Do you enjoy working around people? Do you like providing people something they really need and helping them with a necessary chore? If you said yes, then you may enjoy a career at Giant Eagle. This retailer is a fast-growing grocery store chain. They offer competitive prices and fully stocked stores that service customers’ needs.
Inside a Giant Eagle store, there are many people who keep things running smoothly. From the workers who ensure products are on the shelves to the cashiers who help customers pay for their goods, every job serves an important purpose.
Giant Eagle is more than groceries, though. The company also offers other services, including a pharmacy. So, people come to the store for various needs and want to be welcomed by friendly staff.
The best part is this retailer was born from small businesses that flourished and came together to form the company. It has a small business heart and approach to everything it does. This makes for a great environment for employees, too. If you enjoy a reliable and welcoming company and you have a smile that can brighten anyone’s day, consider putting in a Giant Eagle application.
But before you do that, learn a little more about what this company has to offer. Find out more about its history and the job prospects it offers.
About Giant Eagle Grocery Stores
Giant Eagle is a supermarket chain that originates in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. You can trace its roots back to an alliance between five families. It all started with the Eagle Grocery, which was the work of three families: the Goldensteins, Porters, and Chaits. They started their company in 1918. By 1928, they were doing quite well, but they sold the company to the Kroger Company.
Around this time, two other families, the Moravitzs and Weienbaums, also started a grocery chain in the same area called OK Grocery. After the non-compete agreement with the Kroger Company ended, the first three families joined forces with these three families to create Giant Eagle in 1931 with the first store opening in 1936.
Still privately owned, the company now has over 400 location throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. Giant Eagle’s primary goal is to be the leader in providing the best quality food, medicinal products, gas, and other services to the community.
In addition to providing common store jobs, some locations have GetGo! gas stations. The supermarket has pharmacies onsite with professional workers to administer vaccines, fill prescriptions, and assist people with medical needs.
To maintain industry trends, the grocery store chain renamed some of its stores as Giant Eagle Market District locations. These new stores offer higher-end products and more extensive services than other locations that operate under the regular name. These include beauty and health, dry cleaning, and catering.
Working for the Company
There are two options when applying for a job at Giant Eagle. If you want to work at a corporate location, you can fill out the online job application. If the location where you want to work is independently owned, you will have to contact that store directly to see how to apply. The online application will not work to apply for those locations, which you can find on the Giant Eagle website using the store locator.
You need to be at least 16 years old to work for the company. However, not all positions will hire those under the age of 18. In addition, some jobs require experience or specialized training.
As with the difference between the Giant Eagle application process for corporate owned and independent store locations, there may also be differences between store hours. Some stores are open 24 hours a day while others have specific hours for each day of the week. You can use the store locator to find store hours for the location where you wish to work.
Career opportunities
Here are some of the general store position available:
- Bagger
- Cashier
- Grocery clerk
- Store manager
- Gas station attendant
You will also find some specialized positions, including the following:
- Gourmet chef
- Journeyman meat cutter
- Pharmacy technician
Most positions at GiantEagle are for entry-level jobs, including GetGo gas station attendants, bakery and deli positions, stock clerks and meat cutters. There are also some professional jobs that you could apply for; however, these Giant Eagle jobs have specific requirements, and you should always check what those requirements are before you apply.
Each store location will have specific needs based on their setup, so make sure you check what is available before submitting your Giant Eagle application. You can find further information on the Giant Eagle website under the Careers page.
Career-minded individuals can work in specialized positions, such as pharmacist, chef, or baker. Positions that are upper-level could demand that you have prior experience or a college degree.
Let’s take a look at some of the specific career options with the company.
Cashier job description
This is one of the most popular jobs with the company. Cashiers work on the frontend of the store and assist patrons with their purchases. Even though Giant Eagle prefers its workers to have six months of experience, the store will also employ inexperienced people who display a drive to learn the job.
Cashiers scan and bag items very quickly. Other responsibilities include telling people about reward programs, scanning the Giant Eagle Advantage card, and informing customers about FuelPerks! discounts. The principal duties include issuing change and receipts, processing payments, and scanning merchandise.
All cashiers at Giant Eagle should have positive attitudes and friendly demeanors. The ideal candidate should possess a passion for customer service and a strong work ethic. Cashiers at Giant Eagle should also be able to stand for extended periods and have the ability to lift about 25 lbs. The salary for cashiers usually starts at minimum wage. In addition to the base pay, cashiers may earn additional work benefits, such as basic life insurance, medical coverage, 401k retirement plans, paid time off, and employee discounts.
Clerk job description
No prior experience is necessary to apply for a clerk position. Common clerk responsibilities include helping customers locate specific items inside the store, maintaining departments, stocking, and cleaning. Clerks will often have to keep parking lots clear by collecting and moving shopping carts.
Employees will sometimes have to endure extreme temperatures outside the store, both cold and hot. Clerks will also have to manage in-store coolers and freezers, prepare hot food, and operate hot ovens, depending on their department and job title. Responsibilities involve pulling, pushing, bending, and other physical activities, such as carrying and lifting 25 to 50 pounds. Salaries for clerks usually start at minimum wage.
Stocker job description
A stocker will have to maintain store inventory levels. The primary job duties include filling supplies on the floor, monitoring inventory levels, arranging storage room areas, and unloading shipments. Stock clerks may also have to organize, build, and arrange displays. Additional job duties may also include organizing and cleaning the store environment.
A stock associate at Giant Eagle will have to spend a lot of time on foot. The stock clerk will also have to possess physical abilities, such as the capability to stand for extended periods and lift 50 pounds. The stocker will have to conform to all safety, health, and prevention guidelines.
The wages for a stocker at Giant Eagle usually start around minimum wage. In addition to the base salary, the supermarket also offers excellent benefits, such as vision, dental, and medical coverage, employee discounts, vacation pay, and 401k retirement plans.
Management careers
Management positions include department-specific jobs as team leaders and general store management positions. Giant Eagle requires the applicants for management positions to have six months to around three years of experience and a high school diploma. Some jobs do require a college diploma.
Team leader positions will often arise in the floral, deli, and bakery departments, on store sales floors, and in-store restaurants. Generally, team leaders will have to oversee the organization and cleanliness of the departments, assist in training new employees, assign duties to subordinates, communicate with senior management, and fill customer orders.
Store managers will have to ensure the overall success of locations, loss prevention, marketing, recruitment, and other specific duties.
Benefits
If you submit your Giant Eagle application, you may want to learn more about the benefits the company offers. They include different medical plans, dental and vision care, company-paid pension, life insurance, and prescription drug coverage. Do keep in mind that you need to check with the store at which you are applying to find out your exact benefits.
In general, though, all the employees have some benefits. You will most likely have access to a 401k reimbursement plan, dental, vision and medical insurance, tuition reimbursement, and paternity leave. You will also get opportunities for paid time off, disability coverage, and other pension plans.
Do note that some benefits are not available for part-time employees. With that said, if you do work part-time, you will still have the chance for promotions inside the company that may allow you to gain benefits.
Submitting Your Giant Eagle Application
You should reserve 30 to 60 minutes to fill out and submit an application. Giant Eagle looks for employees that respect the company’s core values of good work ethics, healthy living, team-spirit, and friendliness.
If you want to use the online application, you will follow the Careers link. From here, click on the Job Search tab located in the top, right-hand corner. On this page, you can choose which type of store you would like to work for and narrow down the position type you want. Then, you can begin filling out the application. To submit your Giant Eagle application, you will have to create an account with the company’s website. Make sure to note the username and password you use to set it up.
Application and interview tips
As you fill out the application, give as much detail as possible. Be as clear as possible in the section asking about yourself and be very careful about typos. Also, put together a professional-looking resume to upload.
Senior managers will be required to manage cleanliness in the store and train new workers, so if you have any experience in these categories, you should mention this because it might help you get hired. Some of the positions available at the store chain will also require experience in custom orders management, recruitment, and loss prevention. Highlight any prior relevant experience you have.
After the application, it is time to think about the interview. If you apply for an entry-level position, you will have to go through at least one interview. It can have various formats: team orientations, one-on-one interactions, or skill assessments. The entire hiring process may take between one and five weeks, depending on the position that you are applying for as well as job availability.
The company’s vision involves excellent customer service and correct prices. In addition to this, Giant Eagle sees new employees as investments who will ultimately lead to the store’s growth. Interviews will include a lot of questions that may seem redundant, but they provide important information to hiring managers who don’t always read applications in great detail.
Situational questions and scenarios will also be included in the job interview. A great idea would be to include real examples in all your questions and to talk about future aspirations. Hiring managers are open-minded, so you should prepare a set of questions of your own.
Here are a few extra tips that will make the Giant Eagle application and interview process smoother:
- Always show up five to 10 minutes early. This will demonstrate to the hiring manager that you are reliable and interested.
- Wear business or business-casual attire.
- Body-language can tell many things about a person. Make sure that your body-language enforces your answers. It is important to exude confidence through your gestures: stand up tall, offer a firm handshake, look the interviewer in the eyes, smile, etc.
- Another good idea would be to follow-up with relevant questions. This will prove that you have strong analytical skills and desire to go above-and-beyond.
- Because customer service is vital, you should always remind hiring managers how you will enhance the experience of patrons.
Frequently asked interview questions
- What is a weakness you have?
- Describe a time when you had to stop working to deal with something that just came up.
- If you see a child playing on a cart and their mother did not care, how would you react?
- Describe a time you had to deal with a demanding customer.
- Name a time when you went above your job duty?
- What would you do if you had a long line of customers and someone needed you to assist them in finding an item in the store?
- Why do you want from this job, and what can you bring to the table?
- Name a time where you were stuck in a situation you didn’t know how to work it out?
- What was a mistake you had to admit publicly?
- In previous work experience, name a time when you weren’t sure of the outcome of a difficult situation.
- You want to get something to eat, but there is a long line of customers. What would you do?
- What are your goals?
Apply Today
Now that you know a little more about Giant Eagle and the possible career options the company offers, the only thing left to do is to fill out an application. Make sure that you take the time to research the job for which you are applying. Put your best foot forward by being friendly and professional. You should find that getting a job with this grocery store chain can be a great stepping stone to a solid career.
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