New Research Shows Consumers Have Positive Impressions of Convenience Store Jobs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Nearly nine in 10 Americans say that convenience stores provide a good starting point for a career, according to a new national survey from NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing.

According to consumers, c-store jobs present great opportunities, especially related to how they can establish business skills. Here's what consumers had to say: 

• C-stores provide good first jobs for those looking to enter the workforce (86 percent).
• C-store jobs are great summer jobs for high school and college students (86 percent).
• C-store jobs provide an opportunity for growth for those who do not have a formal education (71 percent).
• It's common for c-store employees who demonstrate a commitment to their job to become managers or eventually own their own convenience stores (70 percent).
• C-stores offer employees opportunities for advancement (59 percent).

In addition, more than one in seven Americans (15 percent) said they have worked in a convenience store and that they would recommend working in a c-store to others. Several factors contributed to their positive impressions, like:

• 79 percent said the experience gained at that experience was valuable;
• 67 percent said the job offered pay consistent with their experience; and
• 66 percent would recommend this type of work to others, particularly as a first job.

"Our 2018 survey results are in line with results from similar NACS surveys over each of the past two years that found that convenience store jobs can provide a valuable opportunity to learn business skills that can be applied throughout someone’s career," said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard. "And focus group interviews that we conducted earlier this year with past c-store employees affirmed the hugely positive attributes of how their c-store jobs helped them grow their business skills."

The national consumer survey was conducted online from Sept. 13-16 by Penn Schoen Berland. Approximately 1,504 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed.

Alexandria-based NACS represents the U.S. convenience store industry, which has more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, and serves 160 million customers daily. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.