Need a job? Help wanted!

Keith Le

New member
Seeking an employee versed in marine and freshwater husbandry for high volume pet specialty store. This employee must be able demonstrate knowledge specifically in the areas of aquarium maintenance, species identification, chemistry and disease prevention/treatment. This employee must have open availability, be able to work 30 to 40 hours per week, and have unsurpassed customer service skills. Must be at least 18 years old. Speak Spanish and/or Vietnamese a plus.

Location
PETCO
San Jose, Ca
Tully rd.

Before someone goes on a tirade about "PETCO doesn't know what they're doing, blah blah", please stop and think.
1. Yes, I agree. As far as fish are concerned MOST PETCO stores are clueless.
2. I've been a manager with PETCO for five years and I've been in the fish trade for another 10 years. I know what I'M doing but I have a store to run.
3. Since I've been doing this for a while I know that I can't recruit some kid from taco bell, teach him about fish and expect everything to just fall into place.
4. That's why I need someone with knowledge and that's why I'm here.

Before someone goes on about "PETCO destroys mom and pop shops!!" Stop and think some more.
MOST PETCO are clueless and PETCO know this. We don't cater to "you guys", we cater to newbies. One day these newbies will grow up big and strong and become one of "you guys" and then PETCO won't be able to satisfy their needs. Mom and pop shops can satisfy those needs. That’s were they'll get HO T5s , skimmers that work, HQIs, refractometers, chillers, Tonga branch rock, PH meters, Salifert stuff, books that teach us things, Tigger Pods, algae for our fuges, Swiss guard basslets, and all of the other stuff that PETCO corporate types just don't get. In fact, when a sprouting newbie comes in to my store and they're needs have out grown my store, I proudly send them off to a reputable store like Amazon, Dolphin, Mermaid (finish your store, Max), Concepts or Atlantis. I almost shed a tear as I kick my newbie out of the nest. They grow up so fast. Thanks
Keith
 
Good to hear that there is a PetCo that has someone who cares! Hopefully other stores can follow your example. Rock on. I hope you find a good apprentice.
 
we periodically shop at PetCo for fish. I personally like their policy of selling exclusively tank raised fish (at least I thought I recalled reading that somewhere). Guess I am still a newbie :), because I called the local PetCo yesterday looking for another Orchid Dottyback... we had gotten our first one from them over a year and a half ago (and she is still going strong). Both of our occellaris came from there also... the other LFS only had wild caught clowns for sale back then

It is also nice to see that they are looking to hire knowledgable staff for their marine department.
 
The store opens on the 15th of next month. The fish department should be nice, our vendor has made a few modications to systems.

As far as tank raised fish go we work with ORA and they supply us with all of our clowns and dottybacks. The clowns are much hardier but they do cost double the price.

Keith
 
With attitude like that from the manager... I'm there.

Good luck getting someone up to the job.

I'll definitely visit.

-Adrian
 
Re: Need a job? Help wanted!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9538432#post9538432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Keith Le
Before someone goes on about "PETCO destroys mom and pop shops!!" Stop and think some more.
MOST PETCO are clueless and PETCO know this. We don't cater to "you guys", we cater to newbies. One day these newbies will grow up big and strong and become one of "you guys" and then PETCO won't be able to satisfy their needs. Mom and pop shops can satisfy those needs. That’s were they'll get HO T5s , skimmers that work, HQIs, refractometers, chillers, Tonga branch rock, PH meters, Salifert stuff, books that teach us things, Tigger Pods, algae for our fuges, Swiss guard basslets, and all of the other stuff that PETCO corporate types just don't get. In fact, when a sprouting newbie comes in to my store and they're needs have out grown my store, I proudly send them off to a reputable store like Amazon, Dolphin, Mermaid (finish your store, Max), Concepts or Atlantis. I almost shed a tear as I kick my newbie out of the nest. They grow up so fast. Thanks
Keith

Well put! I hope you find a good employee. Any chance you guys will stock ORA frags? =D
 
Keith:

I think it's great that you are coming here to post a job. For the right person, it could be a good opportunity. As you say, it's better to seek out someone with a lot of knowledge than to have to train a complete newbie.

Given your husbandry concerns, can you comment on this post about Carpet Anemones at the Petco in Colma?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1077158

How could this have happened?

Regards,

Roy
 
Re: Re: Need a job? Help wanted!

Re: Re: Need a job? Help wanted!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9541730#post9541730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rleechb
Well put! I hope you find a good employee. Any chance you guys will stock ORA frags? =D

Do to the limitations of our systems we only buy ORA leathers and Xenia. When available we do get in the green polyped toadstools though. Dolphin pet deals with ORA, you should swing by there. I understand that ORA is now doing Duncans.

Keith
 
you sound like the type of folks we need at places like petco, as the ones around my area suck and thats where most newbies start off and then quickly get turned off..

hopefully you can find an apprentice and keep moving up and help out some of the other stores regionally.. :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9541757#post9541757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by racrumrine
Keith:

I think it's great that you are coming here to post a job. For the right person, it could be a good opportunity. As you say, it's better to seek out someone with a lot of knowledge than to have to train a complete newbie.

Given your husbandry concerns, can you comment on this post about Carpet Anemones at the Petco in Colma?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1077158

How could this have happened?

Regards,

Roy


I'm all over it.
 
Keith, can't wait to you guys open. I hope you'll end up with a nice selection of Salt Water. I can see you guys renovating everyday from my house. LOL
 
I really hope Keith is not feeling the pressure now since the "you guys" people decided to come and take a look also. The "newbie" he can handle but the "you guys" people...that is another story:) Just kidding... PETCO usually not my store when it comes to looking or buyin fish but I can't wait to go and take a look for myself at this location.
 
If anyone isn't familiar with this area, it's actually where The Good Guys used to be, next to FoodMax.

I'll buy fish anywhere as long as it's healthy and priced right.

Petco should price match Salt with Petsmart. :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9556968#post9556968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Keith Le
No one needs a job?


See, that's gonna be tough, if they're visiting this forum, chances are they already have a job to afford this hobby. :P
 
I think that's your problem Keith, personally the best jobs I've ever had were at LFS, but I had to work full time along with service/wholesale to stay in the hobby. Needless to say I don't do that anymore... Plus 30-40 hrs a week tells me no fulltime/benefits, similar to your normal retail job (wallmart, target etc...). Work 'em enough to get the benifit, but not enough to benefit the worker.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to paint PetCo with a dirty old brush, I think that most mom and pop shops are in the same boat as far as budget goes. The difficult part is going to find someone with the knowledge, and passion to make a difference, while realizing the educational opportunity a position such as that could potentially provide.

Also, I appreciate your conviction to try to make a difference, we need to frag you for grow out at other PetCos.
 
I only mentioned 30hrs because some people that work in our stores do so while attending college. 40hrs a week is fine but even our part time employees are eligable for benefits. I should have mentioned that in my first post. Full time employees get better benefits including 401K and 3 weeks PTO. I would rather have a full time fish person considering the position needs full time attention. I think the average "mom and pop" pays around $8.50-$9.00 per hour, I'm prepared to do much better than that.
-K
 
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