Big 5 Application Online: Jobs & Career Info

Positions available through sporting goods retailer Big 5 cater to entry-level applicants and career professionals alike. The chain consists of roughly 425 locations and spans a dozen states across the American West.

Big 5 Job Opportunities

The expansive, big-box store formats used by the sporting goods chain require large staffs to maintain operations and provide customer service. Most Big 5 stores feature more than 10,000sqft. of retail space and offer several different departments of equipment and apparel. Applicants interested in sporting goods, sports, or simply retail jobs featuring consistent and competitive pay regularly take interest with the regional chain. While the retailer imposes no formal requirements for employment consideration, hiring managers generally look for individuals able to relate to the sporting goods needs of customers. Advising patrons and personally recommending equipment, accessories, or apparel represents a crucial responsibility of positions available and serves as a daily expectation upon hire.

Big 5 stores experience increased business during warm, summer months, around school athletic seasons, and during busy holiday shopping seasons. Most entry-level positions feature part-time hours and flexible schedules. Workers may need to show the ability to work nights and weekends in order to gain employment, as the retail chain maintains hours of operation past 5:00pm seven days a week. Applicants should also stand in good health and feel comfortable performing manual labor throughout given shifts. Stocking and reorganizing shelves serves as storewide responsibilities both entry-level associates and managers must perform to upkeep appearances and rotate out merchandise as needed.

Big 5 Employment Information

The regional, western sporting goods store reserves employment opportunities for applicants 18 and older. Workers may assume part-time or full-time jobs with industry-competitive pay and opportunities for advancement into professional careers. Unlike some retail stores, Big 5 requires entry-level and managerial associates to pass background checks for employment consideration. The Equal Opportunity Employer consistently hires for the following retail positions:

Cashier

• A typical entry-level cashier works part-time hours and provides basic customer service.
• The retail chain requires individuals to possess high school diplomas or GED equivalents, strong communication skills, and the ability to lift, bend, and stand for hours at a time.
• Expediency, attention to detail, and courtesy serve as ideal traits managers commonly screen for in cashier applicants.
• Pay scales generally start out around minimum wage and rise to $10.00 or so with experience.

Sales Associate

•  Workers under the title of sales associate interact directly with patrons.
• The customer-centric job involves offering brand recommendations, explaining product and equipment use, straightening and organizing sales floors, and ringing up purchases when necessary.
• Big 5 sales associates must also carry out cleaning, sanitation, stocking, and pricing duties.
• The entry-level employment opportunity historically feature part-time hours and minimum wage starting pay.
• Some moderate but regular manual labor requires employees to stand in good health at time of hire.
• High school diplomas or GEDs, background checks, and detail-oriented personalities prove necessary for hire, as well.

Management

• The minimum age for managerial consideration begins at 21.
• Other requirements center on background checks, retail experience, and enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and customer-oriented personalities.
• Managers begin as management trainee associates and receive promotion upon completion of paid training into assistant manager and store manager job titles.
• Managers work full-time and carry out administrative, staffing, sales, inventory, and disciplinary duties in addition to customer service responsibilities.
• Creating sales strategies, retrieving items from back storage areas, referring brands and equipment, hiring and training staff, and organizing product displays also factor into daily managerial responsibilities.
• Management trainee associates typically receive hourly pay hovering between $11.00 and $13.00.
• Assistant manager jobs yield annual salary options in excess of $40,000.
• Salary options for store managers routinely range from $40,000 to $50,000 per year.

Tips For Applying

Energy and enthusiasm play as big of roles in overall hiring decisions as knowledge of product lines and the ability to effectively communicate with customers and fellow employees. Workers must demonstrate each characteristic during the hiring process in order to receive consideration for employment. Provide detailed anecdotes of personal backgrounds in servings others, interests or involvement in sports, and team-oriented work ethics. Applicants should also ensure possession of any and all necessary hiring materials, including high school diplomas, clean criminal backgrounds, and schedule flexibility prior to submitting applications.

Application Status

The application process provides candidates with multiple ways to submit hiring forms. Aspirants may submit hiring forms online or in person via paper applications. After submitting the documents, successful applicants typically receive contact by telephone to schedule interviews. Managers may begin calling prospective hires back about job prospects within a week of receiving employment forms. The sporting goods retailer keeps applications on file for months after submission even if workers receive no job offers initially. Workers should continuously check back with the retail chain a week or two after submitting the necessary forms to inquire about available positions. Regular contact with management may increase odds of employment. In-person visits may also help increase chances of hiring consideration.

Benefits of Working at Big 5

Aside from discounts on products and services, the retail chain offers no real employment benefits to part-time associates. Workers must fill full-time roles in order to qualify for company job benefits packages, which consist of healthcare coverage, financial planning assistance, and paid time off. Employee benefits packages often include:

• Health and life insurance options
• 401(k) retirement plans, and
• Sick days.

As a franchised company, Big 5 sometimes maintains different rules and regulations regarding disbursement of employee benefits from store to store.

More Details on Big 5

Invested in the athletic interests of customers, Big 5 promotes local sporting events supporting both individual enjoyment and various charitable causes. Events hosted or promoted, both fully and in part, include the LA Big 5k, Bay to the Breakers 12k, three-on-three basketball tournaments, Duke City Marathon, and LA Cancer Challenge. Each holiday season, the retailer also sponsors a toy giveaway called Miracle on 1st Street. The program specifically benefits area youths.