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      Sweetwater

      Engaged Employer

      Sweetwater reviews

      4.1

      80% would recommend to a friend

      (541 total reviews)
      avatar

      Mike Clem

      89% approve of CEO

      74% positive business outlook

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Sweetwater has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 541 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Sweetwater employee rating is 21% above average for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.4 stars).

      Reviews by job title

      541 reviews
      4.0
      Aug 29, 2020

      2020 Sales Engineer Review

      Sales engineer
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      If you’re a musician, you have access to pretty much anything you want and for a good price. In-house medical clinic, concierge to help with ordinary errands like dry cleaning drop off/return, sending packages, etc. Access and discounts to other “Sweet Family” of businesses just as Sweetcars, an eyeglass store, Sweet Aviation, etc. Lots of options food-wise in the cafeteria. Environmentally friendly workplace. Sweetwater’s home is a LEED certified building that uses ice to cool the building instead of air conditioning, for example. Free in-house personal trainer in the gym.

      Cons

      No real career upward movement when in sales. In fact they almost discourage it when asked about it with the common answer “Most Sales Managers take a pay cut.” There’s only about 10 for 500 Sales Engineers. Sweetwater only matches 20% up to 6% of your 401k. They used to only give 6 PTO days for the first year until just recently changing it to 10. Work life balance is hard. 11 hour days are pretty common. You’re required to work 44 hrs/week and every 3rd Saturday. 80-100 calls a day is almost expected. New Sales Engineers usually have to work later shifts and weekends and are also required to attend weekly meetings every Monday @8am and every Tuesday and Thursday meetings @ 7:30am. These are not included with the required 44 hours. The location isn’t really near anything, so taking a quick drive to do an errand on your lunch is pretty much impossible. Your first year is basically trying to build your customer base while fielding calls for your fellow sales engineers who have been there longer.

      avatar
      Sweetwater Response
      5y
      It's great to hear that you're enjoying the many things you've placed onto your "pros" list. A big part of our commitment to our employees is ensuring they have everything they could need right at their fingertips on our campus - the free fitness center, free health clinic, dry cleaning drop off/delivery service, salon & massage services, racquetball court, oil change/auto care drop off / return services via SweetCars and many other options. We were also very happy to add more PTO to every single employee this year. In addition, our employee profit sharing was our highest ever this year which took the company contribution to employee 401ks to the equivalent of a 45% match (vs the pre-profit sharing base match level). Regarding time commitment, we get that being a Sales Engineer can be a challenging - and rewarding - role. We work hard to be very clear about time expectations from the very beginning of the interview process. And we find that the vast majority of our new SEs understand very clearly what level of commitment they are signing up for. Regarding SE pay, we offer an uncapped commission structure which has allowed many successful Sales Engineers to earn incomes well into the six figures. The income opportunity is absolutely there for those who decide to invest themselves into building their career at Sweetwater. And regarding work/life balance we offer a variety of resources to help our team members proactively manage their well being - including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program. Of course, if you have other questions or concerns, always feel free to speak with a member of the Sales Management team or one of our HR team members. We're here to help! - Jeff Ostermann, Chief People Officer
      5.0
      Aug 28, 2020

      Great company with awesome culture

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Great culture and fantastic campus with tons of perks.

      Cons

      No bonus package and below average 401k benefits.

      5.0
      Aug 28, 2020

      There is light on the other side of a music career and it's Sweetwater!

      Guitar gallery technician
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      A career path in almost any department to move up and grow with. We get to handle and work on every brand of guitar that Sweetwater carries. We an opportunity to build great relationships with some of our favorite musical gear manufacturers in the world. There are many Perks from Sweetwater in the form of amazing benefits and the surrounding area has so much respect for what Sweetwater does for the community that most businesses offer additional discounts for any Sweetwater employee. Cost of Living is so low that the payscale means a better lifestyle in the area (Voted a "Most Livable City" by Forbes.) Great for those looking for a safe place to raise their families. Family Events at the zoo, picnics, festivals and concerts put on or sponsored by Sweetwater to keep the family culture and connection to community strong. The agility to work in a field of passion such as music, while learning and growing in a supportive environment. A Free Onsite Express Clinic for family members of Sweetwater employees. A Climate Controlled Distribution Center! Free access to the Sweetwater Gym, Lending Library, retail store, the arcade and great discounts on gear and services that Sweetwater offers, as well as other Sweet family businesses such as Sweet Cars and Longe Optical.

      Cons

      Not a "Con", but it would be nice to have a service that's sole purpose was to help new staff and their families moving to the area to find safe, comfortable short term and long term housing nearby that offer perks and discounts, since people seem to be drawn to Sweetwater from all over.

      Viewing 424 - 426 of 541 Reviews
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      ReviewsSweetwater reviews

      Glassdoor has 571 Sweetwater reviews submitted anonymously by Sweetwater employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Sweetwater is right for you.