Pros
The Meijer I worked at had a good atmosphere, and there were lots of friendly co-workers that are a pleasure to work with. Management was willing to schedule around your needs, whether it was because you had school, or other obligations. I was also -never- denied a request for a day off assuming it wasn't something unreasonable like Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving. Overall, it was a pretty good experience...it taught me a lot in terms of customer service and how to communicate in general with people. After working at Meijer, I certainly now have a respect and appreciation for everyone that works in retail or service jobs in general.
Cons
It was a lot of hard work for not much pay. Some of my shifts were just absolutely grueling, especially since I was to work outside in virtually all weather conditions. Many times I felt like we were understaffed, especially during busy sales where they simply don't have enough employees working. Everyone is running around with their heads cut off, and it's just really stressful and hectic at times. Just because you're scheduled to get out at a certain time, doesn't mean you can leave then. You have to ask for permission, and many times you will be held over. Very annoying. Mandatory company meetings that you have to attend that are pointless to the average employee and a complete waste of time. I'm sorry, but I don't care at all about how the company is doing financially or whether or not Meijer made their yearly goals. That information should only be of concern to management, not the average employee. These aren't a big deal if you're full-time, you can just go during your scheduled shift. However, if you're a part time employee, you have to attend these meetings on your days off...which is really ridiculous. And of course, the wonderful customers. Sure, some are nice...but many customers are just downright rude, lazy, and obnoxious. A few disgruntled customers blaming you for things you have no control over can really ruin your day.