assistant buyer

stocker

merchandiser

optometrist

Costco Wholesale

Gday from Australia we have know 3 Costco warehouses, heaps of burnt out overworked employees and are managed by a few NOT all idiots that just got the promotions because either they are american, kiss behinds very well or they have personal relationships outside of work (everyone knows whats going on outside work fellas ;))

We all seen the induction video, we promote from within.
Employees will be promoted within 6 months to a year.
Not a good idea telling this to 480 newly hired employees.
Which after 2 years are still being harassed by management for not clocking on time for lunch, or being tormented for not being as fast as superman.

I love it when jobs are posted on the notice board, because it makes me feel like I have a equal chance like anyone else. WRONG they already know who they are going to promote (the behind kissers).
We are told everyone should apply to show your interest,
Ahhh...
Mate you gentlemen already know everyone is interested how about this..
Don't post up jobs that you have already filled, it's just playing with the perspective of the employees in Costco. (yea they say things like, I tell everyone the managers are like nazzis, but the company is excellent).

What happened to take care of employees?
Ohh yea that one only applies at the induction, shhh

Funny how it does not say anything about managers on the code of ethics.
It should read: Just do as they say, never answer back, only they know best any new ideas might get you counselled.

Haven't you managers noticed we don't care if we get fired this is australia, get fired at Costco next day will be employed at another place. There is so many jobs available it's hard to pick which one you want.

I'm pasting something below which I found online that another employee put up:

Cons – Costco has a lot to work on in terms of diversity in its management; specifically the mentoring and promotion of women. Costco lacks any off/on ramps for women in supervisory or managerial positions who have families or want to start them. They do allow the standard maternity leave (6 weeks) including the 12 weeks required by FMLA laws, but after that they do not allow their managers/supervisors to work a short-term reduced schedule or anything along those lines. In my particular warehouse there are no private locker rooms, bathrooms or anywhere a woman can use a milk pump. Right now, the "Electrical Room" is where we are allowed to pump. Furthermore, the numbers just don't lie. In my warehouse out of 28 managers and supervisors only 6 are women. This is definitely not representative of the warehouse, where almost 60% of the population is women. Sadly, it is not much better at the senior/corporate management level.
Middle and lower management has a lot left to be desired. They are undereducated and undertrained in HR functions; there is no onsite HR manager in the warehouses. This leaves the managers vulnerable when making promotion and disciplinary decisions. The vision of top management is broken at the warehouse level. Most managers are grossly undertrained, under qualified, undereducated and as a consequence they manage with a dictatorial, contemptuous style that destroys the morale and confidence of the employees. Most employees feel the tenant, “take care of the employee" is entirely disregarded by the management at the warehouse level. There is understandably a low level of autonomy at the hourly level, but this coupled with disrespect and disregard of employee input by the managers weakens the company.
Once promoted to management the game totally changes. Lower managers are expected to work 9.5 hours a day, with split days off. It is unspoken, but known that the warehouse should be the managers' first priority, family a distant second. These lower level managers are often promoted on merits of loyalty and it being "their time" rather than on any level of competence or qualification. They are told to "get control" of their employees; this is about the extent of their training and mentoring by the upper managers. All of these factors contribute to an uninspired and overworked management staff that disregards the ideas and needs of the employees.
Advice to Senior Management – The company needs to realize it has grown into a multinational corporation, and is not just a few warehouses in the Seattle area anymore. They need to rethink the HR system, perhaps installing an HR trained manager directly onsite. Managers with a business-oriented education should be valued and recruited. Retaining the "college kids" is also important. There are some employment areas that Costco just is not competitive in (IT, HR, supply chain mgt, etc.) Senior management needs to take off the "rose-colored glasses" and dig deep into their warehouses to see what's going on. Perhaps developing a 360 review process would give more accurate feedback to the employee and the managers would gain valuable insight to their performance as well. Costco is behind technologically, from the register system to the HRIS; the technology is dated and seems maintenance oriented, instead of innovation oriented.

It’s a good job if you plan to stay long term and are passionate about retail. However, if you’re studying, working a second job, or young with bigger goals, it’s not worth it. Management often pushes the idea that the company should be your number one priority over classes, family, social life, health, and wellbeing.

In the bakery section, training is minimal — you mostly learn by watching others. Even then, you can still get yelled at for being too slow despite the lack of proper guidance. Managers expect you to be available 24/7 for a permanent part-time role, which means skipping classes, family events, and cultural or religious commitments. Time off is rarely approved, even for exams or important personal events. Calling in sick (even with a medical certificate) can result in frustration or anger from management.

I gave my full effort — rearranged university classes, travelled long distances, and stayed back for extra shifts when things were busy. Despite that dedication, I often felt undervalued and treated differently from others. While I admit I wasn’t always the fastest, many others struggled too — but not everyone was treated equally.

I want to give some credit to my department manager, who did take a chance on me over more experienced people and genuinely tried to help me pass probation. Many of my coworkers were also friendly and supportive, and several were sad to see me go.

Unfortunately, my final weeks were disappointing and hurtful, especially after I became unwell and was met with unprofessional behaviour from a supervisor. After everything I gave to this company, it was hard to see my effort dismissed so easily.

This job may suit someone who wants stability and doesn’t need flexibility. But for students or anyone who values respect, empathy, and work–life balance, it’s not the best environment.

Costco take the "Above & Beyond" motto to the next level.
You will work beyond your role because its expected & not be appreciated for it or be given the opportunity to move up within the company. (The only way you move up is if you have relations with a manager)

Managers will do anything for a member even if it breaks their own policies & procedures for example; letting refunds through that are outside of the returns/warranty period, allowing members to shop after harassing/assaulting staff, giving the membership fee back to members who are caught stealing.

If your a hard worker they will give you more tasks & not provide training at all. Its a sink or swim type of "training" method they have. 

If you want a work life balance don't work here. They don't support people with children & people who study for example; not allowing staff to have 1 weekend off every few months to spend time with their family, not allowing staff to have exam periods off or negotiate rostering schedules, not allowing any type of negotiation to your rostering schedule to attend personal life activities (attending funerals & or mourning a death is frowned upon).

If you love getting f**ked around & used to your full capacity this is the job for you.


Working in this position has been a valuable and fulfilling experience. The organization offers a positive and professional work environment where employees feel respected and motivated. Management sets clear expectations, provides helpful feedback, and supports career growth through regular training opportunities. My team is highly collaborative, making daily tasks smoother and more enjoyable. Communication between departments is generally effective, though certain processes could be simplified to improve efficiency. Work-life balance is well maintained, with flexible scheduling options and understanding supervisors. Compensation, benefits, and opportunities for advancement are fair and competitive for the industry. This job has allowed me to strengthen my skills, build meaningful relationships, and gain confidence in handling diverse responsibilities. Overall, I am satisfied with my role and appreciate the chance to contribute to the organization’s goals while continuing to grow both personally and professionally.

Working at Costco Wholesale has been a truly rewarding experience. The company's strong focus on employee welfare, teamwork, and operational excellence creates a positive and motivating work environment. Costco offers excellent training and continuous support, which helped me develop valuable skills in customer service, time management, and teamwork. The work culture is fast-paced but highly organized, making every day dynamic and engaging. Managers are approachable and supportive, encouraging growth and recognizing effort. The company's commitment to providing quality service to its members also reflects in how they treat their employees—with fairness, respect, and opportunities for advancement. I appreciate Costco’s clear structure, strong team values, and the pride they place in delivering the best experience for both employees and customers. Working here has strengthened my professional capabilities and has been an important step in my career development. I am grateful to be a part of the Costco team.



If you're considering working here, think twice—especially if you value fairness and proper staffing. This place constantly expects you to do the work of seven people, even when you’re only given three hours to complete everything. It’s incredibly unrealistic and exhausting. Instead of setting up a team with enough hands to get the job done right, management continues to pile more and more responsibilities onto a few workers, then blames them when things don’t get done on time. There's no proper support, and barely any acknowledgment of how much physical and mental energy this job drains from you. If you're someone who takes pride in doing your job well, you’ll find yourself constantly frustrated because the conditions make it nearly impossible. You’re left scrambling to cover areas that aren’t your responsibility just to keep things moving. Unless you're okay with being overworked, underappreciated, and constantly stressed—this isn’t the place for you.

"Fast pace!!!!" that is what a typical day will start and end. I learned so much in just the period i worked there, i learnt how to make pizzas, use a register, multitask eg; serve customers, get their orders ready and also refill machines if need to be done or get cooked food out of the oven. I also learnt to do prep which is ingredients for pizzas etc or mixtures or as well call them "buckets" of ice cream, ice-coffee and pizza sauce. Managements were awesome very organised and easy to talk to. Hardest part of the job would be having to deal with rude and arrogant customers, but that was the challenge we had to face everyday and it may not sound easy but was a great challenge not only for myself but for my colleagues too and also working right next to a huge oven whilst its 32 degrees outside. The most enjoyable part of the job was working with an amazing team, if it weren't for a hard working team i would of hated going to work.

The people (like maintanence, merch, OP, hearing, FE, clothing, FC, bakery, gas, deli, rotisserie and receiving workers as well) were frickn amazing. Truly miss them and they legit warned me not to work here🤦🏾‍♀️ the only thing I didn't get was higher ups playing around with other employees life?? Like they would cut their hours, add hours (some weren't able to do for personal reasons), change shifts without a heads up, play favourites, giving them the "shii jobs", being rude, etc. personally I thankfully didnt get treated like this but slowly started to realise after sometime how bad it is. If u wanna work here then do it but be careful of some people (higher ups or employees, either). Best job for my position was either trolleys (when its too crowded inside which means I get a break or at night because not many cars to watch out for). Or assisting with one of the amazing cashiers. Actually, it was when I was able to go into another department (gas, FC, merch or clothing). Enjoy 

Pros:
.Penalty rates
.Easy to progress in the company
.Heaps of departments to learn
.Hard to get fired after the 90 day review
.There's heaps of opportunity to change Costco locations across the world.
.You get a universal membership card which you can register 2-4 other people on. 

Cons:
.Working weekends is pretty much non negotiable
.Block off periods for annual leave 
.Rosters can get inconsistent
.If you work with customers you're either gonna annoy the customers or the managers who are policy sticklers
.Managers become unrealistic with expectations and make a lot of decisions based on numbers on a screen "data" instead of first hand experience
.It's easy to get stuck in this job so its not worth it if you're young with no goals lol
.Many people ask if you get an "employee discount" and the answer to that is no. 
.Customers are entitled

I worked here from before opening day up until the end of 2020. 

To start i can say is the amount of online tests, drug screenings, background checks and interviews to get the job is a lot.

As for the job itself, it is extremely fast paced and you need to be switched on at all times, the culture between employees was pretty good but as for career growth, depending on the department it was completely determined by whoever the manager liked the most and at times i saw lower qualified people getting higher positions by 'kissing up'.
The job itself is stable as it's a lengthy process to get fired but i'll add that Costco does pay well for a customer service centered job; we got covid bonuses, a free membership as well as other perks, but there is no work-life balance and they expect you to be very committed to your work, hence i left to study.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
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