Potentially fun job, with monetary drawbacks.
Pros
If you perform your job adequately, you never see your boss, as 95% of the communication is through email or regular mail. Hourly wage for field reps is a bit above the norm for this type of company. The Field Representative jobs themselves can be fun if you really dig in and learn about the products you are selling in the stores. You come in contact with hundreds of pets (mostly dogs) and their owners and if you are a dog lover, that is a great stress reliever. Most of the paperwork needed for the job is mailed to your home, so very little personal printing is necessary. A 40lk plan that matches about 1/2 of your contribution up to 3% of your pay. The company owner's platform of doing business, labeled the CLA Way, which highlights moral integrity, respect of its people and customers and all the right ways of doing business gives them a solid base to build on. It tells you someone in the company knows the right way of doing business and the value of treating their people with dignity and respect. While there are no raises given in this company they do have a new points system where you can be awarded points by coworkers and trade the points in for catalog gifts. The company is poised to make more money in the coming years with its new business model waiting to go into full gear. If you are looking for weekend only work and already own an Ipad that you don't have a problem using for your job. CLA may be a good fit for you.
Cons
No performance reviews, no raises and the Field Representatives are not only required to have and utitilize their own personal computer, printer and digital camera. Beginning in mid 2013 also required to fund (upfront) the entire cost of a $300 to $400 tablet needed for the company's new business model with the company giving a partial reimbursement of approximately 25% of its cost later in the year . The company's website, used to educate and assist field employees with their job, is primitive at best and not easy to navigate. Difficult and time consuming to the employee and when information is located, it is likely outdated. The office staff that supplies the company's Field Associates with paperwork and printed materials appears to be overworked and spread to the max, which is why there are generally many cut and paste errors in the paperwork and missed direction included in the mailings. Other than a 401K plan the company has disolved most benefits for the service associate workforce. At any given time the company may require you to purchase new updated technology equipment to help them change or improve their business. The Management team has lost the true meaning of, and no longer appears to follow the CLA Way I learned from and about 8 years ago, although consistently remind the field workforce to follow the model. The company rarely, if ever, tells is field workforce of opportunities for advancement, you will simply happen upon them online on various job hunters websites. The company is drastically changing its business and can possibly make much more money in the coming months/years, however the amount of hours and pay an individual field rep can make will be limited to what they can work on a three day weekend. The company may make much more money if they can find enough people who choose to supply the company with a tablet and who are ready and able to work every weekend. If CLA can not fill those positions or retain their employees in place, the company's profits will be used consistantly hiring and rehiring for the same position time and time again. Hiring on with this company at this time needs much thought and consideration, as the company has exhibited a good amount of corporate ADD in the past. Having the workforce supply them with digital cameras that were used for two or three projects over the past 3-4 years, routinely starting "annual" events or policies, but never having the second "annual" of many of them.
