Vantaggi
Who doesn't like someone treating you like a hero for some simple task? Most customers do appreciate us, and I appreciate them. The job is fairly low impact physically for a manager with health issues. As a third tier retail manager, I am paid slightly higher than Glassdoor has my job title's pay rate listed, but then again, I've been stuck in essentially the same position for 8+ years, so I'm not sure that's a pro.
Svantaggi
Currently, I do the AGM job without the AGM pay. My store has no AGM, so I'm a defacto AGM. In my experience, and biased perspective: There is little need in this company for educated, professional, experienced, honest, loyal, hard working, ambitious, and proficient leaders. I have all the obvious qualifications for a GM job (Business management degree, ASE certification, experience, etc...). However, I cannot get the DM to enroll me in the management training course. I have been rejected for general manager jobs because I have not been through the course, and I have not been to the course because I failed a computerized psychological test years ago. I did pass that same test over a year ago, but it has not changed my opportunities. I'm seldom informed of opportunities that open up. I have to pursue them myself when I hear of them through the rumor mill. To top it all off, I've seen people whom I have supervised, who didn't want to work while they are at work, get opportunities I have been passed up for. That is demoralizing. This is a stressful job (mostly due to thin staffing). I had a possibly related life threatening health event, and, according to my district manager, I almost lost my job due to the one month my doctor ordered I take off. That entire month was covered by my accrued sick time. You could get fired for almost dropping dead and using sick time here.