I wanted to like them - Lead Sales Associate/Key Holder Dollar General Employee Review

1.0
Apr 22, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They appear to have a system that looks like it could be efficient and maybe even doable.

Cons

I hired on as a part-worker because I was reentering the workforce after a few years and because it was a local opportunity. I suspected before I started that I would be underemployed and would not be working to my full capabilities and that turned out to be the case. I really don't have anything negative to say about the manager that hired me. That manager seemed to be overwhelmed and was always at the store and I believe had been with the company for 2 or 3 years at the time; so I settled into just learning the basics and getting a general feel for how things worked. After about 3 months I decided that I wanted more responsibility and started to ask. This is a difficult thing to ask for because Dollar General's system of doing things is to only have 2 people working in a store at a time. So getting training on anything is like pulling teeth. After several failed conversations with the manager on how I might accept more responsibility; I decided to apply for positions with some other local stores as a means of creating a paper trail. Those efforts turned into a transfer to another store. It's important to note that I left my original store on good terms with my manager. I was only at my new store for a week before the manager that accepted my transfer departed the company. (I understand that manager was terminated.) I was at my new store for about 2 months before I decided to transfer back to my original store. (I could make a separate entry about that experience.) I did learn some additional things that corresponded with gaining additional responsibility. I don't think it should've required that I transfer; but I'm not in charge of how Dollar General chooses to do things. In February 2020 there was a massive turnover in personnel at the store I was at (I'm back at my original store). So massive, that I'm the only remaining employee. A new manager is brought in from elsewhere and the new district manager decides that the first order of business is to send this new manager to another store for 2 weeks for training. The new manager gives me their login information so that I can perform management functions in their absence. I am told that I'm doing a great job keeping things going and that I'm being considered for promotion to assistant manager. I got sick at the beginning of March (right before this COVID-19 pandemic), sought medical aid, and called in sick for a day that I previously agreed to cover a shift. I used that day to rest and then went to work the next day; still sick, but at least with prescribed medication to feel a little better. I allegedly failed to put some coin rolls into the safe and failed to set the alarm when I left the building that day I came in sick. While I wasn't shown video of this; I'm willing to concede it happened; but I feel that with my work history and recent performance; a write-up would've been sufficient; not termination. And that's my story. I was fired for making a mistake that I only made because I was ill. I had documentation proving that I saw a medical professional; and it meant nothing.

Explore other reviews about Dollar General

5.0
Apr 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

supportive management team, and work environment.

Cons

No control over store systems: lights, a/c, etc.

1.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There will always be Dollar General stores

Cons

- Leadership is unclear, unfocused, unwilling to provide information, or support. It is all about their ego, being "right", and the good ole boys club. - Leadership is very performative and do not actually care for their employees wellbeing. They are looking for robots without lives. - Feedback is considered wrong and if you do not 100% agree with everything they say, you will be treated as though you committed a crime. They are interested in yes men only and will find a way to push employees out regardless of the validity. - Work life balance does not exist and org policies only apply to those that they like. They've chased all of their top talent away with terrible changes and framed it as a perk we asked for. - Every conversation, speech, memo, and email is fake and performative. They do not live what they say. - They copy every other retailer, are stuck in the past, and DEI was quietly eliminated to avoid the backlash like Target. - Facilities are outdated, broken, and cannot support the volume. If you like disgusting shared spaces, fake perks, and talentless leaders, this place is for you.

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