Okay at entry-level, worse as you move up the ladder; a bumpy ride downhill
Pros
My coworkers and customers were the two best parts of my job. I worked with a fantastic group of women who were enthusiastic, kind, and supportive. I loved making connections with returning customers who really enjoyed the product. Some of the merchandise can be cute, and the discount is quite good for retail (50% off most merchandise). As a sales associate and key holder in the summer time, this was a fun place to learn about retail. As I moved into an assistant manager position, the job got less fun and more tedious. The store's sales goals are also highly dependent on the weather if you find yourself in an outdoor mall.
Cons
How well the store functions is dependent on the store manager. It can be night and day from one store to another. I was hired into a store with a well-trained EB veteran who knew what she was doing. After she left, the next manager was untrained, disrespectful, and mean. The entire staff eventually quit because of discrimination from and incompetence of the new manager. In between the two managers, I acted as 1st Assistant while the 1st Assistant acted as manager. We never received any raise or other compensation for keeping the store running with little to no training. We did not receive promised bonuses for making a monthly goal because the company does not think stores without a manager deserve anything. The closer I got to upper management, the more I could see that EB is not a developed and functioning company at its core. A few more points: - Low pay - Untrained management - Ridiculous, abrasive sales technique - Sales goals pulled out of thin air - Little work/life balance - Hours are terrible: asked for 30-35 hours and received 10-20, asked for 10-25 and received 35-40 - Encouraged to lie about product information to sell cheaply made merchandise - Upper management is disrespectful, unable to admit to mistakes, and uninterested in managing in-store interpersonal problems - Terrible POS/credit card machines that were constantly breaking/failing - Continuously changing operations - Lack of consistency in training I could go on and on about the many ways EB failed to be a supportive work environment. I very much do not recommend employment here, especially any position higher than key holder.
