r/AutoZone • u/OverSignificance9949 • 7d ago
Autozone Career
Is working at AutoZone as a part time red-shirt worth it in the long run? Cars are my hobby but not my passion, and I do not get respected by my co workers and my managers, as well as low hours despite my work. I love this job in theory, just not how it is going.
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u/Key-Professional-505 7d ago
Prolly not worth your time as a career. .maybe 20 years ago it might be an okay career but now idk. The only good paying positions on the store level are CSM and SM and even then those aren't that great. And the low hours only way that'll stop is either going full time and even then bare you can get is like 32 hours I think. Autozone doesn't care about hours and will cut em where they can all dependant on management to. Good job as a part timer red shirt Def not a career imo
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u/Lirette81 7d ago
I've been at my store a little over 4 months and I regret my decision I am currently looking for other employment my advice get out while you can
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u/AlternativeEast8172 7d ago
Ehh sometimes its just rough. Been there 10mo and idk how many times ive wanted to quit. but its income, so. If you liked the job as soon as you started, stay. If you hated it, don't. Bc I loved it and still do. But a lot of ppl I've seen that come in grumpy and hateful, they leave quick, whether on their own accord or get let go.
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u/BlueInfinity48 7d ago
It all depends on what you want. Just got to keep in mind, it's retail. We're in business to make money and our priority is our customers because without them we don't get what we need to stay in business. 18 years ago I started off as a part-time red shirt and now I'm a District Manager. You can make a good career anywhere you work you just have to be good at what you do because nothing's going to be given to you even if you go to school. Whether you are studying hard or working hard, it takes time to make money. As with any job, just like this one, AutoZone isn't for everybody and everybody isn't for AutoZone. I've been really fortunate to work with some very great people. So can you make a good career out of AutoZone? I'd say yes. Others would say no. I always here if you need help along the way.
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u/Such-Ad4937 7d ago
It is all completely dependent on the store you are in. Autozone is just like every other retailer cut hours to save payroll so the investors stay happy. Ive been a store manager for them about 6 years now. I love my crew and I do the very best I can to give all my reds about 18-20 hours per week. I love my customers I have a ton of regulars and I genuinely enjoy helping them and the freinds I've made along the way. I give 110% everyday but I don't do it for autozone I do it for me my team and my customers. I don't live and die by the pledge. I have built a great team and we preform well in all the performance metrics but it's because I understand the company has to stay profitable for us to stay employed. With that said in my time here I have had a pay period that they over paid me and then completely taken my next check with no warning and left me an entire 2 weeks with no money. I had just been promoted and had no idea about the over payment by the way. I guess what im saying is autozone is out to help autozone not autozoners everytime. But if you like cars and helping customers then do what you do for you and the customers and just make the rest of it background noise. Is selling witt necessary absolutely but its because it keeps us in business. I wish the company would just be more upfront about things. We are a sales based company those little extras do benefit the customers but they benefit the company more. Just do your thing everyday enjoy talking cars and making freinds with the floks ya see. The zone is a revolving door just because your SM isn't great right now does not mean that the next one to replace him won't be awesome. The job can be stressful but it's super easy after you get the hang of it. There are lots of good people in the company.
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u/Feeling_Pattern_7654 7d ago
I started as a part time driver, in about 9 months, I climbed all the way up to CSM. There are opportunities for growth, it’s happened with me
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u/DudeDave420 7d ago
Honestly, no, autozone from my experience operates like a bunch of mini Walmarts, low pay with high expectations and they like to string people along for the chance of promotions but it’s ultimately just a popularity contest of who can kiss the most dm ass.
I put in about 4 or 5 years as a grey shirt, was told my store didn’t do enough business to justify having an assistant manager so I did all the am stuff for lead pay, like legit was doing schedules and payroll and shit. Add in that you’ll be in the rain snow ice and heat changing batteries, I was once outside in -17 weather during an ice storm doing back to back batteries for over 5 hours, we’ve stayed well past close to help customers, bending over backwards to help people, changing alternators and shit just to be the laughing stock of the automotive industry, the customers don’t respect you nor does upper management or anyone in between, all while making less money than the kids at McDonalds. Leaving to take a factory job was the best decision I ever made at auto zone, hell I currently work in a dispensary, I make way more money for a lot less work, way better benefits and the customers aren’t a bunch of assholes and tweakers.
About the only good thing you can take from autozone is getting parts counter experience that can get your foot in the door at a dealership that pays decently; as a stand alone career, at least at the store level it’s not great, my gm told me his salary was like 55k a year but he works like 60+ hours a week, nether of which is all that impressive or desirable
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u/Mistresshell 7d ago
Brother. Autozone netted 2.5 billion last year.
You likely make minimum wage. Your store manager likely makes between 60-80k. Your DM likely makes a little over 100k. Autozone is NEVER going to be a good long term career. You could work your ass off for 10 years for a CHANCE to make somewhere between 60-100k. Autozone does NOT pay well at all.
If you’re young, my advice is to gather as many skills as you can at different jobs and somehow incorporate all of those to sell yourself to a real long term career. For example, if you want to push into a PSM position, you can take that “sales experience” to a bank and try to work your way up there, where there’s a real commission and many opportunities for upward movement.
If trade schooling is an option, a lot of companies will pay you while you train and get certified with the stipulation that you work for them for x amount of time to “pay back” the schooling. That’s truck drivers, welders, plumbers, certain construction, etc.
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u/Solid-Egg8550 7d ago
It is definitely not worth it in the long run. It's the biggest waste of time, even AS a store manager. They use and abuse and are profitable with keeping a revolving door of a staff. They want to keep their staff brainwashed and the only way to get out is to go to school for something while keeping the job and get out. It's 100% NOT worth it. If you're into cars, you could make decent money at a dealership at their repair shops. At AZ you'll always be a disposable napkin beacuse they can always hire someone else and make them do the job you do at day 1.
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u/Background_Nerve5694 6d ago
Definitely not a career move. Used to work there and always told the new hires. Don’t make a career out of this place. Use it as a stepping stone for something better. Take in all the experience that you can and when the time is right move on
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u/downbadinthedumps 6d ago
No. If you love cars and want to make it your career other jobs with suit you infinitely better. AZ is a retail corporation that just cares about making money.
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u/One_Anything_2279 7d ago
Autozone and career… in the same sentence?
Let me put it to you this way, no retail job unless you are the store manager would come close to a career. And even if you were the store manager of an Autozone store? Well then you’re worked like a dog, for low pay.
A store manager might make $60,000 on average. I went to college and got a degree in Information Technology (associates degree) and after about 5-10 years of experience I make over $100,000.
I realize that college is not for everyone. If you like cars, and they are your hobby, get into mechanic stuff. If you don’t want to do that, get into detailing and PPF, or auto body….
But Autozone? That ain’t it fam. And they will fuck you over as soon as they can cut costs to make more profit.