Pets are smart, we can all agree on that right? I mean if you have seen that video of the dog with the buttons, then you know what’s up. With that in mind, PetSmart is a pretty well named store.
Plus, I mean who doesn’t love their pet. You want to shower it with toys and treats, when they are being cute not when they are annoying. But still, PetSmart gives you that opportunity. The superstore has everything from cool scarfs to giant toys. Best of all, your pet can pick what it wants. I simply love stores that are pet friendly, of course this is obvious for PetSmart but doesn’t take away from the fact.
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Petsmart Jobs
So now you are looking for jobs at Petsmart and you might ask yourself “What is it like working for Petsmart?” Well, you get to spend your time with puppies, that’s what. And not only puppies, but also kittens and guinea pigs. But that just makes it even cuter.
Please don’t forget that this job won’t just involve stroking and feeding animals, you also have to deal with people (minus the stroking and feeding). And with Petsmart’s focus on a “customer is always right” attitude, this can become stressful if you’re not good with people.
So, if you’re capable of treating both animals and humans with respect and catering to their needs, then let’s see what else you can expect from a job at Petsmart.
Hiring Requirements
If you would like to work at Petsmart then you will have to be at least 18 years old and be a legal citizen of the United States, with a social security number and original ID. They also require a drug test.
Also for the application you will need to fill out which state you are from and a method of contact. All pretty straight forward. They also don’t care about experience, so make sure you bring along a positive attitude and a willingness to learn in exchange.
Does Petsmart Offer Benefits?
In short, yes, they do.
Petsmart has genuinely good benefits for both full and part time employees. Let me run you through them.
Full and Part Time Employee Benefits
- Medical Plans: Both groups of employees have access to either the High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA) through UnitedHealthcare or a new Bind medical plan. Your spouse and children up to 26 years of age are also eligible. If you want to find out more about those plans you can see their Benefits Guide.
- Time Away from your #LifeAtPetSmart: Yes, that’s the real name of their benefit. It’s their way of saying “vacation days”.
There is a set number of paid leave days that you have to use before December 31st of each year. What happens if you don’t? Well to put it simply, you either use it or lose it. S
- PerkSpot: Nothing out of the ordinary here, this is their version of store discounts. But in the form of a program you need to apply to.
- 401(k): All employees are also eligible for a retirement account. I know that a lot of young people don’t care about that but trust me when I say it will warm your woolen socks when you are older.
- Pet Insurance: Of course a pet shop should have this, it’s only natural. The good thing is that everyone is eligible for free pet medical care. It’s so sweet I need to eat something salty. But yeah, you will have access to either Banfield or MetLife, whichever floats your pet owned boat.
- MetLife Offerings: All praise be to the godly Petsmart employee for MetLife brings thy offerings. In all seriousness MetLife brings you some good offerings, not apples or gold or wine — although, lowkey I would totally work for a company that offers that as a benefit. But offerings that come in the form of discounts for group, auto and home insurance as well as legal services.
- Tuition Assistance Program: Well, I mean this is one way to keep employees forever. Petsmart offers $3,500/year for eligible associates. However, there is a catch — because there always is. To be eligible for the tuition assistance you must have been at least 12 months at Petsmart and more importantly you must be in good standing with the company. So that $3,500/year is only available if your manager likes you.
Full-Time Employee Benefits
- Dental & Vision: Petsmart offers you participation in the Cigna Dental Program. Actually the whole program is done quite well. There is a short quiz on their website that you can use to determine which dental plan is best for you and your family. Because they are also involved. But that’s not all, because they also offer a Vision plan.
What’s even more awesome is that you can use the allowance from that plan to buy yourself a nice pair of non-prescription sunglasses. Which when you think about it is kinda unfair to people with glasses, because those that have no sight issues can use that to buy themselves sunglasses. While people like us who can’t see have to choose. I’m joking of course, the Vision plan is actually really good.
- Life and Accident Insurance: For the most part evidence of good health is not required. However, if you go past 4x your annual salary the rules change and it is. For reference you can go up to 5x your annual salary.
- Health Spending Accounts: There is a lot of information on health spending accounts and 3 packages available, HSA, FSA, and HRA. I would recommend taking a good look at their spending account comparison table rather than reading a short summary on it here as there are many things to consider depending on your situation. Taking the time to assess your health care options is essential always, no matter how young and healthy you feel.
- Child Adoption Assistance Program: Great news if you’re a full-time employee of Petsmart with over 1-year of service because they offer $2,000 reimbursem*nt for every child you adopt. You can apply this money towards legal fees, domestic transportation costs, counseling fees and other expenses.
Careers At Petsmart
Petsmart has a lot of interesting job possibilities. You can be anything from Dog Groomer to Pet Care Associate where you will basically be associating with animals the whole time. But unless you have some sort of certificate or experience you will probably start as a Cashier or Crew Member.
From there you can pick one of two paths. The first leads you on a more common road where a lot of people have traveled before you; the first stop you have on this road is Assistant Manager, before arriving at the final destination of a full-on Store Manager.
The other leads you on a less common road. One that requires more effort. If you really want to work with animals you will have to get a degree in Animal Care or something similar. But you can also enroll in an Animal Care course. Petsmart even offers a few courses themselves.
However, here is a secret. You can get around that by volunteering for a conservation organisation or applying as a Wildlife Assistant for a charity. This way you will gain experience in the field. That way you can get up close and personal with animals a lot sooner.
Petsmart Manager
The store manager should be a leader. Someone who knows what it’s like working on the front lines. Honestly, I believe most managers are like that. They just want what’s best for the store. Dealing with customers and having a product that lives and breathes means you have to run a tight ship. So, great organisation skills and attention to detail are a must.
Petsmart Manager Salary: $65,886 /year
Petsmart Assistant Manager
Basically the Petsmart assistant store manager is the second in command. They are the right hand that is always there for support. If you have reached this point in your career then you are just one step away from being a full-on manager.
Petsmart Assistant Manager Salary: $61,010 /year
Petsmart Crew Member
It might not seem like it, but this is probably one of the most important positions in the entire store. Without the daily workers the whole operation will collapse. They are the heart and souls of Petsmart. They need to show enthusiasm, enjoy dealing with people and animals and carry the company culture.
Petsmart Crew Member Salary: $10 /hour
Petsmart Cashier
The cashier is usually the last person a customer will interact with. The attitude and energy from someone in a cashier position will either make or break that person’s experience, and even their whole day. Despite popular belief, a cashier’s role is not a mindless one, you have to be switched on to the feelings of customers, potentially deal with complaints, and of course handle money. If you get thrills dealing with people all day every day, this customer facing role is for you.
Petsmart Cashier Salary: $10 /hour
Petsmart Dog Groomer
Dog grooming at Petsmart is recommended by groomers as a great place to start your dog grooming career. Of course, this means it involves lower pay and some harder work than if you went to a high end dog grooming parlor, but with the perks, security, and training you get from Petsmart it could well be the place to start your grooming journey.
Petsmart Dog Groomer Salary: $15 /hour
Petsmart Application 2021
Now, Petsmart does things a little differently. They don’t have a PDF application you can print out and you can’t go apply in person either. Instead you will need to fill out the official Petsmart online application, look for the state where you are interested in working and apply.
Here is where you will have to fill in all the necessary information after you agree to their terms of service of course. You could also upload a resume if you want to. But other than that there is no way to make your Petsmart job application stand out. You will have to do that via a different method.
Do You Need A Resume For Petsmart?
While not outright stated, it is heavily implied that you need to apply with a resume. But even if you didn’t need one at all I would still suggest making it. A resume will give you more of a chance to express yourself and help you stand out.
The right resume will be the perfect accompaniment to your shining personality. It can highlight your strengths ready to be expanded on during the interview. You want it to be impressive, but to also raise questions that will make the reader want to know more.
That’s why I think having a solid resume is essential, no matter what job you are applying for.
1. Manager Resume Template
This template perfectly highlights your experience. It’s neat and tidy, representing the professionalism of managers. You can put down all the managerial experience you have. This could come in the form of manager positions or maybe you were the team captain of your school team, or you ran a successful D&D campaign. As long as you clearly state your managerial responsibilities it will entice your recruiter to know more.
2. Cashier Resume Template
This template is a little more straightforward. It represents a neat little timeline of your work and education history. Have you done any extracurricular activities? You have room to write them down. In general just put all your relevant information and a little of your personality. When you apply for jobs with little experience, personality is a way to subsidise that.
3. Customer Service Resume Template
This one is a little more chaotic than the rest. But you have a little more room for self-expression. Put down all the necessary professional and educational skills and you still have room for more. Have a hidden talent? This is the place where you can talk about it.
Petsmart Interview
We’ve covered what you need to know about Petsmart, and you’ve decided to apply. Thanks to my wonderful advice you’ve now landed an interview. So, how do we approach this next step? How can you succeed in impressing your potential new employers?
Well for starters you should dress in a business casual style. A pair of khaki pants, a button up shirt and dress shoes are the perfect outfit for any interview. But if you are applying for store manager, maybe also add a tie in the mix. Make sure that the clothes also fit you neatly and whatever you do, don’t go there with a baggy outfit.
So now all you need to do is act natural, be confident and answer all the questions clearly and precisely. That or, you know, be a nervous wreck – as long as you are a charming nervous wreck. Don’t worry though, you can throw in a joke or two to diffuse the tension. Just don’t over do it.
Either way it won’t matter unless you answer the interview questions. Probably the most dreaded part of the whole process.
Petsmart Interview Questions
Q: Why do you want to work at Petsmart?
A: Explain that you love animals, which I mean who doesn’t. Talk about the work you wish to do at the store and how you plan on fitting in. Your motivations will be your own, so be honest here.
Q: What are your top 3 strengths?
A: Anyone can mention some random strength like “I am a hard worker.” Instead try to focus your senses on this specific store. Give them 3 strengths that are also related to the job description.
Q: What are your top 3 weaknesses?
A: Tell them 3 weaknesses. But in this case they shouldn’t be related to the job description. Instead of mentioning something like “I am bad with people.” try “I am not that good at public speaking.”
Q: Why should we hire you?
A: Think about the job description and talk about your relevant skills. Also mention how you think you will fit in well with the team and that you like the atmosphere of the store. In general try to set yourself apart from the other candidates.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: Honesty here again is important. You may see yourself rising up the ranks at Petsmart, but you may have other plans. The focus here is on how you plan to improve as a person, no matter where you end up working. Your interviewer will appreciate that you have ambitions and by knowing where you want to go, your employers can nurture you in the ways that benefit both you and the company.
Q: What can you tell us about PetSmart?
A: This is where your preparations come in. You did prepare, didn’t you? Research the company beforehand and find some facts that could be useful. You don’t have to memorize everything, just the most basic points.
Q: What’s your experience working with animals?
A: I imagine it would be unusual for someone to apply at Petsmart without experience with animals, so tell them your story. You could have worked with them in a professional sense, but even if your only experience is having a pet, that’s completely fine. Show your enthusiasm for animals, how you treat them with respect and empathy but also authority are all important.
Q: Is there any type of pet you are afraid to work with?
A: Yes. Spiders.
In all seriousness you might be tempted to say yes to this question either way. However, I advise that you be upfront with your fears, because sooner or later they will find out.
Q: Describe a time you provided excellent customer service.
A: Talk about your experience. Customer service can be anything from simply telling someone where to find a product to advising them on buying a house. Heck, you can even say that helping a friend could count as customer service.
Q: How would you deal with an upset customer?
A: Since Petsmart is really strong with their “The customer is always right” attitude. They will expect an answer which is more customer centric. Explain that the customer probably has a good reason to be upset and that you will listen patiently to their complaints, after which you will do everything in your power to help them.
Q: Why did you leave your last job?
A: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. Ideally you would have left your last job in a respectful manner with no hard feelings, just moving on in different directions. However, if things weren’t so pleasant then, while you must be honest, you should not bad mouth or disrespect your last company. Instead say what you learned from the experience and what improvements you will implement.
What Happens After The Interview?
To cut a long story short, you can only apply online. Once you get hired there is also a drug test that you will have to do. Generally it will take around 3-5 days for them to call you back. Or if you are applying for a manager it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months.
But maybe you already knew that? Are you secretly a Petsmart manager? Or are you applying right now? Either way I would like to know about your experience.
