Pros
*Good place to learn the fundamentals of procurement, basic logistics, and some inventory management *Provides exposure to big box retailers from a semi-insider perspective *If you need help developing a very solid work ethic, you will if you survive the introductory period *Good training program (30 days for new purchasing agents), experienced employees are generally willing to help newcomers
Cons
*Be prepared to work 50-60 hours per week, including weekends for ~$40K on salary *Limited opportunities for advancement; positions are often filled prior to posting/interviews being held *Inconsistent applicaton of rules and standards by managers and senior leaders *Salary increases are usually small (.5-2%), heavy reliance on challenging bonus program by management to augment salary estimates *Expectation that salaried employees report for work whether ill, injured, etc. Use of FMLA leave, sick time, child illness call-ins is actively discouraged and/or viewed as the making of a 'problem' employee (NB: I never used FMLA and didn't have kids at the time I worked there, just heard and observed what happened to and was said about those who did).