If You're a Cosmetics Counter Manager, Expect To Be At Odds With Dillard's - Cosmetics Counter Manager Dillard's Employee Review

3.0
Mar 17, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The pay is really good for retail. Working in cosmetics is a lot of fun - you get to play with makeup every day! You are responsible for making your hourly numbers, thereby ensuring your current rate of pay (or ability for a raise). The Dillard's I worked for was full of friendly people, and our store manager was really great. The opportunity for upward mobility is definitely there if you're willing to work hard.

Cons

Because your pay is based on making and improving your sales goals, your pay can be cut. If you work for a cosmetics counter within Dillards, expect to have your company responsibilities and requirements often to be at odds with what Dillard's expects you to be doing. For example, your company may want you to be promoting a certain product, complete with marketing material for said product, but Dillard's may be promoting something completely different, or even a different counter's (your competition) promotion. I've worked for 3 separate department stores as a counter manager for a cosmetics company, and Dillard's is by far the worst/weirdest when it comes to working "together" with your competition in the other counters. Because the focus at Dillard's is on making your own personal sale's goal, things in the cosmetics department often become cutthroat/catty, with people doing anything they can to make a sale, even if it's not their department, or they don't know what they're talking about.

Explore other reviews about Dillard's

5.0
Jun 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great payment benefits and flexible schedules

Cons

long-standing hours and sometimes overnight work or very early mornings for inventory

1.0
Jun 8, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Only pro is that you can expect there won't be any. So, transparency.

Cons

Annual raises for salaried employees are minimal, often only 100–500 dollars per year, regardless of performance or inflation. Salaried roles are consistently compensated below industry standards for comparable positions. Management routinely solicits employee input and feedback, then consistently ignores it, making requests for opinions feel performative rather than genuine. Excessive favoritism is openly displayed, accompanied by constant gossip, drama, and office politics that undermine professionalism and team cohesion. Leadership culture normalizes poor treatment by implying that if everyone is miserable together, the situation is acceptable. The company shows little concern for employee health and safety, pressuring staff to work in unsafe conditions because “it was done before.” Employees who raise workplace health concerns or request alternate work arrangements for health reasons are consistently penalized rather than supported, effectively forcing them to choose between their health and their job. The building was shot at, and management waited several hours to inform employees and refused to let anyone go home, demonstrating a disregard for basic safety and crisis response expectations. Any non-vacation time off, including sick time, medical appointments, and other approved leave, can be held against employees and negatively affect promotions, raises, and recognition. Promotions and raises are often denied based on incomplete or misleading assessments of performance, while significant individual contributions and permanent fixes to long-standing issues go unrecognized. External or third-party training and professional development are not supported and, in some cases, are actively discouraged. Execs are only concerned about profits and never employee well being, morale, or happiness.

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