Extensive abuse by core store leadership (Management Review)
Pros
There really aren't any Pros to this position, but I knew that going in. You're going to work the worst hours in the store, be left by yourself most days for your entire shift, run the store, but not enjoy any bonuses the SM and ASM receive for store performance, even though you contributed just as much or more- and for significantly less pay. This is just a job you do to get the job you want.
Cons
Store Managers and Assistant Store Managers do not follow standard practice and work proper schedules; leave at 3pm daily and don't work their 45 hours weekly to meet their salary requirements. No accountability once an associate reaches that level; you will never get held accountable for anything, and I do mean anything. I've seen ASM's and SM's scream at store associates, swear at customers, leave displays unbuilt for weeks at a time, create a hostile work environment-telling associates that "they're next" after just firing one of their coworkers... Covering up each others drug and drinking problems... The list goes on, but one thing that they all had in common was that nothing ever happened to them. Calling HR is a waste of time, since the area rep was a 30 year retired store manager. Hardly an unbiased third party. Pay raises are based on a % which varies every year. They do have "meets expectations" and "exceeds expectations" which come with a slightly higher % increase in your pay rate, but I wouldn't waste my time on that. You could end up like me, working your butt off for a year straight, only for it to come raise time and your district manager has told the store managers that no one in management is getting Exceeds this year because we're tight on budget. (Nice slap in the face, right?) Every job in this company has "Other tasks as assigned" listed on the bottom of the job description, and boy do they like to use that trump card fast and loose. I had an ASM that outsourced her entire job using that literature to other associates and did nothing but stand around and take 3 smoke breaks an hour. In more reasonable terms, you're going to do stuff that outside the scope of your assigned work for your position regularly, sometimes for less money than the person who's supposed to be doing it is getting paid. They hire externally, a lot. Expect to be stuck in your position for 5x longer than your interviewing manager will lead you to believe. I wouldn't recommend taking an Evening Manager job, unless you want to risk being stuck working nights for several years. They frame it for these folks they're hiring for that position that it will be temporary, and its a necessary step that must be done before you make ASM. Since they hire externally a lot, it may be years before you get off nights, regardless of how hard you work. Benefits are nothing to write home about, and no different than the other grocers I've managed at. Though not by much, they are also the most expensive. Mileage may vary, but if you're looking to join the management team, expect the worst, dig in, and hope you make it to ASM before the culture burns you out. After that, it's smooth sailing. I've worked at a half a dozen stores across two states; haven't meet an ASM or SM that was let go (or even written up) due to job performance.