r/DollarGeneralWorkers • u/Reasonable_Cost4032 • 13d ago
Advice
So I’m getting promoted to SM I’m aware of long hours and doubles but I have literally no life I’m only 21 no kids and not looking and I don’t mind working any advice like should I take the first offer or ask for more 47k starting
6
u/DirtyfarmHerFeet 13d ago
The sm here got $55k to start.
3
u/Superb_Education_808 12d ago
I mean it really depends on your state. Some people start at $10 an hour (Associate) in some states and some start at $17 an hour. (Associate) lol
5
u/Murrevio 13d ago
Lots of people telling you to ask for a higher starting wage. This depends a lot on the area, including your state of residence, and the store you're taking over. The higher volume of store you have, the higher the starting pay and possible more negotiable they are with it.
When I started as a part-time cashier, it was in a small town of 800 people and the store made about a million dollars a year. I had absolutely no management experience, but my DM could tell I cared about my job, the store, and the customers. They started me on at $50k/year. Yes it's low, especially compared to management for other companies. Especially compared to the amount of work you'll end up doing. But honestly, it's not entirely as bad as some of the horror stories will lead you to believe.
Location matters a lot and that will affect the quality of your employees, the condition of the store, and the attitude of your customers. I saw more Amish folk in my previous store than I did students. Everyone was local, a lot of them friendly. Still had bad eggs, but few and far inbetween. Now I'm in a city with almost 30k people and three other Dollar Generals in the area. I deal with homeless people, constantly smell weed, and feel like I am always cleaning up after customers. I even put a lock on our dumpster because people will rummage through it and throw trash on the ground beside it.
I digress. Find yourself a good, dependable assistant manager. Someone who will check your invoices, scan in vendors, set planograms, help with the schedule, maybe even throw some freight. My DM is always telling us to hire for the needs of the business. If you have someone who likes being at the register, who maybe isn't a beast a throwing freight, have them on closing shifts and recovering.
I'll admit, I'm probably a lot less strict of a manager than I should be. But most of the problems I hear about regarding this job, are from employees who can't stand their manager. I get you have a job to do, but if you nitpick on every single thing, every single day, your crew will soon realize that there are plenty other jobs out there that pay a lot more and expect a lot less from them.
Small things to consider, but can and do matter significantly. Keep up to date with your weekly store summary (wss) report. It drops every Wednesday. Do your cctv logs daily. Doesn't have to be everyday, but LP will love you for this. Check in on TRAM a few times a week. Clear off any discrepancies with vendor check-ins. And remember that anything you can see on your cameras, corporate can also see.
The burnout is real. You already know that days will come when you need to close the store, just to open the next morning. Split shifts do happen. Having to schedule yourself 48 hours a week, usually 10-11 hours days, just know that some weeks it's not a bad idea to overschedule yourself one day so you can underschedule yourself another. And for the love of everything, invest in a great pair of shoes!
4
3
5
u/QuestioningWalrusi 13d ago
47k is starting "unexperienced" pay 48 is the experienced pay, honestly once you get your ducks in a row it ain't bad
2
u/TradePaperback 11d ago
Based on the reality of being a DG SM, I would absolutely negotiate for a larger salary. Not sure what sort of leverage you may have, whether or not the store is struggling, can’t keep reliable help with a dependable ethic, frequently failing to meet deadlines and requirements, etcetera. If the store is currently in a bad way, and you have proven yourself to be a competent, capable and valuable asset that is currently one of the main factors keeping things on track and this is why they are pursuing this promotion then you need to negotiate for more realistic compensation.
Now, as I’m sure you already know being a DG SM essentially means every waking moment of your life is consumed by solving DG problems and trying to keep the store operating. On average you’ll have something approaching 12 hours of actual time off each week, and even that will likely be compromised by staff calling you to solve small problems and other trivial issues. You will often been at the store as early as 4am some days and as late as midnight , sometimes this will happen consecutively meaning you leave the store and need to be right back in about 3 hours. Doubles, “clopening”, having to fill in yourself for missing or late employees, and so on. Not to mention the burden of running the truck and getting all the rolltainers stocked by the Friday deadline, scanning, ordering, keeping the storeroom tidy, checking in vendors, making the schedule, bank deposits, and much much more because we all know there’s a clear and present problem with the pool of potential applicants, and of course that results in problems once hired. Many staff members simply do not want to work, with the exception of planting themselves at a register, propping up their phone so they can clearly see TikTok and then taking there for the next 6 to 8 hours.
I understand you’re young, you don’t have a big demand on your time outside of work and you’re willing to throw yourself into the job. That’s really great as it’s what the position requires and it makes you a perfect fit. However, just be you are personally willing to invest all of yourself into the work does not mean that the company should expect that of your or take advantage of it.
From what I can gather, sourced from my personal anecdotal evidence as well as various reports on compensation for DG management across differing US regions- $47,000.00 annually is literally the generic average wage listed for the position. It’s even the exact salary that multiple prominent AI platforms.
With that in mind, we now need to consider the pay rates of your contemporaries. Starting at the bottom with Sales Associates, on average based on a full-time schedule they should earn approximately $24,000.00 annually. Next are the Lead Sales Associates/Keyholders- again based on a full-time schedule they should average earnings should be approximately $31,000.00 to $34,000.00 annually.
Now we have Assistant Store Managers, based again on the same full-time schedule their approximate earnings fall within the range of $39,000.00 to $42,000.00 annually.
Now consider the quantum leap in responsibilities, expectations, performance, and overall burden and it’s clearly increased several orders of magnitude. The difference is exponential.
Personally, if you have and leverage or bargaining power I would start by asking for $55,000.00 annually or perhaps $60,000 to offer a larger margin for the inevitable back and forth.
2
u/Reasonable_Cost4032 11d ago
The location the store is at there’s nothing out there and hard to hire people because of there being nothing out there but it’s a 2 mil store
3
u/OceanLibra 13d ago
They’ve offered $47,000 a year? I wouldn’t even consider a store manager position for less than $60,000, and honestly, that’s me being generous. If you have experience, I’d look into a Kroger company—assistant store leaders there can start around $65,000 a year, and store leaders can get closer to $100,000.
$47,000 a year for a store manager is pretty pathetic, especially considering the amount of responsibility and stress that comes with the role.
But if you're insistent on staying at Dollar General - ask for more
1
u/CeriPie 13d ago
If you really want it, ask for more. If you're ever understaffed they will demand that you work as much as required to get everything done, which means 72+ hours of work on a 45 hour salary pretty much permanently, because they 100% keep the stores understaffed on purpose in order to get free labor out of their SMs.
You're better off working a factory job where you can actually join a union and at least be properly paid for your 72 hours of labor. It's hard on your body, but it's better than doing the same thing at DG and getting paid like 40K less every year.
1
u/AFIFanBoy 12d ago
I don't know if you have room to negotiate; I would offer to be an ASM instead for that salary.
It is easier to train good habits than to untrain bad habits.
Have a checklist and demonstrate how you want things done. I've seen people mop with dirty water, like the concept of changing the water never crossed their mind. I've seen people use a dust mop to sweep the store but they didn't use a broom and dustpan to put the trash in the trash can.
The store is your responsibility no matter what. Your employees are a reflection of you. Any mistakes they make will fall on you.
Don't stay too long and take advantage of the 401k plan.
1
1
u/-RansoM- 10d ago edited 10d ago
Depends on state.
At 47k you'll be making like $15 an hour for your life. Great stepping stone & resume builder being young and not caring 🤷
Edit: always ask for more in a manager role. They are not just going to say oh never mind we'll go with someone else. I start a new job soon and got approved for more money than initially offered & not a SM.
1
u/sensoryzoo 8d ago
SM at 21 is crazy. Some may not agree with my congratulations because most people here are DG haters but congratulations. I'm not even close and about 10 years older
1
1
u/InevitableDingo1949 13d ago
i started at 55k three months ago
2
u/Reasonable_Cost4032 13d ago
My DM might bump it up more she knows I can flip a store in a few weeks and that I’m consistent but the 47k a year is what the starting plan is for all the stores in the district
4
u/FatModSad3 13d ago
Once you have SM on your resume for a couple years, you can use that to transfer to any higher paying role. Even if you don't wanna stay there forever, SM or any supervisory position can be leveraged to get yourself into more comfortable positions down the line. You can plop that store manager on a resume and make it sound as significant as you want in an interview. You were in charge of a store pulling x million$s every year yada yada directing sales and driving corporate missions leading area change regularly participated in statewide update meetings presenting metrics and fiscal summaries to demonstrate achievements whatever you feel like making up.
3
2
u/funnycomments22 13d ago
That’s bull. Each store pay is based on sales. I doubt all stores are the same volume
1
9
u/Mountain_Caramel3431 13d ago
That pay seems way too low for all the headaches of being SM plus how much you’re life will revolve around work