manage staff, not get the staff the manage themselves? Plus we had minimal staff in that day so there wasn't many people that I could have asked. I didn't get in trouble for it in the end because, there wasn't really much they could do me for since I gave them notice in advance and all that.

That said, some days are fine, others are quite horrible, especially if the store manager is under a lot of pressure - you will learn to quickly resent bags for life, I guarantee it.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 12

username471863

OP

19

You lot are right, a job is better than nothing, no matter how lousy. I should just take whatever I can get for now then look for something better.

Reply 13

abbielouise95

ive got a interview at sports direct today and no idea what to expect, any help?

Reply 14

tigercub

I have been working at Sports Direct for a few weeks now and know loads of people that already work there. It's not as bad as you are all making out.
In my first week I had 6 shifts, 27 hours. This week I have 5 shifts.
Basically if you're good, you get the hours. If you're ****e, you don't.

Reply 15

shenikadestiny

Original post by tigercub

I have been working at Sports Direct for a few weeks now and know loads of people that already work there. It's not as bad as you are all making out.
In my first week I had 6 shifts, 27 hours. This week I have 5 shifts.
Basically if you're good, you get the hours. If you're ****e, you don't.

in relation to that ^^^^

It's sort of bull****, i've been working at sports direct for just under a year.
When I first started I got lots of shift ( like you said you got) once your there for say 2-3 months, you'll recognise that your shifts start to get cut. Say you'll go from having 3-4 shifts a day to having about 2 ( if that a week)

Reply 16

shenikadestiny

Original post by abbielouise95

ive got a interview at sports direct today and no idea what to expect, any help?

At the beginning the job is really good, give it a few weeks and you'll get completed like ****! You don't even get trained!

Reply 17

MissLightyear

14

Original post by tigercub

I have been working at Sports Direct for a few weeks now and know loads of people that already work there. It's not as bad as you are all making out.
In my first week I had 6 shifts, 27 hours. This week I have 5 shifts.
Basically if you're good, you get the hours. If you're ****e, you don't.

This^ Work hard and you get shifts. Ive been working there for nearly 2 months, started with one or two shifts a week, now im up to 4 or 5 and the option to do more as I keep getting texts asking to work extra days, which I will be doing when Ive done my exams.

Original post by shenikadestiny

in relation to that ^^^^

It's sort of bull****, i've been working at sports direct for just under a year.
When I first started I got lots of shift ( like you said you got) once your there for say 2-3 months, you'll recognise that your shifts start to get cut. Say you'll go from having 3-4 shifts a day to having about 2 ( if that a week)

Im confused, 3 or 4 shifts a day? Everyone at my store get a fair amount of hours, and everyone works hard. I keep reading all these horror stories but dont get where theyre coming from. Seems like a few people having bad experiences and voicing them, but I enjoy working there

Original post by shenikadestiny

At the beginning the job is really good, give it a few weeks and you'll get completed like ****! You don't even get trained!

Really? Ive been trained pretty well, and if ive ever been unsure I just ask one of the longer term workers or the manager/asst manager, they have no poblem with that