Worst boses & employer!

Nance,
What is or was your job function at Graybar? I just applied with them and completed some on-line testing. With all the testing, urine and background testing and more testing and more intviewing, Graybar seems to be another one of those companies who goes over the top to screen out everyone!

I applied with them earlier this year for a data processing position in which the pay was very low, but at the time I was a temporary worker, I needed a permanent job with benefits close to home.
Needless to say, I was screened out. I thought the interview went very well, but obviously they did start the background process on me because I received a letter a week later about my Credit.
I never bothered to call back to ask if my credit was the reason for not being chosen, but I took it as a blessing because I was settling for less (pay).
It seems like a nice company but if the mgmt is what you say it is, it was for the best.

I didnt take the job at Graybar. The manager talked about sports, looked at catalogs, read email and BS'd with the good ol boys there all day. The lady who was supposed to train me made it clear that she hated the job!She said the manager didnt like "dealing with females", so he ignored all the women under him. No one looked happy except the warehouse guys. I got a bad feeling about Graybar!

I was just discharged from graybar after four years, My job title was Counter Sales, but also had to work shipping, recieving, and back up truck driver ( do more with less).
Both managers were hated by a lot of customers , some good companys they wanted for customers would not do buisness with them. they do not train, they do not promote from within, and the lowerer they keep your wage the more the manager makes.
I could go on, but I would steer clear of this one.

I worked briefly for Graybar in the St Louis area. For some, it might be a great place, but honestly I've never worked in an unhappier place. In the short time I was there, I can't tell you how many disgruntled people I met.

I was hired for one job, then that was changed to another, and after a few months, I was told I was no longer needed. I really get the feeling I was hired for a temporary job and not told. I'm glad I'm out, eventhough I need a paycheck and haven't found a new job.

Nance in Saint Louis, Missouri said: Graybar is a pathetic place to work. The managers have NO mangerial skills nor do they promote from within. Best to stay away from this company. Looooowwww salaries.

I'd have to agree. I didn't see anything from the managers in my area that inspired much confidence. In fact, I rarely saw my own boss. At Graybar, either you're a 'lifer' (been there forever) or you're pretty new. There's not a lot of in-between.

Missourri wrote : At Graybar, either you're a 'lifer' (been there forever) or you're pretty new. There's not a lot of in-between.

Thats what I saw. They bragged that some Joe Blow has been there for 32 years abd Jack has been there for 29 etc.This was to impress me that the employees looooooove it there and they stay forever. But the rest of the employees were all new and 2 of them went running for the door in less than a week!

If your in the Chicago suburbs this might help try a company that helped me and a few of my co-workers get great jobs!!! They treated us very well. Most agencies treat you like a number because they have quotas and the all mighty dollar is what they look for. It's horrible when you are not treated right.
Try Strategic Talent in the Chicago area. They were very nice to me and treated me excellent.
This is the email of the recruiter that we all used.She was great to work with.

hr.strategictalent@yahoo.com Her name is Jeanna.
Send your resume and what kind of job you want.
Hope this helps

I would agree with previous posts. It's as if the management has no business training at all. The working enviroment is terrible and it appeared that only about half the people actually worked. The pay is really bad with average benefits. I would not recommend a company like this unless your a slacker that doesn't mind selling themselves short. It appeared that the older employees (which are most of the employees) drank the koolaid early on in their careers and are now regretting their choices. Beware ........

This company interviewed me, had me write in the form for a background check, and generally gave me the impression I was in. Less than a week later I got a "dear John" letter saying they found someone more qualified. I can understand that, but they sure did make it seem like I was in. Reading your posts, I am glad I didn't take the job...

I had good experiences with Graybar Electric. When I left the company, it was because of my choice. I'm sorry some of you had bad experiences, but in the Hayward, CA and San Jose, CA branches, the environment was nice. If I had stayed longer, I'm sure I would of been promoted to inside sales or outsides sales. My position started at Customer Service I and ended with III.

I also enjoyed my supervisor as well as Branch Manager. Anyway, I don't work at Graybar anymore, but the experiences I took from that company will always stay with me.

Graybar is the worst place I've ever worked. The V.P. of my department got a 25.5% raise while everyone else's wages were frozen!! No training, management has no idea of what you do so therefore is unable to teach you effectively. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE place to work. Glad to be out of there.

Jane Doe 1973 in Saint Louis, Missouri said: Graybar is the worst place I've ever worked. The V.P. of my department got a 25.5% raise while everyone else's wages were frozen!! No training, management has no idea of what you do so therefore is unable to teach you effectively. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE place to work. Glad to be out of there.

Hi Jane, did you work for corporate? I heard corporate has a pretty harsh environment compared to the other branches. I also have friends who still work at Graybar and I hear the way the economy is, that the experience has changed significantly since I last worked there. Anyway, I'm happy for you. I hope you find something more enjoyable in the future.

By the way, when I said "changed significantly", I meant that in a not so good way. Morale is low. But I think with most large companies with their mass layoffs..morale is always low.

JW99, Moral was always low in my department. We were always told what we did wrong, never anything about how good we did our jobs. And it was a very hard job.

I left on my own a couple of years ago. I could not sleep at night due to conflicts with my Christian beliefs. The BM was a persistant liar and morale was terrible. I could not be sucessful as problems in the branch were never addressed and customer dissatisfaction was at a high level. I still keep in contact with current employees and am told the situation is now actually worse than before. I would find this hard to believe... but with Graybar anything is possible when you are a manager who is protected.

I worked for Graybar for over 12 years. While employed there I had several bosses whom I enjoyed working for very much. I left there earlier this year because the present branch manager is a liar and his work habits are horrible. He would call the office in the morning and say he had breakfast meeting. This was always a joke around the office because we all knew that he didn't know any customers. I had a name for him of TO for totally oblivious. I have recently heard from several customers that he finally has gone out to visit them and they think he is a big joke. One of those that talk out of both ends. I still have several friends that still work there and they say that nothing has changed; I wish that the upper management would wake up and do something about it. I wish we all had jobs that we were able to leave our homes at 9:00 in the morning and be back home at 4:00 in the afternoon. Maybe when it comes to layoffs they would be best to layoff the non-working/non caring managers instead of the employees how actually work and care about Graybar.

Isn't that the truth I am a long time customer of Graybar South bend and this manager has been out to see me a few times. What a peace of work, he has no idea about what is going on in our industry, he couldn't manage to find his way out of a paper bag let alone manage a company. He has done several long time employees wrong and hired from the outside without promoting employees who have been there forever. If it weren’t for trust in my salesman I would not be doing any business with Graybar at all. I would beware of this branch with this man in charge.

I agree I am a purchasing agent at a very large mill and have been friends with all of the past managers at graybar hammond (Gary, Jeff, Tim, Brian) all are great people and great managers. The reps talked very highly of all of them. I have even been to Firestone golfing with there district manager. The new manager has been there for over 4 years now and has not yet once stepped a foot in my office. I am in charge of calling in passes and have never been asked to call one in for him. This meens that he has never stepped foot in this mill in all of his 4 years. It is not good when we are talking about a customer that does several million dollars a year with his location and I am sure is a large part of your salery. I hope he does not ask to come in my office now I would have to turn him down.

Graybar is a good company in many locations, I've worked in three over an eleven year stretch. Unfortunately St. Louis management focuses on sales and profit much more than it does on customer service and employee development/compensation. It is unrealistic to expect a salesman to make several meaningful sales calls a day, the rest of the time, they should be processing customer orders. There are too many managers and salesmen. I did my part then left.

Nance in Saint Louis, Missouri said: Graybar is a pathetic place to work. The managers have NO mangerial skills nor do they promote from within. Best to stay away from this company. Looooowwww salaries.

I completely understand..I have never worked in such an unprofessional environment in my 22 years of work experience. I resigned without even having another job in mind...After 4 months I was disgusted with the lack of management!

I was disgusted with the amount of profanity at this position. No manager available to talk to and a completely unprofessional environment to work for.

On a scale of 1-10, I would have to rate the managers that I have had to deal with at this company about a 1. They are either bullies, lazy or stupid, or a combination of all three. Things told to them in confidence are soon general knowledge throughout the branch. One sits in his office with his feet up on the desk reading, in full view of employees. Favoritism runs rampant. Derogatory comments are made about employees who are not part of the "in crowd" behind their back, to other employees. The negative reinforcement slowly destroys morale, and once it does that, they think you have an attitude problem. Financially, this is a sound company, but as far as class and common decency goes, do not look to the leaders for that.