Pros
- You'd meet some of the best people and make life-long connections... SOME. - You'd be able to see what you can and cannot handle, identify your strength and weaknesses, or what you are NOT WILLING to deal with. - Benefits - because it is an international company - Very structured so it's easy to learn from the get go, if you're willing - Structured promotion opportunities - quarterly for associates & bi-annually for managers
Cons
- Micromanagement style - you're expected to work to exhaustion, in store & in corporate, especially if you WFH currently, expect 10-11+ hour days, no lunch breaks, & some work on weekends - Zero work-life balance. You'd have a little if you're lucky enough to have an understanding manager -Working environment (in stores & HQ) does not follow company values & standards, ironically you are supposed to memorized them. - Senior managements are more managers than leaders, also EXTREMELY contradicting - They say will say there are opportunities for growth (esp. in interviews) but you'll only get it if you'll willing to suck-up and don't have an opinion (for corporate & west coast store operations, east coast is a little bit better). So if you want to be a mindless follower, you'll be promoted. - If senior management sees you as "difficult", meaning you voice concerns, suggest ideas for improvement, or stand up for yourself and your team/store, you'll be ignored for promotion or for their expats, sent back to their home country. -HR team is okay... some members do genuinely care. They can help you with any paperwork related stuff, like the basic HR tasks. But when it comes to your own work/professional questions, issues with management, work environment/culture, the most they'll do are touch bases and say what you need/want to hear, when nothing can and will be done to improve due to, again, senior management - Store operations - New store managers are well under-qualified, most are title-sensitive, & got the position because of the company's need of managers due to high turnover (more for west coast operations) and/or favoritism (refer to previous statement). The ones that genuinely care about making the store & company better, would obviously express opinions & if they don't align with senior management, are denied promotion with lame excuses. OR they will promote you because they have to not because of acknowledgment of the hard work you've been doing - Corporate - LOTS of politics and gossip (think high school), everyone is out for themselves so they'd "look good" to the Directors & CEOs, you could be thrown under the bus if you don't stand up for yourself, even by a Director. You'd be lucky to have a supportive manager but sometimes, even they can't do anything. - Managers & Directors are either Japanese expats (quite sexist, if you're female, no chance to of promotion but they'll work you hardest) or Americans (locals as they call it) who only only got their positions based on sucking up and following directions rather than bringing results like they say they expect from you and should. - Very structured to the point where you have to do it their way - Computer systems are extremely outdated, everything has to be approved from the JP Global HQ.