Ran into these job hunters who describe their time with geek squad [Link: techexams.net]
Quote below-----> To answer the original question, $10-$12/hr is the max they will pay you unless you are an In-Home tech. I was also told I was overqualified in my interview but I got the job anyway. The only required cert for Geek Squad is A+; however, only the senior tech is required to have it. Where I work we have people from 18 (me) all the way up to the 30's.
If you do indeed end up working for the Geek Squad, DON'T expect it to be a purely computer related job. You are required to ring up computer sales, test all returned items (including TVs, washing machines, iPods etc.), and sell Geek Squad services. Best Buy does not care if they have good techs, they want good salesmen. Be prepared for the worst customers also. Best Buy salesmen will tell them whatever they want to hear to make a sale. Usually, the techs get an earfull when the customer finds out their iPod will not be repaired in store and will take 3-4 weeks to get it back.
Point is, the Geek Squad is a baby step towards a career. In 2 weeks I'll be starting a full-time internship with a local Cisco partner and never look back. The Geek Squad may not be the best IT job, but it provides experience to those who have none.
Kofi Ramsey is the only Geek Squad guy that gets credit at all. Best buy will screw you. Basically you say give me my tools and my geek mobile and they say we dont care if you brought us from rock bottom to first place on the scorecard. They'll pick you apart and f*ck you.
Gene I have known Kofi for about 12 yrs. He is one of the good guys for sure!! I actually haven't talked to him in a while and need to at least email him to see how things are going. How do you have the pleasure of knowing him?
Who says you can't put 61" plasmas up on cantilever mounts using toggle bolts? <---Thanks Ernie ;)
Wow...Thanks for the kind words! But I'm not the only one that's comitted to the job, I'm just a little more vocal. It is a big company. Sometimes the size is a drawback, and sometimes its an advantage. Keeping things going in the right direction is one hell of a challenege, but that's what keeps things interesting.
I don't know you from a bar of soap, but if these guys think this much of you and what people say about that place is true, you need to get out and go somewhere where you will be better appreciated.
Good techs are very difficult to find and good techs with a good work ethic are even harder to find.
It sounds like you care, but they don't.
If I am wrong, ignore what I have said and keep on truckin'... ...but if it's ringing alarm bells, have a look around. You may find that workig for a smaller operation can show you a different level of job satisfaction. It's amazing what a little encouragement from your superiors can do for your morale, if that is indeed lacking.
Robbie.
Problems worthy of attack, prove their worth, by hitting back. -Piet Hein.
I stepped in on a training session Kofi did a while ago. Help the nerds that know nothing about hanging panels and he's god at correcting bad habits. Just remember the higher you are on the corporate ladder, the easy it is to get screwed. Any friends that I've know to work at best buy, get the head office pricks breathing down on their good guys hard. Causes them to either quit or get fired for something. Best Buy does not know squat about the service industry. At least at a store level and that really makes things hard for an installer. Just give the guys their tools, their truck and if they're good at what they do they will put money in the system.
Kofi... Just a word to the wise... Be careful what you post here about BB!!!
I got my arse fired a couple years ago for being a little vocal. The boys at corporate didn't take my comments too well, so be CAREFUL! Keep it positive ;>)
"If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger." Frank Lloyd Wright
Again, I really appreciate all the kind words from all of you! It’s a little bitter sweet, because I work directly with a very dedicated group of talented individuals that do amazing work, and because bad news spreads a lot faster than good. But I'll take praise where ever I can get it. I guess I need to put something in the 'Introduce Yourself' thread now so anyone else that cares has some context.
Gene - I do appreciate your compliments, and I'm sorry you've had some terrible experiences with the company. I've been with Best Buy for 13 years, and I've seen both the good and the bad. Fortunately for me, it’s been more of the former, and less of the latter. I think I have one of the coolest jobs in the world, and even though it’s really frustrating at times, the challenge keeps me coming back for more.
Working for a large company doesn't automatically make us evil, stupid, or fixated on the bottom line. Many of us are very dedicated to our work, and having to having a positive impact on our customers and the industry.
Thanks again for keeping this post positive, and not turning it into a public beat down!
The actual BB corp guys are really good guys. My grudge is towards the management at the store level. I've seen too many installers get screwed. These are guys that are mature, and competent installers that moved to BB for better pay and the health benefits. It's really too bad that the management will never understand the service industry. The result is a flawed image of someone trying to make a difference in their company. To me someone that pulls a store from last place on their corporate scorecard to the top is someone worth holding on to. Buddy was honest and ignored all management's suggestions to bulls#it and lie to get better sales. The honesty showed and the customer base grew because of him. It's too bad that management can only see $$$ when they work and not the talent that gets them that money. Incompetency runs hot as the LA fires these days.
Kofi- Our love for the game here is the same. I love training people and spending long hours each day at work. I know that sounds weird, but my work shows that. I leave each job like it's my own and stress that to new installers (even if it means staying at the job site till 2:30am) (providing that your single with no kids).
On the flip side... Best Buy must be fun enough to do stuff like...
Last edited by Gene S.
on November 18, 2008 00:30.
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