Great entry level experience but not somewhere any professional will want to stay.
Pros
Flexibility throughout the day. Great experience and training. Probably the biggest pro is networking with your customers for future employment because you will not want to stay at Fastenal.
Cons
Cut throat politics from branch management up to regional managers. Hard work and meeting your objectives and goals will not be recognized by upper level management. They promote "being your own boss", making strategic decisions to grow your business and reap the benefits. This is completely false. The score card with multiple variables, is designed to keep your commission low. The prices for products are ridiculously high and many companies will not even meet to discuss doing business because of Fastenal's reputation. The distribution centers are completely inefficient, with plenty of stock outs, and no stocks on a regular basis. A lot of product comes in damaged. There will be many days when you can not get out on the road to drum up some business because you are having to take care of petty branch operations that should be the job of a part time position. But because the company is so cheap, they wait months to provide employees at the branches with the necessary support that a legitimate supplier needs. This company wants employees with bachelors degrees willing to work 50+ hrs a week and pay them very low. The position really only requires the education of a high school diploma (nothing wrong with that). However, if you walk in with a masters degree and/or years of experience, don't expect to be treated any differently than a recent high school graduate. Even with the low pay and crappy support from the DC, the saddest pathetic element of this company is the selection of employees for positions. You are another pawn at this company. NEVER FORGET IT. If you believe that you are irreplaceable, you will soon find yourself out the door. This applies for part time all the way up to the regional manager. I saw this too many times too mention. They can hire some fresh new green guy out of college to replace you, even if it cost them business with the current customers at that branch. Kissing and sucking up is the only way to move up in the branches. Do yourself a favor, if you need an entry level job and want lots of training, then take the job and use them. After that get out, don't let yourself stay in a place that sees you as nothing more than a pawn.
