Employment at Academy
Academy Sporting Goods is an American discount store chain focused on sports goods. It is currently headquartered in Harry County, Texas. The company was founded in 1938, in Katy, Texas, and initially sold tires. The shop was called Academy Tire Shop, and was located in San Antonio, Texas. After a few years, the shop began selling surplus military products. This was to remain the focus of the company until the 1970s, when Academy started to also sell sports goods. In the 1980s, the focus of the company shifted exclusively towards sports goods, and the name of the stores was changed into Academy Sports & Outdoors. Nowadays, the stores are simply known as Academy. By the 1990s, Academy became one of the largest retailers of sports goods in the United States. Now, Academy Sporting Goods is the fourth largest chain of retail sports goods in the country. Its stores are usually large, the majority of them being superstores. The size of Academy stores ranges from 35,000 to 100,000 feet. Academy stores offer a wide range of brand sporting goods, such as clothes and shoes for fitness and sporting events. They also sell equipments for outdoor activities like fishing, camping, hunting, and boating. Among the brads sold in Academy stores there are Reebok, Champion, Rollerblade, and Wrangler.
The success of Academy Outdoors stores is mostly due to the sales philosophy named EDLP, which means “everyday low prices”. Customers won’t get across massive discounts on certain items, but they can be sure to find low prices for all items sold. Another reason for the company’s success is its 1980s focus on women.
During those years, Academy realized that most of its customers were men, and subsequently decided to offer sporting goods also to women, in order to increase the number of sales. They succeeded by offering casual clothing and aerobic wear for women. In a few years, women represented half of the total customers.
There are 200 Academy Outdoors stores throughout the country, and over 20,000 Academy employees. The number of stores is expected to constantly grow, as is the number of Academy employees.
Academy Careers page: http://www.academy.com/careers
Academy Application Process
Those who want to pursue Academy careers have a lot of available positions from which to choose. The easiest way to find all the available Academy jobs is to go on the company’s official site, www.academy.com. Of course, the available Academy jobs can be also found on other recruitment websites, but this is the easiest and fastest way of finding all available Academy careers. To start searching, candidates need to go on the official Academy careers page – Academy Employment opportunities.
After choosing the specific Academy jobs they are interested in, the candidates will be redirected to the Academy application system, where they can read the full job description and also begin the Academy application process. All they need to do is to click on the “Apply for this job online” button. A new page will open and the candidates will need to provide a username, email address, and password to create the profile and login, so they can continue the rest of the steps needed to complete the Academy application process. The email address is not mandatory, so candidates who don’t have one can also apply online.
After this step, candidates are required to choose one of the following options: upload their resume, use their LinkedIn profile, or fill the jobs and employment form manually. This means that, if attaching a resume, the profile information will be override with the one provided in the resume. It is easier to upload the resume, because the system can automatically fill the necessary information, and the Academy application process will be shorter and easier to complete, although the candidates should verify if the system worked correctly. After this step, candidates can also upload other documents they might consider necessary to their Academy application.
The next step of the Academy application process is to provide some personal information, such as the phone number, address, and specify whether the current employer may be contacted. The next part of the Academy application process asks candidates to specify their work availability, the days and shifts they are willing to take. They are also required to state how many hours per week they are willing to work. The candidates need to also specify if they were ever convicted of a crime.
The next part of the Academy application process requires candidates to answer a few questions:
- Are you at least 18 years of age?
- Are you willing to submit to a criminal history and background check?
- Are you willing to submit to random drug testing?
- Are you willing to work with the general public?
- Can you provide identification and proof of eligibility to work in the United States?
After answering these questions, candidates need to write about their education and previous work history, if any. Next, candidates can provide any additional information regarding their qualifications; career objectives or any other details that could help the Academy hiring manager evaluate the Academy online application. The next step requires candidates to answer a few more questions:
- Are you able to work flexible hours such as evenings, weekends, and holidays, as necessary?
- How many years of relevant experience do you have for this position?
- How many years of customer service experience do you have?
- Are you willing to use direct deposit via checking, savings, or pay card account to receive your pay?
- Have you previously been employed by Academy? If yes, please list locations and the title held when you left.
- Have you previously applied for Academy employment?
- Do you have relatives who are currently employed at Academy?
After giving the required answers, the Academy application process requires candidates to enter their name and the personal 4 digit number that will serve as their electronic signature. This 4 digit number has to be the last four digits of the candidate’s Social Security Number. After electronically signing the Academy jobs and employment form, the Academy application process is complete.
Minimum Age for Academy Employment
The minimum age at which a person can start working at Academy is 18, as it says in the Academy application form. Of course, some Academy jobs require employees to have some prior work experience. However, entry level sales Academy jobs can be obtained by candidates 18 years of age, whether on a part-time basis or a full-time basis.
Academy Hours of Operations
Academy hours of operations may vary throughout the country, but there are no major differences between schedules. Typically, an Academy store opens at 8 in the morning and closes at 10 in the evening from Monday to Saturday. Sundays, the stores have a different schedule. On Saturday, they open at 9 in the morning and close at 8 at night. Academy stores also observe the important holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Entry Level Academy Careers and Income
Academy careers are divided in three areas: store Academy jobs, corporate Academy careers, and distribution Academy jobs. Corporate Academy careers are in many fields of activity, from Accounting, to Administrative positions. Store Academy jobs have openings more frequent, and people of different backgrounds can easily fill the Academy available positions.
Some of the most frequent store Academy jobs are: Cashier, Team Lead, Cashier Team Lead, Receiving Associate, Customer Service Cashier, Camping Sales Associate, Apparel Sales Associate, Team Sports Sales Associate, Sales Associate, Footwear Sales Associate, Fishing / Hunting Sales Associate, Assistant Manager, and Store Manager. Entry level Academy careers are most popular among teenagers and young people. These jobs offer flexible schedules and an upbeat work environment.
Academy Sales Associate Job Description and Duties
This is one of the entry level Academy jobs. Academy Sales Associates work in the store, interact with customers, and make sure all the merchandise is available and correctly displayed. They offer assistance to customers, and do their best to meet all the customers’ needs in compliance with the company’s procedures. The duties and responsibilities of an Academy Sales Associate are:
- To offer customer service in a friendly and prompt manner.
- To make sure all the merchandise is displayed in accordance with the company’s rules.
- They are responsible with price changes.
- They are responsible with changing and maintaining the weekly ad signage.
- They are responsible of prices verification.
- They are responsible with unloading of the merchandise from trucks.
- They operate the cash register according to the cashier procedures set by the company.
- They answer the store’s telephone.
- They are responsible with keeping the store clean and in compliance with rules and regulations.
- They are required to participate in training seminars.
- They might be required to travel to other stores.
- They are required to learn and follow all the company’s policies and procedures.
- They are required to perform other duties as assigned by their superior.
There are no special requirements when it comes to education and previous work experience, although some retail or customer service experience is a plus.
Academy Sales Associate Salary and Compensation
This entry level Academy job has an hourly based wage. The minimum hourly pay for an Academy Sales associate begins at $9, and can go a little bit higher, reaching $11, depending on location, work experience, and the store department they work in.
Of course, the weekly pay may differ according to the actual number of hours worked. This job allows Academy employees to increase their income by taking extra sifts whenever possible, especially during the busy seasons.
Academy Careers in Management
Academy also needs employees to run the stores, so people with sales and customer service background can find many Academy management employment options. Management Academy careers include Assistant Manager and Store Manager.
The company recruits for managerial positions its own employees, who already know the details of the store’s daily activities, and this allows all employees to have great professional growth options within the company. But Academy is also constantly looking for outside candidates to fill these available positions.
Academy Assistant Manager Job Description and Duties
An Assistant Manager supports the Store Manager in all the activities. Academy Assistant Managers are responsible with increasing the store’s sales, with proper staffing, and many other duties, such as:
- To make sure the merchandise displays comply with the company’s standards;
- To maintain a clean and safe work environment;
- To ensure that all the policies and procedures are followed by all the Academy employees;
- To offer great customer service;
- To assist the Store Manager in all staffing procedures, such as recruiting, training, developing, sales associates;
- To make sure the store’s staffing needs are consistently met;
- To perform all other duties requested by the General Manager.
Academy Assistant Manager Salary and Compensation
The yearly salary of an Academy Assistant Store Manager begins at $36,000, and can go as high as $53,000. It varies from one location to another, and it depends on the previous work experience. Since this is a sales position, other compensations are added to the base salary, such as cash bonuses. This makes the total compensation to surpass $53,000 per year. The average pay for an assistant manager is around $47,000.
Basic Tips for Applying at Academy
The easiest way to apply for all Academy jobs is to do it online. Of course, candidates can also do it in person by leaving a resume at the store, but submitting the Academy application online is easier. There is also a benefit when applying online for Academy jobs. Candidates will be able to check their Academy application status by logging into their Academy candidate account.
Candidates should know that they need to go through the entire Academy online application process and complete it in order to submit their Academy job application. Candidates need to answer some questions, and they do have to show flexibility when doing so. They also need to be willing to accept a background check, as well as a drug test, in order for their Academy online application to be considered.
Another important thing to do is to provide at least one professional reference that could support their Academy online application. The system allows for three such references. The rules of applying online for Academy jobs are simple, and they are similar to other online application processes:
- Candidates need to complete all the steps and give all the information they are required in the Academy Sports application form.
- Candidates need to provide accurate and correct information during all the steps.
- Candidates need to make sure their phone number and email address are spelled correctly.
- If candidates cannot complete the entire Academy job application process in one sitting, they have the option to save the steps they have already completed and continue with them later.
- Candidates need to agree with a random drug test and a background check in order to be considered.
This is not a difficult process, but it does require some time to complete it, usually not more than half an hour, especially if candidates upload a resume or use the information from their LinkedIn account. This means that some of the information will already be filled in the jobs and employment form, and this will save some of the candidate’s time. If candidates answer all the questions and provide all the information, including the daily work availability, the Academy hiring manager will be able to make a correct assessment. Providing accurate and honest information is mandatory, and failing to do so will harm the candidate’s chances of getting any Academy Sports jobs.
Benefits at Academy
The most talked about benefit of working at Academy is the store discounts for all Academy employees. The company offers discounts of 15% to 25% for Academy merchandise, and employees can use these discounts after their first week on the job. Another important benefit for Academy employees is the flexible schedule for part-time employees, which can be tailored to fit very specific needs.
The company also offers paid time off for all its employees, although the exact number of days may vary according to position and the number of years working for the company. Those working full-time positions have one week of paid vacation in the first year, and two weeks of paid vacation from the second year on. They also have other benefits, such as medical and life insurance, retirement plans, and bereavement leave. Also, full-time sales employees can benefit from other cash bonuses and commission sharing programs.
Academy Interview Tips & Hiring Process Information
Academy job interviews are similar to those of other retailers, although they might be more sports oriented. It all begins with the Academy application, which will be reviewed by a hiring manager, whether the candidate has completed the Academy application online or submitted a resume at the store. If the Academy hiring manager considers that the candidate meets the requirements for the job, they will usually call to schedule an in person interview.
Academy interviews for store Academy Sports & Outdoors jobs are usually simple and last half an hour. For some Academy careers, additional interviews might be required, but this usually happens for corporate Academy careers or for those in management. During the interview, the candidate will be asked to give more details about their prior work experience and education. The Academy hiring manager will also tell the candidate the responsibilities and duties of that specific job and the schedule. During the interview, the candidate can ask some questions about the job, usually towards the end of the interview or at the hiring manager’s request.
Store Academy careers require constant customer interaction, so the candidate needs to have a pleasant attitude. Here are some Academy interview tips to be considered:
- Candidates should dress in business casual attire, both men and women. Women should be careful not to wear anything inappropriate in any form. Makeup should also be light. Men must wear a shirt. The pants can be casual.
- Candidates should smile often and have a friendly attitude. A positive attitude is the most important and it is preferred by all hiring managers.
- Candidates should be calm and stand collected.
- Candidates should speak with a calm voice.
- Candidates need to make eye contact with the Academy hiring manager throughout the interview. Otherwise, they will be considered too shy.
- Candidates should not interrupt the Academy hiring manager when speaking.
- Candidates should give detailed answers while still remaining on topic.
- Candidates should avoid one word answers whenever possible.
Frequently Asked Academy Interview Questions
An Academy job interview is not very complicated, and some might find it to be simple, especially for entry-level Academy careers. Most of the questions asked are about the candidate’s previous work experience and education. Hiring managers also ask about the way a candidate believes certain specific work situations should be handled. Other questions are sports related, so candidates need to have at least a minimum level of knowledge about it.
Some of the most common questions during an Academy interview are:
- Why did you apply at Academy?
- How did you go out of your way to help a customer?
- Tell me about a time you’ve failed, and how did you react.
- What are some of your hobbies?
- Give me an example of you giving good customer service.
- Do you play any sports?
Candidates should expect some other Academy questions too, some of which could be challenging to answer, such as: “When was a time that you had to reach a goal and you obtained it?” No matter the question, when it comes to Academy interview answers, candidates should exercise their judgment and refrain from clichés. Candidates should try to answer them as to the point as possible. They also should give detailed and positive answers, taking into consideration that they will work in an upbeat and customer oriented environment.
Official site: www.academy.com
Official career site: Academy Careers
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