Unfortunately everything varies based on the location you work at. One store’s management and HR might genuinely care about its team members and treat everyone with respect, and another store location might talk bad about you and pick on you if they just don’t like your personality. (I traveled in the district and experienced the differences in store culture firsthand.) Great if you get lucky and work at the right location with the right people.
Whatever pay you agree to upfront when hired is what you will basically make forever. Yearly “Raises” are only a couple of CENTS.
Company increasing its minimum wage has zero effect on your pay if you make equivalent to or more than the new minimum. (i.e. as a VM, I started at $19/hr three years ago and I now make $19.25/hr three years later (bc of 5 and 10 cent yearly raises)
ZERO opportunity for career advancement. Biggest reason that Visual Merchandisers leave company is that there is no higher position to progress to unless you switch career paths and become a random department manager.
Only 10% employee discount.
Expected to work weekends and close, not able to get your VM workload done during those hours. Also expected to work long hours to finish projects in one day with no help or overtime pay. (i.e. I regularly worked 12 and 16 hour shifts at regular pay with no OT)
Stores are set up as dictatorships, so if any member of management doesn’t like you personally, they will find reasons to get rid of you. It is set up to make it VERY easy for management to make up reasons to fire you. (And I am speaking as a current employee that management “likes.” )
Work/life balance is poor as management will call and text you while you are off.
