# Working for Games workshop



## Hooobit (Dec 5, 2010)

Does anyone here work for GW, I've applied for a position in the UK and was just wondering what kinda stuff to expect in any interview and what its like being in the shop all the time. etc


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

No idea, but good luck man!


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## 18827 (Oct 23, 2009)

I guess something along these lines......
Day one; how to be a good salesman.
Day two; how to make kids and new players think they need a useless model or they will die.
Day three; how to be a better salesman.
Day four; how to ask everyone if they have all the glue and paint they need every time they pay for their purchase.
Day five; how to be the best salesman....... that's about it really


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## Luisjoey (Dec 3, 2010)

Well mixing hobbie and work could be messy thing, i rather not to mix bussiness and fun. 

think it twice

Ask always if people have the latest WD magazine and glue for their miniatures


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## angelXD19 (Feb 11, 2010)

looks of face smiling and making up rules so kids win at black reach, island of blood, or the LOTR started. not sure what it's called


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## Lord Sven Kittyclaw (Mar 23, 2009)

Im going to go with a non biased or cynical comment and say, be polite, be personable, know your shit about the games (obviously) and just be an all around nice guy. I have never had a problem with any of the GW staff I have met, no sales pitches, none of this supposed making up rules, or cramming white dwarves down my throat. Just be a cool dude.


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## Ascendant (Dec 11, 2008)

I think being well-rounded is pretty clutch. Make sure you can paint and give tips for beginners, have a couple different armies, know shit about 40k, fantasy, bonus points for LoTR. Read some black library books if you haven't. I guess focus on whatever part of the hobby you feel weakest on and get better at it.


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## Kreuger (Aug 30, 2010)

I've had a few friends work for GW in the states, and they described it as generally bad, with the upsides of discount and gaming.

A friend recently worked for a GW store in Texas and described it as "It's halfway between joining a cult and joining the military."

And the other friend how worked at GW USA headquarters somewhere, described it as a job predicated on the 'goob factor'. In other words the job sucks, pays poorly, and there is a high turnover rate. The entire draw for aplicants comes from people who want to work at GW for the discount, but eventually get burned out or need a better job as they mature. And once the draw fanboy aspect wears off its mind numbing.

The upsides were lots of gaming atmosphere, running demos, painting a lot, and the I think 40-50% discount on a lot of the materials. I'm sure there was a sliding scale based on the product, but as recently as earlier this year the discount was awesome. Sadly, my buddy could barely pay his bills so he didn't buy much. The guy who worked at HQ said employees got minis a price/weight or a flat price per sprue.

On the other hand I worked for a chapter approved store for years and it was great. =D


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

I worked for GW for five years...it was awesome fun. However, the company has changed a lot!

Now it's all about selling stuff. 

When I started I was told, we don't sell the product, we sell the hobby. What people do with it afterwards is up to them. 

Now they have to sell product. It's all about targets and paperwork. Daily questionnaires about one customer interaction and your ability to follow the 'ten commandments' of customer service. They've also removed the gaming tables from the store and replaced them with intro tables in order to...wait for it, sell more core games.

We used to be able to buy the minis by weight but no more. You get a 50% discount on store product (not including Forgeworld) and even then only after three months probation.

You're also paid peanuts. This is why no one stays for very long. Keep in mind that at the moment, with the economy in the state its in, they keep piling on the pressure on management to make targets and when they fail, threaten them with disciplinaries and redundancy.

You could not possibly pick a worse time to start working for them.

Sorry dude, I know that's not the answer you were looking for.


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## Mortigar (Oct 5, 2010)

I know someone who has just had an interview with them, it was conducted over the phone, all he was asked was retail based questions and if he had any retail experience. They didnt ask anything about gaming etc


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Biggest thing would be to know the different codexes inside and out, so if you have someone come in asking questions about what sort of Space Wolf characters they should get for this build they want to do, or recommend 'Hey if you're getting a tactical squad you might want to pick up a rhino/drop pod' or anything along those lines.

Sales comes down to making the consumer think they need more than they really do, and being personable about it so they don't avoid you in the future.

Good luck, mate!


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## Flindo (Oct 30, 2010)

as soon as someone comes to the desk, shout "WHAT DO YOU WANT!", and when they leave, say" Finally!"  Just kidding lol.


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## Hooobit (Dec 5, 2010)

I can remember being told once in a GW the whole "we sell the hobby" bit, but that was in 2000 i think. I guess it has realy gone from a place that sells the fun, to a place that is more profit driven now. shame.


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## GrizBe (May 12, 2010)

For working in the store, pretty much just hang out in your local one for a few hours and see what happens. At weekends be prepared to hav ethe shop turned into a day-care center as parents dump their kids off and expect you to look after them. During the week, be prepared for the unwashed geeky masses to come in and set up camp all day at one of your tables.

Also, be prepared to get shipped absolutely anywere. GW likes to move its staff around. My local for instance, when the manager has been on holiday we've had a staff member from the Edinburgh store shipped down to cover for him. Thats a 3 hour train journey.

The jobs tougher then it looks and you are expected to know everything about all the core game systems, even though your not asked about that by the company. 

Pretty much you get paid minimum wage for management/supervisor level ammount of work.


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## Alsojames (Oct 25, 2010)

I hate how my local GW took an entire gaming table away just to introduce noobs to the game. Now we've only got 2...I'm probly going back to the other place I used to go to with 7 (and that's WITH the table being used to introduce newbies).


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## Hooobit (Dec 5, 2010)

My one had 2 tables and now has 1.5. But on wednesday they do borrow a coffee shop just over from it and play in there.

It was there that i got the idea to apply, well i was chatting to a guy who worked there and i mentioned i was unemployee currently and he said "hey, come and work here" i thought to myself "fuck yea i just got offered a job", then he said i had to apply online"

Way to get someones hopes up.


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## gack (Jun 12, 2008)

Phil73805 said:


> I worked for GW for five years...it was awesome fun. However, the company has changed a lot!
> 
> Now it's all about selling stuff.
> 
> ...


Totally Agreed. The company these days is so different from what it used to be 5 years back. I was hired as a Hobby Enthusiast. Sure there were targets, any retail store needs those, but they were targets that made sense. Ever since the company became publicly traded, it was no longer about developing the hobby, it became about growth and profit margins for the shareholders.

Every other service we provided were free. Painting lessons, gaming lessons, staff challenges, etc. Now they have those garbage "Academy's" where people have to pay to learn these things. 

Some responses are cynical as to being asked if they needed paint, primer, or glue. Sometimes you need a reminder, thats all. It sucks to go home after buying what you want, only to forget to buy glue, and make a trip back.

The staff these days are hired as salesmen. My local store has a manager that doesn't even play any of the games. He used to, way back when, but now he's just a typical salesman.

God, this company has changed so much in 5 years.


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## Alexious (Apr 13, 2009)

Hilarious responses about how the company has gone to hell... it hasn't. What is has done is learn to survive.

A). A job is a job at the end of the day, and I would happily say that GW has as much appeal to it as working fulltime in your local grocery store, take away cafe or even at a call centre. It might not be rocket science, but thats the nature of the work... Its basic retail.

B). GW has learnt painfully in the past about the "hobby". They need to make money to survive and you know what... fark what we all think... people will choose what to buy and what is going to sell. I have been playing with some figures since 87... and some since 2010... but a company needs to continue to survive by selling product. As long as the market will buy the product then they are doing a fine job for their shareholders and stakeholders and employees who they pay. Thats how it works kids... and as long as they comply with wage requirements etc. (Some of you may be a bit pissed at that the lousy wages... well guess what kids.... thats not GW... thats your weak trade union movement. There are plenty of minimum wage jobs out there... lots in fact.)

C). GW has grown up and learnt... OMG! the 32 year old guy who has a wife, a kid and can only spend maybe 2-3 hours a week on his hobby is going to be pissed because they removed the shotgun option on stormtroopers or whatever.... wasnt going to spend 500 dollars in once a month at GW... in fact the prick is likely to go online and get it off ebay cheaper or second hand.... The OMG I am 23 and a raging hardcore gamer who must have the latest hybrid spam BA list and like Oh my this game sucks as they won't update my codex and only this build is competitive.... is usually at Uni... or has time to rant or read 3++ all day and troll forums or make up the perfect list because they are in slightly better playing jobs than min wage.... arent going to spend at GW no matter what.... they will go ebay, FLGS, and anywhere but GW itself! and they again have little cash...and when they mature and start to have cash... well its called a house, an appartment, dinner with the girls folks.... and before you know it....a child. You have moved into type A gamer... start at 32 and lament the fact your wife frowns when you talk plastic spacemen...

So where is this mighty cash they require to function and make profit... oh its in the 14 year old kid.... who sits there and says MUM can I have.....and soccer mum opens her purse and says yes dear..... THATS WHERE THE CASH IS.... so who do you sell too? OMG YES THATS RIGHT THEM!!!!! THEY HAVE WHAT YOU NEED! CASH!

If GW are hiring... younger, smiling friendly staff.... that can add up correctly and can give basic advice about their core products... LOL!!!!! Yeah... I think Soccer Mum will be ok with that. Its her purse that keeps GW ticking....


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## GrizBe (May 12, 2010)

Shame we're not all uberrich and can buy all the company shares and take it over as something that cares about its players again....


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

Back on topic, 

Dress up smart(suit,tie,shirt),wash,shave etc, ask questions about the position and duties not when your break is or time off, show an interest, research the company history, know your games, know your armies, have some examples of your painting. Speak clearly,think about your reply before you open your mouth,give examples of experience's not opinions.

Dont mention prices,dont slag off other game systems,dont rant about previous jobs if you have had any.

Dont be fooled by the relaxed atmosphere, yes its a hobby but your applying for a job so its not your hobby, its the guy with the wallet's hobby.


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## Storm of Iron (Nov 18, 2010)

Well when I got my job interview for GW a few years back one thing that I knew from previous experiance would have been to NOT make up any answers to questions you don't fully understand, as this will just land you a bad place. I don't know if this will help at all but the questions asked when I went fo my interview around 3yrs ago were, typical questions ie. why do you want to work here? What do you think you can offer to the company? 

Then some general background about yourself and the hobby, a few questions about gaming exp. then ask you if you have any questions for them (try to think of some and not just how much an hour, or when are my breaks. stuff like What are the prospects of a promotion, and at the end thank them for the oppertunity to apply for the posistion shake hads and all the formalities.) Hope this helps,

Ps. google GW interview questions and you will find people who have had interviews so they have posted on forums what to expect.

SoI


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## Hooobit (Dec 5, 2010)

Someone else mentioned a group interview stage.

What kind of things could I expect in that, Is it more like a written test than an interview?


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## Maverike Prime (May 4, 2010)

I applied for a possition in the states and was ultimately offered the job, but declined it when I found out that the shop was moving nearly 45 minutes further away from me then it already was making it close to an hour and half drive each way for me.

When I interviewed, I knew next to nothing about Fantasy and LoTR. One of the exercises they did during the interview was to have me run an intro game with a staffer playing a customer. They weren't testing my gaming knoweldge. They were testing how pro-active I was in making the game seem fun. I drew the straw to do a LoTR intro game. I got really animated and literally just started making crap up based on the movies. After the exercise they graded me on it and the staffer who played the customer, a big guy named John, told me that everything I said about the rules of the game were totally wrong but I was so animated and so vivid with my story telling that he frankly didn't care that I didn't know the rules. They then asked me if I was willing to learn the rules for LoTR and Fantasy, to which I replied yes. 

The big thing they want to see in the group interview is enthuasiasm for the hobby as a whole. They don't want to know about your personal armies or how long you've played. They want to know how adaptable you will be in order to sell the entire hobby. Being a great tactician isn't going to help you sell hobby supplies, being a great painter doesn't mean you can run a mega battle, and being an outstanding converter doesn't mean you can run a painting class. 

Hope that helps.


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