Sweetwater reviews

4.2

81% would recommend to a friend

(541 total reviews)
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Mike Clem

90% approve of CEO

73% positive business outlook

Sweetwater has an employee rating of 4.2 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 24% above average for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.4 stars).

Reviews by job title

541 reviews
5.0
Mar 26, 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Hard work and consistency pays off. You can ramp up quickly if you put in the work. You don't need to work 50-60 hours a week to make good money. Just work hard when you are scheduled to work!

Cons

Honestly, it's case by case. If you have a bad attitude, you won't do well at this job. If you can't sit at a desk and make calls, you won't do well at this job. If you know what to expect, you will have an amazing career.

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Sweetwater Response
7y
Thanks for the fine review and also for the straight talk. This employee is right on all counts: we clearly define what's expected and what a Sales Engineer should do to be successful. We provide three months of classroom training in preparation for becoming a Sales Engineer and then continuous training after wards to do all we can to insure success. Those that follow our advice and put in the work to make long term relationships with our customers succeed time and time again and, to quote this reviewer, have "amazing careers." Those that don't put in the work to form relationships and then decide that somehow that's an unreasonable job expectation ultimately don't do well. We are consistently transparent about all of that. So thanks to this reviewer for accurately describing the job and sharing their success story. Jeff McDonald, Senior VP of Human Resources
5.0
Nov 11, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Industry Leading Pay, Most Advanced Systems, Truly Inspiring Company Culture From The Top Down

Cons

It is definitely hard work. To be truly successful you need to immerse yourself in the industry and job.

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Sweetwater Response
7y
Thanks for the great review. Your hard work and dedication is appreciated! Jeff McDonald, Senior VP of Human Resources
5.0
May 26, 2017

Awesome Company!

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are lots of amenities and benefits which can be read about and viewed on the company website. I'll focus this on what is less apparent. Any concerns, issues, questions, or even complaints that I've had have always been met with an open door and honest feedback. That is not to say that every possible wish and whim I've presented has been granted, as that's not what an effective company should do. They listen, they consider, and they carefully act on what they consider to be best for the company at large. This is true of every head of every department I've spoken with. Speaking strictly about Sales Management, they are always concerned and willing to listen to personal issues and situations, and I can earnestly say that I count several of the managers as personal mentors of mine. While they are very focused on work-related performance, I've always felt comfortable going to them with a problem that has nothing to do with work. Some of my most fulfilling strides in my personal life have stemmed from discussions with managers at work. This is a career, not a job. If you enter it hoping for this to be a 2-5 year gig, then you're not going to get as much out of it as someone who is in it for the long haul. It takes true commitment and endurance to be successful, and you can't be looking for the exits on your way into it. I consider that to be a pro! The company culture here is one of caring, and community. I've seen entire departments rally around employees who are experiencing hardship, illness, etc. I've seen the whole company rally around individuals! Even though we're a larger company and it's tougher to know every single coworker, there is still a feeling of genuine community here and it's been evidenced many times in the past. From top to bottom, in every department, these are some of the most talented, intelligent, unique, and entertaining people I've met in my life.

Cons

These cons are strictly related to Sales, as I have no experience in other departments here. This can be a stressful job. Of course read above for how rewarding it is! It requires a high level of consistency in productivity, and in attitude. It's not always easy finding the energy or enthusiasm that are really necessary to do a job like this. We are customer facing, and customer focused, so being low energy and having a bad attitude will make for a very frustrating experience. You have to be prepared to put in the work, even when you don't feel like it, and no one here will actually force you to do that. It is all about self-discipline and self-control as it's a very lax environment. In spite of various reviews on this site, there is very little micromanagement. While that sounds like a pro, it also means that you have to manage yourself, and that is challenging. If you like being challenged, then read all of this as a Pro. If you don't, and you need lots of direction and external input, then read all of this as a Con. I have literally never been told to "Get to work." If you need to be, then this is a BIG con. If you don't need to be, then you'll love it. It's commission based which is both pro and con. Again, self-discipline and self-control are the key here. If you have both of those, being commission based will be a Pro. If you lack them, it will be a Con. Hours can be long, and work can follow you home. Phone calls and emails don't automatically stop coming in at 6pm or begin at 9am. Our customers will have issues and needs round the clock, and sometimes across the globe. We are not required to work extra hours, but most of us will at some time or another because it's what's needed to get the job done. Again, if you're looking for a job that begins and stops at a specific time, then this is a con. If you're not, then it's a pro.

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Sweetwater Response
9y
Given the anonymity of Glassdoor I have no idea who wrote this, but I want to thank them for such a candid assessment of the Sales Engineer position. We've said it here many times before on this forum: this is a GREAT job that is definitely not for everyone. People who approach this as a long term career that will require their own personal investment of time, patience, and perseverance do incredibly well, both financially and in terms of satisfaction with their loyal based of customers. Those who need to be told exactly what to do every day or prodded to be successful will struggle. This review does an excellent job of telling it like it is. Thanks. Jeff McDonald, Senior VP of HR
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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.