REI reviews

good culture and decent hours

Honestly, outfitting those customers who were planning big trips was awesome. I worked in GA, so we frequently had people coming in who were going to hike the AT (or at least big sections). It was rewarding to have them come back and tell me how much they loved the gear I outfitted them with. I never felt any pressure to force people into a more expensive pack or tent, if they didn't need it. Generally the focus was on making sure people had the right gear so their outdoor experience was good. I liked getting regular pay raises, and I was glad that my hard work was appreciated with an unexpected pay raise once. Really fun people to work with (for the most part). Lots of my original group went on to become managers (I can count at least five). I know of one that became a manager at a flagship store, which really speaks to the room for mobility in the company. Health insurance is apparently very good, although I never had it. Employee discount was fantastic.