I am embarrassed to admit that I couldn't get a job at Best Buy. Was I deemed unqualified? No. Am I a high school or college dropout? No, I am, in fact, a college that has consistently been ranked in the top 10 by US News and World Reports. So what was the problem? The application never got to the store I was applying to.

To apply to best buy, the first step is do an automated interview, either on the web or by phone, where you are asked multiple choice questions and you are timed on how long it takes you to answer. Things from "Is it OK to call in sick even if you aren't" to "Is it OK to be consistently late to work" to the standard "Have you ever been arrested?" I passed the web automated test thingy (if I failed, I think I would have hid in my room out of shame!) and it said that the info. would be passed along to the store I was applying to, and I should be contacted soon. A few days pass, no word, so I drop by the store and ask when I can schedule my interview. I am told that they can't do anything until the central processing people that handle the automated interview results send them my info. I ask when that might be, they weren't sure. A few days later, I drop by again to checkin, I get the same answer. They suggest I call the automated telephone interview number and try again. I do so, and when I input my social security #, I am told I already took and passed the test and my info. will be resent to the store. A few days later, the store still doesn't have the info. This is getting ludicrous so I ask who I can call to sort this out. I am told nobody. On the web, I find a phone number for an applicant help line. I call the number, which has an automated voice telling me to call xxx-xxx-xxxx, which is the number I just called! It also gives a e-mail address, that is invalid!

At this point, I said the hell with it and applied elsewhere. I am still furious with Best Buy. I don't think that I am entitled to a job by any means, but I do think that I have a right to be considered. (Especially since I am more qualified then most of the people I see working in that store.)

What department did you apply for? (just curious)


I'm going to level with you. I tried for 3 years to apply for a job at Butt Buy and i spent most of my 2 years there wishing i had another job.

It took me 3 years to get in there and i have a good amount of music/movie knowledge (i worked in the media depart.) This kid, 16 yrs old...first time applying here got hired and the only thing he knew about music was his favorite band N*Stink.


If you do not like selling things then i do not recommend getting a job there. You are forced to sell service plans to people and you dont get squat in return. (recognition or otherwise)

If you really want to get hired someplace I say aviod the big company communal application/resume route and get your application directly to the loaction where you are trying to get in.

Perhaps the store doesn't have a position open for you? If there isn't a position open, then you won't be called. Your SS# is stored for 30 days in the system. You can call back in 30 days and reapply if you like. Asking employees if they got your info won't help. Most likely they don't even care so why go thru the hassle of looking?

Good suggestions everyone... UAIOE, I applied to the store in general. I never got far enough in the process to specify a specific department. Badlieut, good question, but the store was actually advertising that it needed help. It definitely had open positions and they were most definitely seeking people. Icondude, that's a great suggestion and I tried it, but they can only accept applications that come through the automated process.

Jedidiah...if you fould this website and registered here without the help of another adult human being, you are over qualified to work at Butt Buy.




But Seriously. I thought the automated process asked you which department you wanted to work in...ah well its been about 3 years since i used it anyway.


btw, what department were you interested in working in?

I was open to several departments, from the movie/music section to the computer department to cashier to customer service to loss prevention. I was willing to go where I was needed.

Why work there? Its a sweatshop.

1: Employee discount
2: Close to my house
3: Makes more money then a camp counselor. (It's sad that I could make, minimally, 4 dollars an hour more as a cashier than I can watching over people's children)

So, how much does BB pay an hour?

This thread makes me laugh. I don't even know where to begin a counter-point.

After awhile this (to me) wasnt much of an issue. It was great saving like 70% (yes that much) on funiture, storage and Accessories. But most of my buying was CD's and DVD's and the discount wasnt much. The stuff i really saved on i didnt need or have the money to buy so I didnt get to take huge advantage of this.

Maybe, but i have a small story. When i started i made $6 an hour (Sept 99) by Sept 2000 i was still making $6 an hour and i was pissed that a new hire (16yrs old,first retail job) was making $6.25 an hour. Now 25 cents isnt much but when you give 1 year of your life to a store i think you deserve to make more than a new hire. Well, i made a deal about it only to be confronted by my dept. supervisor saying that "sharing what you make an hour is grounds for termination". He "claimed" i had divulged my hourly wage to other employee's by asking them how much they thought i made an hour. When you ask that kind of question to another employee and they say "i dunno, $6 an hour?" you really cannot say i blabbed that to another employee.

To bring my little story/rant to a close, when i finally had an actual discussion about this pay thing, he told me:

"We have to pay new hires more money because of inflation"

So, the moment i am hired by Best Buy inflation stops affecting me? Huh?

Be warned on the payrates there, if you let them they will screw you out of money.