Trying to find a job

[HeavyCn 0]

Hello everybody, I was wondering if anybody had any knowledge of trying to find a hockey related job. I am in the Chicago area and would love to work at any level at either an ice rink, hockey store, with a team, really just anything. Most rinks and shops around here do not have where you can just apply or list their jobs available. My past job experience has been mostly in the customer service/IT field but I know a ton about equipment and am always willing to learn more, which is why I would take anything available. Any advice/knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

[Beleafer 14]

Walk into the place and talk to the manager.

[wrangler 157]

That's old-fashioned, but still works. Most places will respect the effort, and welcome the chance to get a look at someone.

It's basically an interview, without having to wait for an invitation.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

As someone who has hired 12 people (and have received over 150 applications) in the past month and a half, allow me to give you some tips.

Legible handwriting on application

Bring a resume if you have previous job experience

And most importantly...dress the part, EVEN IF you're just dropping off the application. You never know when you'll get an interview on the spot. I've seen so many people come in wearing tank tops, sandals, backwards hats, it's not even funny anymore.

I had one kid come in with all of those PLUS was dipping. Unfortunately, his application was not handed to me, but to an assistant, who then brought it back to me. At that point, I actually wanted to interview him, just to give him a life lesson.

In the interview process, you want to maintain eye contact. I had one guy who seemed like a nice person, but would not look at me at all.

That all being said, Total Hockey has 4 stores in the Chicago area and are always looking to bring on quality people,

[LearDriver 1]

As someone who has hired 12 people (and have received over 150 applications) in the past month and a half, allow me to give you some tips.

Legible handwriting on application

Bring a resume if you have previous job experience

And most importantly...dress the part, EVEN IF you're just dropping off the application. You never know when you'll get an interview on the spot. I've seen so many people come in wearing tank tops, sandals, backwards hats, it's not even funny anymore.

I had one kid come in with all of those PLUS was dipping. Unfortunately, his application was not handed to me, but to an assistant, who then brought it back to me. At that point, I actually wanted to interview him, just to give him a life lesson.

In the interview process, you want to maintain eye contact. I had one guy who seemed like a nice person, but would not look at me at all.

That all being said, Total Hockey has 4 stores in the Chicago area and are always looking to bring on quality people,

Words of truth right there!

[AIREAYE 248]

Yup, what JR said is how I got my retail jobs too!

I will add that you should frequent the place you intend to target more often, talk to the employees about the stuff, you don't have to cut right to the chase, dress up and hand in your application. You should be a familiar face to the staff and management, so that when it comes time to hand in an application, you won't be some random stranger off the street, but someone that the staff know and (hopefully) have a positive impression of.

[HeavyCn 0]

As someone who has hired 12 people (and have received over 150 applications) in the past month and a half, allow me to give you some tips.

Legible handwriting on application

Bring a resume if you have previous job experience

And most importantly...dress the part, EVEN IF you're just dropping off the application. You never know when you'll get an interview on the spot. I've seen so many people come in wearing tank tops, sandals, backwards hats, it's not even funny anymore.

I had one kid come in with all of those PLUS was dipping. Unfortunately, his application was not handed to me, but to an assistant, who then brought it back to me. At that point, I actually wanted to interview him, just to give him a life lesson.

In the interview process, you want to maintain eye contact. I had one guy who seemed like a nice person, but would not look at me at all.

That all being said, Total Hockey has 4 stores in the Chicago area and are always looking to bring on quality people,

If I applied to the TotalHockey stores in Chicago would I have to go by each one and drop off my resume and application, or if I apply to one it is good for all of them? Also on the TotalHockey website it says they are just hiring for managers and assistant managers, is that true or do they have other openings for the individual stores but just not have them listed on the website?

Thanks to everybody for all the great information. If you have any more tips or suggestions, keep them coming they are greatly appreciated.

[Krev 86]

If I applied to the TotalHockey stores in Chicago would I have to go by each one and drop off my resume and application, or if I apply to one it is good for all of them? Also on the TotalHockey website it says they are just hiring for managers and assistant managers, is that true or do they have other openings for the individual stores but just not have them listed on the website?

Thanks to everybody for all the great information. If you have any more tips or suggestions, keep them coming they are greatly appreciated.

Visit the stores, and ask for the manager.

That's how I got my first job in hockey retail. Walked in, asked to see the manager, introduced myself and said I was looking for a job and handed him a "hockey" resume. He said he wasn't looking, but gave me his cell # and said to call back in a few months. I never did, but as fate would have it he was working the store at the rink I was playing at during district camp. He came up to me after one of my games and asked me if I wanted to work for him.

TL;DR - go to the store and talk to them. Anything sent online gets put into a stack of other paper or in an email folder with 100 unread other messages. If you can hand them something, you're already ahead of everyone else.

Good luck.

[wrangler 157]

Do you really want a job? Get out there and go after it, instead of asking more questions here while not moving.

You're competing against guys that won't waste time talking, but will already have hit the street looking, especially for summer jobs. There are a lot of jobs that get filled by people who do just that. You may never see some jobs advertised, because the employer already has a stack of applications from those guys, and just has to make a phone call to fill a position.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Visit the stores, and ask for the manager.

That's how I got my first job in hockey retail. Walked in, asked to see the manager, introduced myself and said I was looking for a job and handed him a "hockey" resume. He said he wasn't looking, but gave me his cell # and said to call back in a few months. I never did, but as fate would have it he was working the store at the rink I was playing at during district camp. He came up to me after one of my games and asked me if I wanted to work for him.

TL;DR - go to the store and talk to them. Anything sent online gets put into a stack of other paper or in an email folder with 100 unread other messages. If you can hand them something, you're already ahead of everyone else.

Good luck.

"hockey" resume...those are the worst to hire. No availability. ;)

Yeah, you'll only see mgrs/assistants on the site at a store-level job; each store is responsible for hiring its own staff.