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Store Counter Trainee at Genuine Parts Company

Genuine Parts Company Fairbanks, AK

Job Description

Job Description

Imagine not only being able to learn but then use your expertise to help our customers succeed and stay safely on the road! NAPA's Automotive Counter Sales Trainee role is the ideal position for energetic people who have a passion for automotive parts, believe in taking care of the customer, and want to learn. As a Automotive Counter Sales Trainee, you will learn to deliver exceptional NAPA Know How service to our Wholesale customers and help Retail Customers with their auto parts questions, do-it-yourself projects and auto parts needs. Why NAPA? NAPA delivers quality experience not only to our customers but to our employees, in the form of career growth opportunities, great benefits including 401(k), and a parts discount!What we need from you: Customer focus and high energy in our fast-paced stores

  • Ability to operate a cash register and navigating computer and paper catalog systems
  • Passion for delivering customer care in a strong team environment

Qualifications

  • NAPA's ideal Automotive Counter Sales Trainee will have strong Know How and experience of all things automotive, and will bring a passion for delivering customer care to the job every day. Requirements include:
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Motivated to train and learn. Ability to thrive and have fun in a busy, fast-paced retail environment.
  • Valid driver license AND/OR reliable transportation.
  • Prior experience in the retail industry, preferably an automotive parts department, dealership, jobber or retail establishment.
  • High school diploma or GED. Able to work retail hours including weekends and holidays.
  • Able to process cash, checks, and credit card transactions.
  • Capable of lifting and moving items of up to 45 pounds.

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GPC conducts its business without regard to sex, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, military status, status as a veteran, or any other protected characteristic. GPC's policy is to recruit, hire, train, promote, assign, transfer and terminate employees based on their own ability, achievement, experience and conduct and other legitimate business reasons.

Typical entry-level pay: $39k for Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping nationally

National salary averages
Expected entry-level
$39k
Entry
Mid
Senior
Expected
$35k Market range (10th-90th percentile) $60k

Pay increases slowly with experience in this field.

Mid-level roles pay ~18% more—room to grow.

Raises may be modest; negotiate well upfront.

Hot hiring, constrained wages

Employers are hiring actively, but pay hasn't caught up with demand. Focus on competing offers and non-salary benefits.

Hiring leverage
Lean candidate
Wage leverage âš  Disconnect
Constrained
Mobility
Moderate
Durability
High fragility

Why this market feels harder than it looks

This market is hiring aggressively, but compensation hasn't caught up and most openings are backfilling churn, not expansion. Employers are filling roles, but not bidding wages up.

Who this leverage applies to

Stronger for: Senior candidates with options
Weaker for: Entry-level candidates, Career switchers

Where to negotiate

Base salary
Sign-on bonus
Title / level
Remote flexibility
Scope & responsibility
Start date / PTO

Likely Possible Unlikely

Watch out for

Wage disconnect: Hiring is active but pay hasn't responded—negotiate on other terms.

Don't let hiring headlines mislead you—focus on concrete offers. Your leverage may be less durable than it appears—move decisively.

Does this path compound?

Job Growth →
High churn
Growth, flat pay
🚀 Compound
Growth + pay upside
⚠️ Plateau
Limited growth
Specialize
Experts earn more
Pay Upside →
Stable but flat

Steady work, but limited growth in both jobs and pay.

-5%
10yr growth
Most openings come from retirements and turnover, not new positions.
Typical: High school diploma or equivalent

Consider building adjacent skills to stay marketable.

Labor data: BLS 2024