My personal experience is that the store General Manager is a HUGE factor on whether or not you will be happy and successful. At some stores, management seems "stable", at other stores (like mine), the management seems to turn over frequently. This can cause stress because just about the time you get a feeling for what this manager expects of you, and you have the opportunity to "prove yourself" as a hard worker and valuable member of the team, that manager is gone and you are back at square one. In addition, some managers are good and hold everyone accountable, create a positive work environment, seem to value their employees and customers and uphold corporate policies, standards and core values. Others can be horrible and do NONE of these things. These managers make you wonder how they were able to advance to that level. Since it is the manager that you happen to have at any given time who has total control over how many and what hours you get week to week as well as any advancement opportunities and even your ability to transfer to a different store, the quality of your manager will have a huge impact on the quality of your work experience!
Although there is some flexibility of hours, there is also some frustration (again, depending upon how much the current manager cares about their staff), with hours/days/etc. changing from week to week. Every week you can be working different days, and even different shifts or hours per shift. Often this schedule is not posted until late Thursday or even Friday for the next week beginning Monday. This makes it difficult to plan any life outside of work, from Doctors appointments to social engagements - even holiday meals and get togethers are completely in limbo until the schedule is finally posted for the following week. Beyond scheduling, if your schedule is spread across all three shifts (1st - early morning, 2nd - afternoon/evening, and 3rd - overnight) it can be VERY difficult and create issues with your sleep schedule.
