Big W Job Application & Careers | Step-By-Step Hiring Guide Inside |
Big W is one of Australia’s most popular merchandising and discount stores, and you most likely have shopped there once or twice. This brand is about 50 years old, with over 20 stores across Australia. The company has its labor force across Australia, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong with 18,000+ employees.
So if you are looking for a great and well-established Australian supermarket brand where you can kick off your career, Big W has several job opportunities. With a large pool of employees, a parent company, and established work culture and tradition, this Aussie brand is a place many job searchers hope to work for.
We have researched the job application process at Big W and have collated a step-by-step guide to get you hired among hundreds of job seekers.
Company Overview
Founded: October 7, 1964
Founder: Woolworths Group
Industry: Department, Clothing & Shoe Stores
Website: bigw.com.au
Address: 1 Woolworths Way, Bella Vista, Sydney, NSW 2153, Australia
Phone Number: 1300 244 999
Company Size: 10,000+ Employees
Big W is a retail supermarket with over 40,000 products. The company has a wide range of merchandise products at low prices. The first Bis W store was opened in Newcastle, in New South Wales, and the company now has several stores in Australia.
Big W was the second company in Australia to use self-checkouts in Sydney branches and continued to adopt the technology in other branches. In 2014, the company launched its first-party store.
Big W is a subsidiary of Woolworths Group, which owns and operates several supermarket and discount store subsidiaries in Asia and Australia. Other group subsidiaries are Woolworths Supermarket, Countdown, SuperValue, Everyday Rewards, and FreshChoice.
Applying For A Job With Big W
If you are looking for job openings at Big W, you must get familiar with the company’s application process. This process is straightforward, and following the guideline below will make your application smooth.
— Visit The Big W Careers Page
The first thing to do is visit Big W’s Careers Page. Because Big W is a part of Woolworths, you will be taken to the Woolworths Career Page instead. You can search using many options, such as the brand, the state you want to work in, country, distance, work type, postcode, expertise, and requisition number.
— Search For Open Positions
We advise you to start with Brands and select Big W. You can also select expertise and choose Retail Operations, for example. You will find several open positions below the filters. You can also filter by location to narrow it down more.
Then select a position you are interested in. Each job is detailed with the day it was posted, the mob type, and the location. As a plus, you can also use an icon to help you directly share these open roles with friends and family on the website.
— Create An Account & Complete Application Process
First, you have to create an account. After a profile has been created for you, you will be directed to the application form to complete your candidate profile, upload your CV, and answer questions.
Big W Roles & Salaries
There are several roles at Big W based on your area of expertise and the industry you are interested in, but we will look at some popular roles among job applicants and the salary expectations for these roles.
— Warehouse Team Member
A warehouse team member at Big W ensures stores get their stock at the right time for customers to get them. It’s an on-call casual role with two shift rotations per day. Generally, a warehouse team member picks orders, assembles and packages stock for dispatch, operates industrial equipment, and does housekeeping.
The pay per hour is an average of AU$22.00, putting it at a salary average of AU$56,000 per year.
— Customer Service Team Member
Customer service team members help customers find products and ensure they have easy checkout experiences. A customer care team member spends a typical day on the shop floor, trying to give customers a hand when they need it and improving their overall experience.
The salary average for this job is AU$45,235 per year.
— Checkout Operator
A checkout operator at Big W is in charge of providing a premium checkout experience to shoppers. This is a good starting job for teenagers, although it can be really busy.
A checkout operator gets a salary range of AU$43,455 – AU$54,329 per year, bonuses and additional compensation inclusive. This is at about $23.70 per hour.
Other popular roles at Big W are Sales Associate, Apparel Associate, Fill Leader, Fill Team Member, Night Fill, and Category Assistant. You can also get more corporate jobs like a business analyst or several others in e-commerce. Also, you can get both full-time and part-time jobs.
Big W Interview Process
The interview process at Big W is rated ‘Easy’ on Glassdoor, with 78% of interviewees saying they got back positive feedback.
However, don’t relax yet. You should still ensure you are prepared as there’s no one fixed interview format at Big W. While some had one on one physical interviews, some had group interviews, while others had quick video interviews. There are cases where people had group interviews, followed by one-on-one. This all depends on the role you are applying for and the timing of your application.
Some basic questions that are asked during interviews are “why do you want to work here?” and “why should we hire you?” You may also have a practical session where you are asked to sell a product or be given questionnaires to fill out.
The hiring process usually takes about 2 weeks, but at most, you can expect to hear back in a month.
Big W Work Environment & Company Culture
The company culture at Big W is generally okay. Employees appear to enjoy the pay and the job. In addition, employees enjoy the work environment, especially with colleagues like themselves. In fact, many describe their relationship with colleagues as “tight-knit and family-like.”
Most culture complaints include politicking or poor managers, narrow paths for career advancement, and varying salaries among managers. Some also complained about job stability and lack of equal opportunity.
Many employees say the company is a great place for students and teenagers to start. While it is fast-paced, it’s relatively easy to ease into the job. The work-life balance is decent unless the store you work at is short-staffed.
Some known perks of working at this discount company are frequent discounts on products, flexible work arrangements, health insurance, and wellbeing and fitness support.
The Bottom Line
We have examined the opportunities at Big W and how to apply. Big W is a large retail store in Australia, and it’s a pretty decent company to establish yourself. Just ensure you stay updated on new jobs, apply as soon as possible, and prepare for your interview.
You should expect any interview format and dress well, even if it’s just a video call. You can also make an impression by asking questions at the end of the interview. The hiring process should ordinarily take a few days to two weeks, but ensure you call to check in if it exceeds one month.
With these tips, you should ace your interview at Big W and become a team member in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a 14-year-old work at Big W?
Yes, a 14-year-old can be employed at Big W. Big W is one of the few large companies that take early teenagers. However, some branches reportedly have 13-year-olds working on the shop front, which is uncommon.
However, a 14-year-old applicant would have to come with a parental permission slip. In some stores, you must appear physically with your guardian before being given a student job.
You are expected to be 14 years and 9 months for door-to-door sales. Employers in Australia are legally allowed to pay $7.48 per hour, with frequent breaks and strict supervision. This pay is about 36.8% of the legal adult minimum wage. However, the pay rate at Big W for 15 years old as of 2020 was $12.04 per hour, and this is likely to have increased.
A 14-year-old must not be made to do anything physically strenuous such as lifting heavy products or stock.
Some student jobs at Big W are shop assistant, checkout operator, soft-goods leader, etc.
How much does a person get paid at Big W at age 16?
A 16-year-old can take entry-level jobs or student jobs at Big W and expect to get paid AU$9.62, which is 47.3% legal minimum wage pay of AU$20.33.
However, 16-year-old employees and above at Big W get higher than this, although we don’t have data on the specific amount. You may reportedly get the legal minimum wage pay for adults in some roles. From 16 years upwards, there’s an increase in the minimum wage specification until you’re 21, when you can start to receive the full legal minimum wage for adults. You can check out the fair wage per hour for your age here.
Here’s a breakdown of the average full pay per hour for job titles 16 years olds may be eligible for at Big W.
- Checkout Operator — range of AU$19-AU$27 with an average pay of AU$22
- Sales Associate — an average of AU$45,423
- Retail Assistant — an average of AU$46,200 + additional pay average of $3,430
These figures are collated from Glassdoor.
How old do you have to be to work at Big W?
The minimum age requirement at Big W is officially 14 years and 9 months old for student jobs and door-to-door sales assistants. However, there are cases where store managers have employed 13 years 9 months olds under strict supervision, but this is an exception rather than the rule.
Whether you will be employed at a Big W store at 14 is a case-by-case situation. While some store managers may be willing, others may feel more reluctant due to the supervision and the labor limit. Also, most 14-year-olds are not likely to stay.
However, if a child is impressive at an interview, gets all the necessary permits (from school and guardians), and passes all health checks that the manager may wish them to take, the child will be employed.
The pay for 15-year-olds or less is significantly higher than the recommended pay for a retail level worker at AU$7.28 per hour. The job is easy, managers give student workers more attention and breaks, and it’s a good place to start to gain experience in the labor market while making good money on the side.
Is it easy to get a job at Big W?
It’s easy to get a job at Big W as long as you follow the appropriate application process. According to Glassdoor data, 78% of employees at Big W got a positive response after their interviews. Since Big W is a retail store, staff come and go for entry-level roles, and there’s always a role to be filled.
Most employees say that the hiring process was easy, and you don’t have to do anything extraordinary or give special answers to interview questions. The interview questions are also basic, and as long as you adequately prepare for them, you should have no problem.
If you want to find Big W jobs, stay listed in the company’s mail and follow sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to get notified when a position you desire is vacant. You should also filter jobs based on the listing date; recently posted jobs will give you better chances of getting called in for an interview, as not many people would have applied yet.
Make sure you also look professional for in-person interviews and practice proper etiquette ahead of your interview.
