Pros
Employee discount is standard. I personally got paid well, I don't think that is the case with most though.
Cons
No work/life balance. For some unknown reason, the company is pushing out all of the talented managers. They are preferring to hire managers (at the store level and district level) that don't have enough experience to bring the company out of their less than favorable situation. Sales are rough at Pac Sun, especially compared to similar specialty retailers. Some are saying that Pac has the "Worst business model in specialty retail," I agree. The way the company is going about turning over their tenured and experienced management staff is shameful. If you are considering a position with this company.....ask them what their management turn over rate was for last year......I bet they don't give you an answer. For one, the non-experienced managers probably don't know....and for two....they surely would not want to tell anybody if they did. Successful retailers are hiring all of the talent that is leaving Pac Sun like crazy......Follow Pac Sun on Linkedin and you will see. The company is attempting to cut costs through taking extreme labor cutting measures (more than your typical retailer). They continue to reduce the number of management employees in the field (which they do not publicize), making everyones job more difficult. The visual team is CRAZY! They do complete floorsets multiple times every month....and they don't give you any hours to do it. They want stores to do "rolling floorsets," which are supposed to be completed during business hours. With single coverage and the obvious expectation that you not just engage, but start conversations with every customer and try to connect with each of them (talk to them and sell to them the ENTIRE time they are in the store), this expectation is not realistic. Every season corporate comes out with some sort of "Plan to Win," which is typically a 50 page document that you have to fill out, with a game plan of how you are going to be successful each season and for EVERY holiday. These documents are pointless. Managers spend more time filling out the paperwork , rather than taking the actions necessary to impact their business. They are always confusing and senseless. Being able to shift gears quickly is part of retail, but every week, corporate changes direction, asking you to change your schedules at the last minute. In the morning when you come into work, you will have a message saying that you have a HUGE markdown (like 12 hours worth of work), plus you are supposed to be working on a "rolling floorset," you get 25 unexpected boxes of shipment (that needs to be processed in 24 hours), and you have a window change and promotion change that needs to be completed. They expect you to get it all done before 10 am and you are on single coverage, but your the problem if it is not done.....not the unrealistic expectations. Every time there is a corporate visit, DM's and RM's dump hours into stores (literally hundreds of hours in a week or two) to put on a front like this is what they store always looks like. They should be showing the leaders what it really is like to run one of these stores. I am an unhappy former employee, but I speak the truth. The outsiders are correct when they say that "Pac Sun has the worst business model in specialty retail." Anybody considering a position with this company, I recommend really knowing what you are getting into. Observe a store for a day, talk to the employees, ask the interviewing manager tough questions, or you may end up regretting it. I made $49,000 a year working at Pac Sun (much more than your typical Store Manager) and it was still the worst job I have ever had. Apply at Aero, Apple, American Eagle, Hot Topic......but not Pac Sun.