jobbite
First off, I LOVED this job two months in. The work was easy, my managers were lenient, co-workers are great and I got to help men and women learn more about our products and make them feel comfortable in this potentially awkward shopping trip.
Fast forward to now, all of the managers are on totally different pages.
1. Every manager on the floor (at least 3+ at a time) has different standards for the floor and wants you to prioritize things differently. I had to re-do an entire swimsuit display using only medium sizes and help customers at the same time! Not only were both managers mad at me for not "satisfying" my goals, even though I finished the display correctly while also assisting guests (without a walkie talkie), but yet another manager yelled at me for wasting my time when apparently that's the stock employees' job and I should have "walkied" the back for assistance.
2. After being here for 6 months, managers are just now realizing that not only have I not shadowed anyone or been trained in everything, but that I was trained in bras by someone WHO ISN'T EVEN A BRA SPECIALIST. So now I and every girl I trained with that day have to get a 4 hour training, again, on a date that still has not been discussed.
3. One manager simply cannot stay on par with the other managers. The only instruction she gives all day is telling you, literally next to the customers, that you need to ask them if they need help. I will be the only person in the room, and have already asked them 3 times. Not to mention half of the customers don't even speak English. They get very annoyed and several times have simply left the store altogether.
4. I cover everyone's shifts, am only scheduled once a week (unless you count all of the on-calls that are never activated), am always early, and never give my managers any attitude whatsoever. All I have to show for it is a forboding phone call about a girl not showing up to cover my shift, and a threat to be fired.
Pros:
-Great coworkers
-Good discounts and the occasional free bra/sample (although none of us hired in august have received our promotions or gratis yet, despite requests)
-Convenient website for schedule, requests off, checking payroll
Cons:
-Bad communication among unprofessional management
-Low pay
-Too many customers per associate, yet on-calls are never activated
-"open door policy" must mean loudly complaining about your staff and fellow managers... in the back room where there is no door
First off I need to agree with everyone in the fact that you never really got good training. You watched a video and then they just threw you onto the floor by yourself and say "good luck". If you don't learn fast, you'll get swallowed up. I got hired with a couple other girls and by the end of the month I was the only one who hadn't quit.
When I got hired, they told me they were going to pay me 7.47. Which already isn't that good. I was making 7.50 at my old job, but it was close enough. A couple months later i'm checking my pay stubs online (your scheduling, pay stubs, and requesting time off is all online they don't teach you how to use that either.) only to find out that all this time they've been paying me much lower then what they told me. I figured with the open door policy, I would be able to calmly explain the problem to my store manager and it would get fixed. Boy was I wrong. All she did was roll her eyes and look at me like "how dare you ask me to heighten your pay" and made me feel bad for asking. One of the other managers said she would fix it for me, but four months later and there's still no change. I feel really taken advantage of, especially because despite all that i'm a good worker and have made thousands of dollars for them and the company.
That's only the tip of the iceberg here, but overall it's a very demanding cutthroat company. They make you feel bad for not selling someone a credit card with 25% interest. They make me feel like I have to do things that are dishonest just to keep a customer. Needless to say i'm looking for a new job.
Oh, and even if your schedule says 1:00PM to 6:00PM, be prepared to stay after until two in the morning folding panties.
Pros: Discounts, gratis bras. My fellow sales associates are nice girls and easy to work with.
Cons: Everything else.
I have so many shameful stories about management, customers, and poor treatment of associates it's ridiculous.
First of all, Limited Brands is a HUGE company and is extremely profitable. I mean, Victoria's Secret PINK has ALONE reached 1 billion dollars in sales, not to mention profits from Henri Bendel, CO Biggelow, La Senza, and White Barn Candle Company which are all owned by Limited Brands. With such financial successs you would think employees would be recieving a generous paycheck... right?
Unfortunately, associates are paid minimum wage. The company justifies this by pointing out our generous 30% discount and remiding us of our occasional free bra we recieve (about twice a year). Recently they started giving an annual survey for all employees to find out how satisfied we are with our jobs overall. When the issue of pay came up it was clear everyone was highly dissatisfied. They held a store meeting after and basically told everyone that even though we are upset the company isn't going to do anything about it.
I started out as a seasonal associate and after a year and a half was promoted to a supervisor position, I didn't even recieve a dollar raise.
I spend a lot of time in the office alone with the other managers. When I was new to my supervisor position, I was told by management that everything said in the office is strictly confidential and if I ever shared anything it would be found out... here's why. When managers aren't screaming their heads off at associates through the walkies and reading numbers they are in the back office saying horrible things about their sales associates. Not to mention the interactions between management is disgusting. When sales plans are met they completely kiss each other's asses and tell eachother how wonderful they are for an hour via conference call. Yet when sales plans are not met they completely turn on the manager responsible and call them out in front of the entire district. Very professional.
Honestly this post could become a book, I could go on and on but to sum it up, this company is very cut throat and has unrealistic expectations for such pathetic wages. Perhaps I'll write another review that is a bit more specific once I find a better job.
PROS: discount.
CONS: everything else.
Salary: started out at 8.06 per hour, currently making 8.86 per hour. No bonuses, no vacation time.
NOTE: when I started my VERY FIRST retail job at 15 years old, I started at 8.00 per hour. JUST SAYING.
I chose this job over TJ Maxx and I regret it. I chose this one because I got paid more. Unfortunately I feel that I didn't have enough training. All we did was watch a video and had a tour of the store. People were there if I had questions, but I felt like the more questions I asked, the less they liked me. I felt so clueless on the floor, and I felt that nothing I did was ever good enough. I was never praised for anything I did.
The managers there played favorites, and they were very unprofessional. On some occasions, the manager would jokingly threaten me. I didn't really find it funny. All of the employees there weren't very friendly and they acted very snobby.
At first I got some great hours. I enjoyed my pay, and I was happy to work there. But then the work got boring... I felt that all I was doing was folding underwear. The managers pushed the credit card on me so hard, but I wasn't able to prove that I actually sold one. No one wants a stupid credit card anyway.
I was scheduled on Black Friday to work at 3 AM, but they sent me home at 7 AM because business slowed.. I just felt so cheated that day. Right then, I knew it was over for me. I had nothing but call ins after that and each day they told me they didn't need me. Eventually I got no hours and that was the end of that. I was never formally let go. I'm not even going to bother including this place on my resume. It was a terrible experience, and I wouldn't suggest anyone to work there.
$7.40/hr
I have to say that I absolutely LOVE working at Victoria's Secret. I have a great team with great managers! I was at first afraid of working with so many women, because I know that girls can get catty. However, the girls I work with are amazing! It's a great environment. I always smell good when I come home too! (hello testers!) I always know when the sales are so I get first pick :]. Although it stinks that employees don't get discounts on sale items! Some of the cons would be our call-ins. VS is only supposed to give employees maximum two call-ins per week, but my manager has scheduled me four at one time. It really cuts down on my paycheck if they aren't used. Sometimes I get scheduled four hour shifts, earning 7.50 an hour I am only making 30 a day. That is barely enough to pay for gas! I have been working for the company for seven months now and have not received a raise. I am bra certified and cannot switch with anyone who is not bra certified, yet I have no pay raise to account for the extra knowledge. I have two children so I'd really like a job that gave me paychecks I could actually DO something with (besides blow it all on their product) All in all I think it is a great company. In employee surveys, VS does well except for the hourly pay. We all work extremely hard for such little pay. Brand guides are hard labor that we do not get paid well for. I just can't seem to quit this job though
7.50/hr. Minimum wage is 7.25 in NC.
I have been a Store manager for over 12 years. I would have to say that it has been the most "real" and upfront company on their expectations of the management team. This retail beast is NOT for the faint of heart. They require the most out of their staff than any other company I have worked for, but at the same time, we are all here to actually work. There truly is no such thing as "down time" in the company, which is a huge shock to some. From Sales Associates all the way to the Store manager - you will be worked! Foot traffic in theses stores are extremely high, and you will on average have 30 customers to every 1 associate in the store. So if you higher "dead weight" the entire team will feel it. Your business acumen had better be sharp, and you had better know your measurable metrics and how to move them.
TO ADDRESS THE CALL-IN SHIFTS: If scheduled per policy, no associate should have more than 2 call-in shifts per week. Although they are a pain they are crucial for the success of the business. No retailer has a crystal ball to determine traffic, and we have all been in line somewhere with 20 people and 1 cashier. Sucks right? So which would you rather have; a call-in shift for back up, or a store FULL of very angry customers who are very vocal and overworked/ frustrated staff? If we went ahead and hard scheduled call-in's and the store misses their sales for the week, then the following weeks payroll is cut and no body receives any work hours. So to sum it up - quite complaining.
LETS TALK ETHICS: The organization has tried very hard to establish a professional, ethical work environment, but they have done so in a very contradictory manner. They SCREAM open door policy, however in their training module they utilize 20 minutes on the ethics hotline (encouraging associates to use the ethics hotline for any and all issues) What ever happened to the open door policy - where staff was encourage to go to management first, work any issues out in-house first, and then if there was no resolution contact an ethics hotline. I cannot tell you the B.S. that is called into that hotline that waist so much time.( My manager hates me, another associate was mean to me, Another associate gets more hours than me, a customer was mean to me, my manager wouldn’t give me every weekend off . . . Boo hoo people) When it’s face to face it forces a very necessary level of maturity and professionalism. And if you are out to get someone fired, here’s how you do it. Repeatedly call ethics over and over again. That individual is investigated and is given no means to respond to their accuser. It’s a very dirty way to play the retail game. I have had to let a very good manager go, over a persons personal opinions that had nothing to do with the business who utilize ethics to spread lies.
S P O I L E R A L E R T! Just so you know, if you call ethics with an issue, they know who you are, and your store manager is given a print out of your entire conversation with ethics (verbatim) and they know who you are! (He, he, he)
PROS:
*Beautiful Merchandise
*40% Discount (non sale)
*Great Benefits
*Free Gratis
*Supportive Upper Management (but tough)
* Return policy is great for the customer - if it is 20 years old, funky, torn and freshly stained - they will still take it back!
CONS:
*Low pay for sales associates (who work very hard)
*Crazy floor set and off hours expectations
*Sometimes unrealistic sales expectations (economy)
*Bonus program sounds great, but as you blow your numbers out the water - they will re-adjusts your sales
target higher and higher DURING the quarter. (prevents large bonuses)
* Ethics program is setup in a way that easily allow abuse of the program
$60,000
I worked there for 5 years and its the worst place ever. It was all good when I started out but the store soon came to be nothing but clicks...and the main manager is so lazy and does no work. All she cares is about making money. She even illegally sells the products to a woman who sells them on ebay and makes more money than the employees ever would just so she can make money. Its nothing but favorites and they will do their best to set you up and fire you. Pay is horrible and you don't get a good raise or anything. HR kisses butt to the managers and never supports the employees. They never bumped me up and girls starting got to become managers within 3 months because favorites rule.
Im glad Im not with that company anymore.
They would give me an oncall everyday so i could never make plans, and then they would take me off the schedule for 3 months and then put me back on. DO NOT EVER WORK FOR ONE
only thing good was a discount but its not worth the hassle.
I was hired as a seasonal associate and I've been working there for two weeks, so not very long. I read alot of the reviews on here and alot were nasty, I can't discount them however because most work environments have the potential to be unforgiving. Thankfully the location I work at is the opposite.
First, I was recruited at my college at one of those job fairs, one of the managers was there, I got a card, listed my availability and went to speak with the manager, she was super nice and gave me an interview. At the interview ( group interview) there were three other women and a man, all had previous work experience with makeup and beauty, but were not very enthusiastic, sort of blah-ze. She asked us questions like what is your favorite makeup Item, what did you like about your last job, what did you hate about it ( word of advice, don't answer negatively), what makes a good employee ect, she asked maybe two people each question, so not all got the same question.
Anyway, two weeks later I got a call, and I was hired! I went to induction which was 6 hours of filling out paperwork, watching videos about bras, customer service, beauty, technique, safety, legal stuff, protocol, ect. ( there are about 40 people in the room with you) The lady I met with at my college was the lady that was running induction, she was so bubbly and nice, she immediately made the whole room feel at ease. I was cautious because she might turn out to be mean later when things got tough at work, but nope, my first day she was there just as cheery as ever.
I went through a week of call ins that I wasn't needed for until I was scheduled for my SO SHIFT which means that's a definite shift.
I went in at 7 am ( they have me for all hours of the day and night) waited, they were late about an hour, the other employees weren't very smiley, but willing to help and give me any info I may need. We got straight to work after clocking in, I was cleaner for the day, I swept, mopped, and washed their thousands of mirrors( not really that many mirrors,but alot) worked as greeter for a bit, then finished up my 4 hour shift by cleaning the beauty bar. The store was clean and played cute Christmas music, the CSL( person in charge who tells you your duties at the beginning of your shift) was sooo nice, I was really shocked at how helpful everyone was despite the workload.
So thats my story
Pros- fun work environment, smells good, clean, discounts are great and I get seasonal gratis ( 10 dollar bra from their top collection, 10 panties for 25 bucks and a free perfume)Its clean, upbeat, organized, I get to dress pretty. Plenty of opportunity to trade or get shifts, easy to navigate ACES scheduling system, the system is easily understood.
Cons- Lots of call-ins that don't usually follow through, and you have to call in for those 2 hours before, if you aren't needed you get the day off, but plans are hard to make because its such short notice.
Short shifts are great ( 4 hrs) but if you need money, its not the best.
Pay is 8.06 an hour. Bonuses are 30% discounts to limited brands storesm Pink, Vic Secret, and bath and body works.
This job is absolutely grueling for how much I earn. The scheduling can be inconvenient, but the work environment is well-organized and standardized and it is a well-oiled machine. I've had much more leisurely and friendly retail jobs, but I'm there to work, not chit-chat, so that part doesn't matter so much. I'm not always given my state-mandated breaks, which is one of my main complaints. I know that doesn't really come from the management in the store though -- the pressures come from the central office, and the burden is shared by all of us in the store. At the store level, I don't have complaints, but overall, I think a little more attention to team-building and morale might be in order.
Pros -- well-organized structure and good discount
Cons -- doesn't really pay the bills, unless you live in your car, pace is too fast
Before working at Pink, I've had two other retail jobs. When they hired me at PINK I was excited because I love the brand, but after working there for not even a few weeks, I began to realize what a horrible company this is to work for. Not only do they use the call in techniques (which i find inconvenient because you're not able to make plans) but they also change your schedules on you last minute. There are countless times (keep in mind I've only worked there for a little over a month) where PINK has called me the morning of my shift and told me either I don't need to come in, or they want me in there earlier or later. Doesn't sound so bad right? On three separate occasions they have called me less then fifteen minutes before my shift starts to tell me I don't have to come in. Let me share these experiences with you.. The first time PINK called me FIVE minutes before my shift started (of course I'm already at the mall located 20 minutes away from my school) and told me I didn't have to work that day. This, to me, is unacceptable. About a week later, they told me in the morning I needed to come in for my 5oclock call in. I called again two hours before my call in started and made sure that I still needed to come in (they of course said yes). Not even 10 minutes before my shift starts (I'm on the highway almost to the mall) I get a call from PINK telling me that I don't need to come in for my call in anymore. This company is inconsiderate of individual employees. This retail job was not worth my time (and trust me, I don't just hate it because it's a retail job).
$8.44 p/h.
Working for this company has been a really great experience for me. This is my first retail job every, and coming from the food industry, I have had WAY worse management and treatment. All of this ranting about sucky managers and terrible pay is just nonsense. I have fantastic managers, all 5 of them. They really care about us employees and are all about teaching moments and learning. If I do something wrong, they are more than willing to help me learn the right way for next time. They also hold everyone accountable for their jobs, always informing us every hour over the headset how our sales are going and what we still need to bring in to make our segment. They also give us sales incentives, offering a free bra and panty to the person who can bring in the most credit, or a Starbucks gift card (courtesy of whoever is CSLing) to whoever fits the most people. Can be high pressure, but I enjoy the challenge. I don't feel like my managers play favorites. I think there are girls that have been there for years that the managers know better and are better friends with than me, but I don't feel like they play favorites with those people. So I feel that all of the manager rants on here just depend on your store. I happen to work for fabulous managers.
I also work with (mostly) all fun, outgoing, intelligent women who really welcomed me as a new employee over the summer. I will say that the scheduling system online they use is CONFUSING! The first few times I put in for time off I had to ask for lots of help figuring out the program. But they were completely willing to help me. Also Call Ins suck. When I was brand new all I had was Call Ins, and they NEVER used them. But now, they have used every Call In I have usually and now I have a ton of hours (Part Time 30 hrs/wk?). There's just a lot of opportunity to move up. My store is extremely organized, like one of the most organized companies I have ever seen. And also very fast paced, so my shifts go by super fast. Yeah the hours can be really late. Yeah they're really particular about standards when closing and making sure everything looks perfect for the morning. Yeah the pay feels really low for what kind of work we put into our jobs. Yeah customers can be demanding and rude expecting phenomenal customer service from you. And yeah panties are a constant battle with recovery. But it's a mall job, what did you expect?
Pros: 30% discount, Free Bra Gratis, $10-15 Bra buy ins, great management, organized, opportunity to move up
Cons: confusing scheduling, constant struggle with panty bars, work HARD for minimum wage
Working at Victoria Secret is my first retail job. But I do not recommend applying there. You will get hardly any hours and for all the hard work you do, minimum wage is all your paid. I had one day of "training' which consisted of watching a stupid video tape which was not at all helpful. Then two weeks after my training, after they finally found some hours for me, they threw me into the fitting rooms, with no guidance at all. I did not know the lay out of the door and felt very clueless and lost. Since then, I have worked a few measly four hour shifts, along with one nine hour shift on Black Friday. And the "on-call" hours are ridiculous. Two hours notice is just unprofessional The managers are extremely disorganized, play favorites, and have a high turn over rate. The manager I originally interviewed with quit before I even started training. Another manager quit soon after. Victoria Secret is all about customer service, but yet they treat sales associates like they don't matter. I don't like quitting things, but if I don't see improvement in the management of my store or a raise in hours I will quit.
Pros- 30% employee discount
Cons- Few hours and Call In system
Starting wage: 8.87 (20 cents above Washington state's minimum wage
Basically, I would rather have no job at all then to work for this place again. The main reason I left was because of the fact that the so-called managers did nothing but sit on their butts and talk trash about every customer and employee. I worked P/T because I was in highschool, and they would keep me until midnight or later some nights. The place was impossible to clean, and god forbid the managers helped. They would much rather sit there until the crack of dawn and watch you sweat. The best was when they would threaten employees over the headsets saying they would fire you if you didn't sell an angel card that day. Way to embarress you in front of the whole staff. One time I worked about 6 or more hours with one 15min break, and I was assigned to stand at the door and say hi and bye the WHOLE time. In reality their supposed to move you around during your shift. Thanks to VS I came to hate working in retail when I used to love it.
No pros, discounts aren't even worth the drama.
After I did my interview and received my call of acceptance "I loved it"! The hours were great and starting pay was $9. To me it was a dream....things changed rapidly though once managers left and new ones came in. I felt out casted and definitely favoritism changed hours. While other were getting promotions I was received less hours until I had to be rehired because supposedly I was marked in the system as "seasonal". Long story short it was bull, its not how it used to be in the beginning of the year. I will not be staying long. Only thing that keeps me are the discounts!!!
$9
I started working at Victoria's Secret during the Summer of 2010. I thought "$8.40 an hour would be good for a starting job," but then I realized how shitty the hours were, how long floorsets were, and how much of a slave job this is. I have been scheduled at 6am on weekends for only FOUR hours. FOUR HOURS ONLY!!! How the hell is $35 a day anything to survive off of?!?!?! They can pay these models thousands and thousands of dollars, spend millions on all their advertising, but they can't pay their fucking employees AT LEAST $10 for all the hard work they have to do? We are REQUIRED to wear black at all times, we must hide any tattoos or noticeable piercings, our nails color can only be normal every day colors (red, french tip, black, etc), we are REQUIRED to "ROYGBIV" (meaning colorize everything from the back room to the bras in the cabinets in the store) everything needs to be stylized, they send you at least 10 shipment boxes every day that need to be finished in FOUR HOURS. For the opening shifts you're required to sweep, mop, clean mirrors, vacuum, and "replenish" the walls with more merchandise. There are days when your four hour shifts will get "cut" so you really only work 2 hours.. You get no benefits.. The lowest shittiest pay anyone can have, it's just a bullshit job. I have quit once and ONLY went back because I absolutely NEEDED the money.. now I am at the verge of leaving this company AGAIN. Sure we get free things here and there.. but those free things don't pay your bills!!!!!!
ONLY "higher" managers get vacation time, PTO, benefits, full time hours, etc.
All these reviews about how this company sucks with scheduling is crap! If you don't want to work at a job, don't blame the job. Blame yourself for being so lazy. I'm in college and my store has never had a problem at all for me taking time off, or with my availability or anything. Yeah, I do floorsets everytime they have them, but they never force anyone to do those. It makes me so mad to read these reviews about how this job and company suck. I think it's just the people writing the reviews. Don't complain about a job scheduling you; you're there to work. Don't complain about time off; only ask for the important days. Don't complain about VS scheduling outside of your availability; a manager isn't allowed to schedule you through Ace's (online scheduling) outside of your availability. I have worked in jobs that have treated me SO much worse and never complained about them. Everyone complaining about this company should sit on the couch all day cause they clearly can't handle a job period.
This company is my favorite company I have ever worked for. The pay isn't too good, but everything else is amazing. Working here, one is given unlimited opportunities to advance within the company. The hours are completely flexible. You arrange them at home on the computer, and the stores go based on when you are available. Everyone who works there is very outgoing and sweet. The discount is okay sometimes, you can get bras for a major discount, but it is usually just the unattractive colors you can pick from. I own some 30 bras in nude, black, and weird solid colors. You get 30% on any other full priced item. You CAN NOT use the free panty cards, $ off bra cards, etc. so that is a little bit of a bummer also. Employees must be on their feet at all times, and have to have a good eye for aesthetics and visual displays. The job mostly consists of fitting women to discover their size and find them the correct bra that they will love. It is occasionally difficult to tell a woman her size when she is defiant of it. Most customers are very courteous but you do get the ones who will come in and chew the employees out for the "pornography" displayed on the windows. (Then again, this is Utah.) The job also consists of waiting on customers, cleaning/straigtening, setting up floorsets. I worked as a former store manager at a different company, and Victoria's Secret is much more organized and professional. I look forward to my time with the company. One last thing, you MUST know how to deal with theft. There is a lot of theft, and it can be difficult to spot and deal with when you are not familiar with it. Oh yeah, you also get discounts at Bath and Body Works.
$8.00 per hour (perfect for students), get to design own schedule, Paid Time Off for Managers, 30% off at VS and Bath and Body Works, Monthly discount bra gratis, employee incentives, grateful women who feel beautiful after coming :)
My experience with this company has been absolutely HORRIBLE! I worked my butt off thinking I wanted the position as a Bra Specialist, and when I received it I thought I would earn more respect but BOY was I wrong I pretty much agreed to be their slave when I took the promotion. I couldn't ever request days off I just tried to take Halloween off I got it approved then still got scheduled. I have a child they know I wanted to go trick or treating with him. I explained this to them before I requested off they said they understood then scheduled me anyways. If your a bad employee you get the perks of getting any day off you want, if your a good employee you can never ask for days off without being punished with ridiculous shifts outside of your availability. That hardly seems fair. This company is absolutely ridiculous and from reading these rants I can tell the company has issues and not just my store. I agree with another poster if your store is taking advantage of you and having you do other peoples job that get paid more than you then you should absolutely call home office. Getting scheduled on days I requested off a month in advance is my final straw. I have to tell my child I can not take him trick or treating because I have to stand in an empty fitting room while theres no business. I will be putting in my two weeks and finding a company that can appreciate my hard work. Breaks forget about them, I've worked 9 and 10 hour shifts with a 15 minute break. Its completely illegal. You only get recongination if you open up angels cards, forget about making bra plans. Even though the bra specialist plays a HUGE role in making the plan the CSL gladly takes all of the credit as if they didnt sit in the office and read numbers the whole time.
Starting pay- $7.25
Current pay as a bra specialist- $8.50
Just the facts-You make up your own opinion
1. When Beauty merged with Lingerie, nobody was told why, what, or how.
2. Our Beauty manager hired 2 ladies that worked in cosmetics with Macy's, they both left back to Macy's after 3 weeks. They told me it was not what the manager had told them it would be like.
3. Before aces (computer scheduling), the managers would write the schedules on paper, many employees found thier schedule would change in the middle of the week with no word from management. Managers would then give verbal warnings to employees for not showing up or checking oncalls.
4. Before aces (computer scheduling), employees would waste thier gas to drive to the store to look at next weeks schedule, only to find no hours given. Calling to check your schedule was not an option.
5. Management did mass write-ups during a semi annual sale because employees took 20 minute breaks. I had mine retracted, reason being all cashwraps were being used and the average customer had a lot of product that took at least 3-5 minutes to ring up. Clocking out and in required waiting for the cashier to finish the sale.
6. In the state of California, 5 feet of clearance is required for both sides of the door, otherwise it is a violation of the fire code. We had many visits from corporate and we were in violation of this code and many more during a 2 year span. Managers were told, the ethics line was called (thirdparty,not part of Victorias Secret LLC), and no attempt was made to be within the fire code. Even after the fire marshall threatened to close the store, we were still in violation of the fire code.
7. The district manager told human resources she wanted to write me up for not being a team player by calling the fire marshall, which in the state of California is illegal per the whistleblower act.
8. A loss prevention manager told me, and only me, that the district manager was let go for running her own policy outside of company policy, he then offered me a position in management.
9. Before I left this store, which is one of the biggest on the west coast, many employees were complaining that they had not received a review.
I did, and was told to sign on the review that I was not to speak to anyone that I had received a review. I was told by my new district manager, at my new store in a different region, that I should never be told to keep quiet about recieving a review. That copy which is to remain in my file is now missing.
10. MANY employees did not receive the guide (our policy handbook).
11. I now work in a different region, different district. My store manager does not know the difference between a body splash and a eau de parfume. My hours have also been reduced to 4 hours a week and oncalls.
12. There is much more, and if your reading this, it would make plenty of sense to write a book with admissions from other employees.
Started at $9.00 an hour in 2003, Now making $10.64 (same position)
Just received a check from a class action lawsuit for $1,118.00
Every one at my job is helpful and caring towards each other and our costumers. I've worked there for two months and already feel welcomed in to our vs family. My managers couldn't be happier to help me whenever i need them. The company also gives you a lot of opportunity to move up. We always make sure the costumer leaves happy and keep the store neat. I've never felt more supported and welcomed at a job. I am happy when i go to work because i know that ill have a good experience and that i can help other women feel better about themselves.
pro:
- free top ten
-$15 bras woooh
- co-workers appreciation
-opportunities in the company
- 30% discount
cons
-no discount online or catalog
The girls are catty. On top of that, head of scheduling told me I could have three days off in December to take my mom to Disney World for her birthday if I requested the days off that night. After requesting it off not only that night, but 3 others they rejected it. Also, they ignored my allowed hours and had me close one night, getting out at midnight and then expected me to be at the store at 6 a.m. Do not work here.
I honestly only applied because I needed a job. But I had no idea that I would love it so much, considering I'd never even shopped at VS before.
My manager plays favorites, and I'm definitely not one of them, but I still love the job. I feel like I am genuinely helping women feel comfortable with their bodies, and after six months, I have clients who say they will only shop with me.
The discount is 30%, we get free bras and fragrances occasionally, and often we get bras for $15 when a new one comes out or an old one is relaunched.
The customers can be jerks, it's stressful, and often you don't get the hours you would like
Started: $7.50/hr Current: $9.50/hr
I absolutly LOVE working with Victoria Secret. I've never been let down while i worked here. I love working in a fast paid environment. My managers i love a lot and they are so nice. They take their time to see how each employee is doing. They are super flexible with the hours and understand that yes we do have school and help us out. I want to grow with the company and my manager knows and i'm going to enroll in the aim program where many girls in my store have passed. I think the company is great and do care about their employees no matter what role you play. If you don't like folding panties or retail then don't join a retail store that needs people who can multi task and is a fast paced environment. like any other job there are always pros and cons but its honestly a great place and i encourage both males and females to apply and hopefully have a great work experience like i am having
Pros:
-discounts at henry benel, bath and body works, victoria's secret
-bras for 15 or free
-love the people i work with
-flexible hours
cons:
-no benefits
-wish i had a bit more of a pay but i'm happy with what i have...close to nine dollars an hour
I have worked at multiple stores over the past 2 years and have LOVED my job! VS offers lots of opportunities to move up with the company, and you get what you give! If you are a hard worker, you will get great hours! A lot depends on management, but I have had a lot of great experiences with all of my managers @ VS. The environment within the stores is friendly, and a lot of girls become friends who hang out after work. My work friends are like a second family! It's a fast-paced environment, and retail isn't for everyone, but if you love retail, you will love VS!
Pros-Bra gratis, discount, flexible hours (I'm a student!)
Cons-Some customers can be difficult...But the good ones outnumber!
Starting salary-$9.00
Currently-$9.27
I never understood why people hated retail until I started working at VS. The pros of my job are the discount and short shifts if I'm tired that's awesome but if you like money I wouldn't suggest VS as a job. The cons are call ins (you MAY be working on Saturday for example but you won't find out until 2 hrs before when you have to call in and ask if your needed), shifts get cut on a regular basis because of slow business, fake barbie bitches, fake old bitches who think they are superior, and minimum wage for every associate even if your job is harder.
Minimum wage $10.25
I started my job about 9 months ago and it has had its ups and downs, but I am now seeing the better in things. Although I have been with the company for 9 months I have not received a raise I am content with my job. My only problems with my hourly wage are the number of hours I am asked to work and the unfairness of pay. A few weeks ago I worked a 14 hour shift (with 30 min. break) needless to say I was exhausted. My problem with this is that I did as much work as my supervisor and had to dictate to other associates what to do and yet my pay is still less than that of the supervisor. Also unfairness with pay, I am paid the same amount as other associates who can only do one thing, such as working in beauty. The beauty items basically sell themselves and therefore does not constitute one as a part time associate at the store. Victoria's Secret is 'Best At Bras', NOT best at beauty. With the problem of associates not having proper bra knowledge it makes it extremely difficult to have someone cover a shift for you, also these girls get paid just as much as I do to have less knowledge and less compatibility. On a lighter note you do have opportunities to move up in this company (contrary to other reviews). You don't have to suck-up, you have to have knowledge of the product and your environment! As I said, I have been with the company for 9 months and have not yet had a raise but I have been approached by my managers and I have been asked to take a temporary role for Holiday and to possibly continue a leadership role afterward. Life is what you make of it at Victoria's Secret, either you man up and work hard or complain and fall behind. Overall pleasant experience with the company! Give it a shot, what have you got to lose?!
Starting salary/Current salary $7.54 Vacation Time: As long as you submit your request a few weeks prior to the time requested off you should be fine.
PERKS: Bra Buy-Ins $15, 30% discount on full priced merchandise, Knowing when all the sales are, Having GREAT bras!!!
I'm so shocked to see so many bad reviews about working at VS. And honestly, it must depend on the store managers. The one that I work at is absolutely amazing, which is why I've been there for 2+ years. The girls are fantastic, always willing to help out and never in a bad mood. The associates at my store are really a big family; we poke fun, joke and laugh over the headsets all the time; our managers join in as well. All in all, it is a difficult job, retail is not for everybody. It also gets difficult when customers don't want to believe the measurement that you've given them, or just ignore your advice. At our store, we pride ourselves on being the best and always connecting with our customers.
Pros: bra gratises (with every new bra launch), 30% off discounts, when you're first hired you get a free bra
Cons: sometimes the schedules for the next week aren't put up until the thursday before, customers can be extremely picky and/or annoying
Starting salary: $8.00/hr currently at $8.50/hr
I'm very surprised to hear these reviews considering how much I love my job. I came into the company as a seasonal associate. A few months later I was hired on as a permanent part of the team. Currently I am a category supervisor and am soon being promoted to a Category Manager. This company pours millions of dollars into making Victoria's Secret the best place to work, including an annual Associate Opinion Survey. They DO take this feedback very seriously from a corporate level all the way down to a store level. I'm sure experiences will be different depending on where you go but that has to do with a specific managers leadership style (which isn't always a good one). Having been an associate AND a manager, I've been given countless resources to become a stronger manager, associate, and person. The training they provide to help you connect with the brand and your associates is unbelievably helpful. Coming into retail as a lower level associate WILL INVOLVE MINIMUM WAGE. It's inevitable. The people who don't succeed or move up in this company are almost always people who never wanted to be there in the first place. I have a great relationship with every associate I work with and my employees are very satisfied with their job. 95% of my associates (according to the survey) consider Victoria's Secret a great place to work!
Gratis bras (Free, or 15$ buy-in. Free beauty products prior to their launch to enhance personal testimony, special discounts during holiday, ability to combine discount with other offers in the store. Cross brand discount at Bath and Body Works)
Went from 8.50 as an associate to 11.50 as entry level management. Category Managers make $15/hr starting out but work up to 50 hrs/wk and work hard for every penny!
I currently work at the Victoria's Secret in Toronto Canada and as im reading the reviews it is quite sad that even across borders it is still the same BS. I have worked with them as a seasonal and I was hired as a "permanent" associate and I have realized how much this company does not care about their associates.I make 10.25 an hour which sounds good compared to the american stores, but in canada that is still minimum wage and it is expensive to live here! We do not get a raise and the few people selected to get a raise only make a few cents more then us. We are the ones bringing in the cash, without us their company would be nothing and they dont seem to appreciate the hard work that is put into the company. The managers are also very fake and favourtism is very big in the store. The pay is horrible for the amount of hours put in to one week. The call ins are very inconvenient because they schedule you to do a call in before or after your already scheduled shift, which makes it impossible to make concrete plans for the day. They obviuosly dont care that we have a life outside of their greedy inconsiderate store. We are always asked to meet a certian amount for a segment and we are pressured over the walkies to harass customers in other words. Its not going to make your customer want to come back when they have ten associates asking the same person if they are "finding everything okay". It is very difficult to move up in the company and rather than finding associates who have worked there for a while to move up to management,. they decide to hire new managers. The associates have no say in anything and are usually not informed about what is going on within the store or the company. I would not suggest this company if you want to make money and have a peace of mind at work! They are always hiring new people opposed to giving decent hours to whoever worked there before, and my store has lost 5 managers in the past 7 months ( that says something). Even the managers know better!
Salary: 10.25
pros: 15 dollar bras, 30 percent discount, 50% off day
cons: terrible management and turn over rates for management being very high, no benefits, no raises, treated like slaves!
If you're looking for a job where you can literally change someone's life, this is it. I have never had such a positive experience in the workplace. Sometimes those of us that are fortunate enough to work forget to not take the things we do on a daily basis for granted. This is such an inspiring place to work. For starters, they actually give out associate surveys and hold a meeting that we all get paid to be at to discuss the results as a store, during our last one, our store manager even started crying when discussing how much we all inspired her to do her job better. Finding a job with this kind of loyalty and opportunity is so hard to find. I've worked here for 2 years and I can see the changes that Limited Brands and my store have made since the survey we took last year. The fact that this huge enterprise actually cares and listens to it's employees is unbelievable. All the girls are so sweet and the chances that we get with the customers to improve their lifestyles is truly a chance too sweet to give up. It could be a nervous little 12 year old coming in with her mom for her first bra fitting, or my co-worker helped a women who had just had tons of surgeries and was in a hospital bed for 3 months actually change into a bra and got into something that literally changed her life. What about the 65 year old woman who told my coworker "Thank You, for being you, every time I come in here you guys are always so sweet and make me feel sexy, that's why I keep coming back...my own husband doesn't even do that anymore." Or there is the women who just lost 60 pounds and can finally fit into a 38DD bra who starts crying in the fitting room. The young wife trying on lingerie because her husband is coming home from his year long deployment in Iraq. It's experiences like these that make me want to be in the company for my entire life. I have fallen in love with the brand and what it stands for, I wouldn't trade it for the world. You definitely get out of it what you put into it, and after reading some of these reviews my heart is almost broken. One review said it was superficial and you had to be fake and I couldn't disagree more, I am more sincere when I am at work than any other time in my life.
I was reading previous comments about people complaining about having to do too much work for too little pay, and I think it's ridiculous that someone would even say that. If you are expecting to get paid to sit on your ass and watch TV, that's not going to happen anywhere you go. This is such a rewarding job. I get paid a little over minimum wage and I would continue to work here for less than minimum wage in a heartbeat.
It is very fast-paced and you have to be ready to work when you get there, but it's a multimillion dollar company, I don't really know who would expect otherwise. I would recommend this job to anyone.
Overall, best experience ever, I highly doubt I will ever leave this company, even after I graduate with my college degree.
Minimum wage, request off gets granted, bra gratis, free mists, free panties, employee discount, opportunity to grow.
Victoria's Secret can be a fun place to work, although it definitely depends on your attitude and ability to sell overpriced lingerie. You really have to be able to put on a show for the customer, which can be hard for some people. I've seen a lot of highly negative reviews on this site, which kind of surprises me since all of my managers seem professional, kind, and willing to help me out, if a little prone to favoritism. Sometimes I wish I had a few more hours, but since my availability is open I get at least 4 or 5 good length days of work a week. Yes, it can be a demanding job for minimum wage, but I appreciate the challenge and the chance to improve my sales abilities. I know that a lot of other companies are more likely to hire associates who have worked at big Victoria's Secret stores, because we learn how to successfully interact hands-on with customers of all shapes and sizes. I work with people on all sides of the human spectrum, I'm alternately praised and given criticism. It's all part of the hustle and bustle of retail.
Starting and current salary: 8.75
Perks: Gratis bras with big launches (usually about $15 per bra) free samples, 10 panties for $25 when first hired, 30% store discount (discount also applies at other Limited Brands companies such as Bath and Body Works, La Senza, C.O. Bigelow, and Henri Bendel)
Seriously??? any one of those good reviews about VS is BS!!!
you all know that our managers are so demanding and our pay is so little that I feel like I am worthless. our new store manager is so rude and inconsiderate, she is always making my coworker cry or just feel like they are not good employees. There have been tons of new hires and yes it is a way to let some old employees know to leave.....but we remain because in our city getting a job in a clean workning environment is almost impossible with flexibility. there are way too many young girls who dont know the nature of the buisness and it makes the sales floor so difficult and helping customers is their biggest challenge.
here in this city almost 70% of our clients are spanish speaking and our new store manager cannot communicate so we get hated on by most of our customers. I just wish we at least would get aknowledged a lil more when we go a great job then get a huge pay increase.. what all sales associates need is at least $9 an hour to start and you will see such a great difference in our performance.
so back to this el paso store.....if you are reading this than you need to understand that I am speaking as an adult. I do not like to be treated like a child even if it is my agreement to be on good terms with everyone and the customers.....recently there has been chaos and everyone is unhappy. LIMITED BRANDS needs to make new policies and give us real people a chance to work a good pace and good pay. This company is all about money and the employees will remain unhappy and keep quiting and more new hires will just have to keep suffering also. Sad but true.
so for anyone that just started the company or is still working for Victorias Secret, please just keep it professional , complain if you ever feel disrespected and know that you got hired because they need you and like you. but do your best to learn about policies and behavior also become the best sales girl because you feel so good after helping customers in good standing.
hope Limited Brands have access to this website and make changes asap!
i am so frustrated and discouraged everytime i work now.
if you ever need to complain here is an anonymous ethics # 1-888-884-7218
also HR Direct for VS # 1-866-474-4728
complain or file a grievance if you every get disrespected or have a really bad experience please. dont delay! its important to have your voice heard....i thought i could never have my voice heard but i found this website and now please just know i like my job but it needs to get better or feel better.
miss my old store manager, and I miss getting treated as a real person not a robot!
VS employee 2010-2011
no perks or benefits. just samples of fragrances and employee discounts.
I've been with the company for about 4 months now. I was hired from outside the company as a Category Manager. My twin sister also works for the same company as a Supervisor. My store manager hired me a week before leaving to another store for a temporary position so I only had a week of training, which was difficult, but the other managers, and mostly the associates, taught me everything I needed to know. The pay is good for what I do, and I know that if I keep doing well and my team is doing well, we all have the opportunity for raises. The expectation from my manager is to have a clear and consistent relationship with all of my associates and to ensure that they love their job. My store is a great store, my associates all love being there, and we always make sure that EVERYONE gets their gratis.
If we do hire someone who just doesn't get it, or won't catch on quickly, it causes a lot of problems in customer satisfaction. After a certain amount of time, we cut hours until they catch on. I think that's a pretty normal business strategy...
Pros: Great discount, associates who love their job, free merchendise, oppurtunity for advancement.
Cons: Long hours, training could use improvement.
Starting wage: $16
4 weeks vacation
bonuses every quarter, which I use to throw a party for associates.
So I've already written a review and given Victoria's Secret's one-way street-style of employment a good bashing, but I failed to mention one last major problem that I want everyone looking into working at VS to be aware of:
FORM OF PAYMENT.
If you insist on working there, despite all of these horrible (but sadly, true) reviews, be sure to immediately set up a direct deposit into your checking account. Don't let the managers consistently blow you off when you want to know how it's done.
Instead of giving you an actual check or some traditional form of payment, Victoria's Secret will give you a CitiBank Prepaid Payroll Card. It's basically a Visa debit card that your pay is automatically loaded onto every 2 weeks (but you have to tell cashiers you want to go the credit route or you'll get charged). So yeah: if you're like me, you don't have a CitiBank anywhere in your entire mid-sized city and therefore can't withdraw cash from your card without paying a $3 service charge. I literally have to pay $3 to get my measly $7 off that card. Sure, I can withdraw more, but it's still utterly ridiculous.
There is nothing about working for these people that benefits you! It ALL benefits them! I'm still looking for the silver lining, I really am, but I don't see it. Oh yeah, the discounts are awesome. Whatever you do, take advantage of them as soon as you're made aware of them, because there is always some implicit expiration date on those employee offers that they conveniently won't mention (I recommend getting your free bra within the first 2 weeks of your employment, starting with On-Boarding, or one of them will come up with some BS about how you waited too long).
I been working at Victoria secret for some time now, and when I'm at work they never seem greet any of the African American people and rarely speak or try to build customer rapport with the foreign customers.
With the employees they are unfair. IE: There was an employee working there prior to myself that had a tongue ring and she wasn't harassed nearly as much as I was about mine. Even after the tongue ring was removed they found something else to harass me about which were my my clothing. It was nothing revealing, I only showed my shoulders. When there were other associates wearing skirts that were EXTREMELY TOO SHORT.
Also one morning the ASSISTANT MANAGER came into work still drunk, not hung over, DRUNK. She was in no condition to work. Which left me by myself on the floor for about 3 -4 hours. And said to just sweep it under rug. "Just act like this never happened" was what I was told to say.
When I told my manager I want to participate in the AIM program, she began to cut my hours. And it wasn't gradual. One week 30 hrs next week 7 hrs. And this was back in November, I'm STILL receiving only 14 hrs for every two weeks.
They never thank anyone for anything. The only thing you will ever get a "God Job" over the headset for is getting the customers to open a Victoria Secret Angels Credit Card aka Reward Card.
I don't see anything positive about Victoria Secret.
$8.00 starting 8.24 now
no vacation time, or any of those other perks.
It was my first retail job ever. Boy was that a mistake, I picked up on everything really fast because you have no choice. You will get eaten alive if you don't know everything about your product in a week or less. I agree with a lot of these posts. I feel like I'm overworked and underpaid. I work in an extremely high volume store 11million a year. I've worked as much as a 15 hour day before with an hour break. The managers definitely just look out for themselves and blame all of the associates if their segment is not met instead of taking the blame themselves. I'm not going to bash all of my managers because 2 of them are AMAZING, and probaly the only reason I am still there other than the awesome associates I work with and have become so close to. I definitely think these reviews have a lot to do with your managers making the experience for you. Credit is way too much of a focus. Sometimes I feel like credit is for the store more than for the customers benefit. Half the time the managers will get credit on the board because they avoid the word credit while the customer is opening up an account thinking it is just a rewards card.
PROS: the 15$ bras, 30% discount, and amazing girls i have met there.
CONS: overworked, underpaid, nagging managers, unappreciated.
starting salary: $7.25/hour current $7.44 (After 2 years of employment)
I have worked for Victorias for just over half a year and I must say that it has been a very ambivalent experience. The job has taught me to be more assertive, competitive, and fast-paced. I work with wonderful girls who surprisingly do not create drama. With over 100 in the store you would think... but it is true, the job is very demanding that there is not time for the nonsense.
The pressure is very high. If you are not in coherence with your manager the experience will be very stressful. You have to learn to adjust quickly to a culture that is very demanding. 80% of the mangers at VS are very approachable and understanding when it comes to teaching or coaching you. The other 20% I don't interact with. If you come from another type of retail experience, prepare yourself for a rude awakening.
You will meet international customers so your communications skills have to be up to par.
Pros: Free bras, $15 gratis bras, fragrance gratises, hefty discount, beautiful location.
Cons: High customer volume, stressful, competitive, uncertain.
I'm just going to go ahead and say that most of these negative reviews ring very true to my own experience working here.
-Training is horrible. They will talk about "Listen, Connect, Inspire" non-sense for 3 straight hours at "On-boarding", but then they won't tell you basic things that are significant to an employee: when you're getting paid, how shifts are normally scheduled, what specific merchandise the employee discounts can be applied to, etc.
-When you ask other associates questions like the ones mentioned in the previous con, expect to get different answers from everybody. Because they don't know, and it's really not their responsibility to tell you. It's the managers' responsibility!
-The hours are TERRIBLE. If you're choosing Victoria's Secret's minimum wage over a lucrative job like bar-tending because you think the hours are better, think again. They'll schedule you anywhere from 4 in the morning to...well, 4 in the morning. If you're closing, you could easily stay up all night folding panties. That's not an exaggeration. And make sure you ask a manager how the panties are supposed to be folded and organized, because they're very picky about this, but they won't tell you how it should be done before you do it wrong. They'd rather tell you when you've already done it wrong and then make you re-do it. NOT LYING. Panties and bras are not rocket-science, but they certainly try to make it out to be.
-You know that little thing called a schedule? Something you can rely on and make plans around? That becomes a luxury when you work at Victoria's Secret. They'll put you "on-call", and this means that you basically will not find out if you're working that shift or not until 2 hours in advance of the shift. Hope it doesn't take you 2 hours to get cute and drive over there. Oh, and don't wait for them to call you. The girl training you may tell you that they'll call you, but you're supposed to call them. Nevermind the fact that they're the ones that know whether or not they need you, and nevermind the fact that they're already tying up YOUR time and may not pay you a dime for it.
-Have you ever been a customer who can't get a nagging sales associate off your back? Prepare to be on the other side of that. They want you to HOVER over customers. It's not enough to ask them if they need help or find the bra they want. Most customers who want help will readily ask for it, and of course it's your job to measure them to do whatever you need to do to satisfy them. But if they want to browse, let them browse, people! Just don't let them browse in front of a manager, because they will fuss at you over the headset and then spout off some sales goals for the segment.
-And finally, the pay is minimal. It's just not worth it. If you think this job is the best you can get, give yourself some credit. They'll ask you to come in at 9 o'clock at night to fold panties (or God knows what else-I like "inane" from another reviewer), you may stay until midnight, and then you'll get paid a whopping $20 with taxes taken out. Not worth your time.
I understand that some people on here have had an excellent experience working at Victoria's Secret and it offends them to see reviewers be so harsh and negative toward the company they're loyal to. I also understand that different locations have different people, and who you're working with makes all the difference in the world.
But I feel the need to be honest about my experience at one of the Victoria's Secret locations in Baton Rouge.
First of all, props to the VS sales associates. They are wonderful employees, and Victoria's Secret does not deserve them at the rock-bottom price of $7.50/hr. For whatever reason, whether it's because they like the discounts on the merchandise, actually need the little bit of money they get, or think there's something "glamorous" about being a sales associate at Victoria's Secret, they try really frickin' hard and get next to nothing in return. If they just love and desperately want to do retail, I would recommend that they go work for a locally-owned business where the manager will train them properly (give them all the information they need upfront), they can work normal, daytime hours, have a real schedule in which you actually KNOW whether or not you're going to be working that day and can make plans, and just overall be more appreciated for their hard work and persistence in getting the job done right. This will sound bad, but I kind of feel like some of the associates are actually brainwashed by management. They seem to think that bras and panties are the most important thing in the world, and those panties MUST be organized in rainbow color order or the whole store will crumble.
I'm just going to go ahead and say that most of these negative reviews ring very true to my own experience working here.
-Training is horrible. They will talk about "Listen, Connect, Inspire" non-sense for 3 straight hours at "On-boarding", but then they won't tell you basic things that are significant to an employee: when you're getting paid, how shifts are normally scheduled, what specific merchandise the employee discounts can be applied to, etc.
-When you ask other associates questions like the ones mentioned in the previous con, expect to get different answers from everybody. Because they don't know, and it's really not their responsibility to tell you. It's the managers' responsibility!
-The hours are TERRIBLE. If you're choosing Victoria's Secret's minimum wage over a lucrative job like bar-tending because you think the hours are better, think again. They'll schedule you anywhere from 4 in the morning to...well, 4 in the morning. If you're closing, you could easily stay up all night folding panties. That's not an exaggeration. And make sure you ask a manager how the panties are supposed to be folded and organized, because they're very picky about this, but they won't tell you how it should be done before you do it wrong. They'd rather tell you when you've already done it wrong and then make you re-do it. NOT LYING. Panties and bras are not rocket-science, but they certainly try to make it out to be.
-You know that little thing called a schedule? Something you can rely on and make plans around? That becomes a luxury when you work at Victoria's Secret. They'll put you "on-call", and this means that you basically will not find out if you're working that shift or not until 2 hours in advance of the shift. Hope it doesn't take you 2 hours to get cute and drive over there. Oh, and don't wait for them to call you. The girl training you may tell you that they'll call you, but you're supposed to call them. Nevermind the fact that they're the ones that know whether or not they need you, and nevermind the fact that they're already tying up YOUR time and may not pay you a dime for it.
-Have you ever been a customer who can't get a nagging sales associate off your back? Prepare to be on the other side of that. They want you to HOVER over customers. It's not enough to ask them if they need help or find the bra they want. Most customers who want help will readily ask for it, and of course it's your job to measure them to do whatever you need to do to satisfy them. But if they want to browse, let them browse, people! Just don't let them browse in front of a manager, because they will fuss at you over the headset and then spout off some sales goals for the segment.
-And finally, the pay is minimal. It's just not worth it. If you think this job is the best you can get, give yourself some credit. They'll ask you to come in at 9 o'clock at night to fold panties (or God knows what else-I like "inane" from another reviewer), you may stay until midnight, and then you'll get paid a whopping $20 with taxes taken out. Not worth your time.
All in all, not a good job unless you're extremely desperate...but you're probably not that desperate.
But I will close with a good point about my experience: the sales associates were very sweet and extremely hard workers. No need to worry about drama among female associates because you're worked like a dog and you won't have time for it.
If you enjoy being underpaid and overworked, mistreated, abused physically by customers and the company will never support you (customer is first), exhausting hours that your scheduled shift time is never correct expect to come in early or stay later without your permission, requesting time off is just as impossible as seeing a REAL santa claus, if you are sick (diarrarhea,vomitting, bleeding, or fainting) expect to continue to work you will NOT be sent home ( i've seen an associate black out in our stock while she was passed out on the floor my store manager just stepped over her like it was nothing, no reason to be alarmed or worried), majority of our associates barely get breaks for 7+hr shifts, sometimes you will have to work off the clock,like clock out even though you're still working in the store (associates and management), giving $5-$20 for "fake" charaties...
the list goes on & will be different from store to store but overall if you're up for all that Victoria's Secret demands the job is yours, the company is always hiring because they have an outstanding turnover rate of 131%(hint hint)
pros: gratises 15 dollar bra buy in or free, free beauty products gratises, reputation you work for the glamorized Victoria's Secret but keep in mind you are a sales associates not a VS ANGEL model the lifestyles are different
cons: need i say more, overall it's not worth it this job is not for everyone
$7.00starting/$9.05 current day
my advice start in a city higher pay, better yet go to college get a degree to work in corporate
I hated working here. Hated, hated, hated. It is unreasonable to not be paid commission for a sales job, first of all. I got no hours.. maybe because I felt it was soul sucking to be pressured to sell items a poor woman in Cambodia probably worked her fingers bloody for 15 cents an hour to make. I HATE pushy sales people. So while I was helpful, I did not feel comfortable being pushy because if I were the customer in that situation.. I would just leave! One thing that drove me absolutely nuts is being scheduled until 10:30 and being made to stay doing inane tasks until midnight. When you work 50 hours a week between two jobs, those extra few hours when I could be sleeping before my next job are crucial. I am an extreeemely hard worker. I always want to have a good recommendation if I go to a new place. At VS, no matter how hard I worked the managers would tear me down and say I wasn't doing enough or that I wasn't doing it right. Bull!! If I asked a question, they would do their best to make me look like an idiot in front of customers and/or coworkers, whoever was more convenient. I know what it is to work hard, believe you me. I tried so hard. I came home crying multiple times because the managers had made me look so stupid in front of others, but I promised I'd push through it. The week I quit, I was scheduled for a meeting and one 4-hour call-in. I was furious, and I was done. Yeah, it was great when you got free stuff and discounts.. but when you hate the time before and after work, and don't get paid enough to even afford the discounted merchandise, none of it is worth it.
Pros: I guess I liked being able to dress up and look cute at work.. $15 bras, occasional free merchandise (if you find out about it in time)
Cons: Horrible pay, rude management, horribly soul sucking work
Ive always wanted to work at VS but now that I do I hate it. They pressure you to sell which turns a lot of customers off, were yelled at when we don't offer bra fittings to everyone. There is no training they just throw you out on the floor and expect you to learn on your own .The managers tell us if someone is browsing to get them in the fitting room and get them to try stuff on and they will buy it and i don't feel comfortable making someone go to the fitting room if they just want to look around. We don't make commission so I don't get why its such a BIG deal. I was hired as a seasonal associate and expressed to all the managers i wanted to stay after the season and was told to just learn as much as i can and show passion which i did and still haven't been told if i'm being kept, it is Feb and the season ended in january, Ive asked several times who is staying and they said they still havent made a decision, i think its the managements responsibility to tell seasonal associates whats going on I shouldnt have to ask twice a month. I tried to transfer to a store closer to my house and was told that i cant transfer i have to reapply and reinterview for a company i already work for? I did it anyways and was told to talk to the GM to make sure they werent going to keep me and she told me all seasonal associates are being termed out of the system at the end of Feb. anyways. Umm thanks for the notice a week and a half before the end of the month? There is also a manager there NO ONE likes she is honestly the rudest person i have ever met and customers complain about her daily but they wont fire her because they dont want her to get unemployment.. WOW great management. Oh and everything is overpriced and doesnt hold up very well got a bra and it was falling apart after a month.
pros:
30% discount on non sale items
and occasional free samples
cons:
terrible hours
bad pay
horrible management
Victoria's Secret has given me an over all excellent experience as an employee. I see previous employees complaining about hours and having to get credit on the board, but that's part of what a job is. I love that Victoria's Secret strives to exceed other stores with their customer experience. One thing i've noticed to is if you make an effort at your store and show your managers you love you job and love working there, you do receive more hours and they come to you to cover shifts first because they know you're not just there for a paycheck.
The store I am at now has a great staff who is inclusive to all associates and makes the workplace fun. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have managers as awesome as mine!
Pros:
30% discount
$15 gratis bras, free sample fragrances
opportunities for advancement
Cons:
generally around 15 hours a week
Starting Salary: $7.50
Victoria's Secret has given me an over all excellent experience as an employee. I see previous employees complaining about hours and having to get credit on the board, but that's part of what a job is. I love that Victoria's Secret strives to exceed other stores with their customer experience. One thing i've noticed to is if you make an effort at your store and show your managers you love you job and love working there, you do receive more hours and they come to you to cover shifts first because they know you're not just there for a paycheck.
The store I am at now has a great staff who is inclusive to all associates and makes the workplace fun. I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have managers as awesome as mine!
Pros:
30% discount
$15 gratis bras, free sample fragrances
opportunities for advancement
Cons:
generally around 15 hours a week
Starting Salary: $7.50
You will never realize how selfish people really are until you start working for this company. Never in my life have I seen such selfish managers who just care about themselves and take advantage of associates just so they can get their bonuses and make their segments so they look good!! They will squeeze everything they can out of you! They act like they care about you but they will make it known that you are easily disposable and replaceable. Anyone would think that associates that work for Victoria's Secret get paid commission but they don't. People come and go from this job because of the way they are treated. Most employees realize that it is not worth their time; wow I guess thats why mostly all of the category managers left this god forsaken place. You can do your very best here, but don't expect to be appreciated or rewarded for it because the managers are way to busy worrying about themselves. All of the positive comments about this place really made me write this review because believe me, sooner or later you will get fed up with it.
pros: Free bras once in awhile
free beauty (if any managers let you know about it)
30% discount (not on sale items)
cons: inconsistent managers
no commission
bad pay
Extremely sales oriented, lots of pressure to sell and open credits. The hours are horrible. Including the amount you get each week and the time you have to work. Sometimes you'll only get on calls or a 4hr shift a week. The work hours range from 4 am all the way to 1am. No consistency at all. If your at the bottom of the food chain you won't live off your paycheck, you'll barely survive off it. Great High School job tho.
My store is really great. I know some people say they hate their store and it all depends on if the store has the right managers and people to make it run smoothly. We focus on the customers and making sure their needs are taken care of. We're all friendly and the work environment is great. You have a happy customer they'll buy more and that'll keep the store up and running. I love my job it gets hectic sometimes but its all worth it in the end and it gives me time to get away from my home life and hang out. I get a lot of hours because my availability is completely open so if you don't make your availability open your hours will be reduced.
Pros: Gratis bra. $15 bras when they come out with a new one
Cons: Customers who do things to the bra and expect it to be returned and get angry [it sucks but they rarely happen]
Salary: $8/hr
It's disappointing to see so many negative comments on here. If you don't like your job...FIND A NEW ONE. It takes a very special person and personality to fit Victoria's Secret. It's not a job for people who want a retail job...it's about business. Meaning that you make sales and create a great experience for our client. If all you want to do is say hi to people and walk around all day this isn't for you...you actually have to work!!
Started as an associate @ 9.79/hr
Now as category supervisor @ 13.00/hr
FREE bras and sample perfumes
30% discount on merchandise
i like my job and take it seriously. yes i will admit that the pay isnt as much as i think it should be considering all the bs we go through. I still want to do my best and feel like i am fair with my associates. i may be a little mean but think about it if your an associate jus standing around doing nothin think this. if u dont talk to a customer they dont buy anything...if they dont buy anything we dont make out plan...we dont make plan you (associate) dont get hours. then u get on here and complain. bottom line TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY
we dont get paid a lot but we get 45-50 dollar items free or for 15 dollars, we get 30-40 percent off full price items. during holidays we get up to 60 percent off... and managers take money they have earned and reward associates for good deeds
This job is fine for someone with absolutely nothing to do, who can take being annoyed by snobby CSL's and selfish managers. You are hounded all day to open credit, and making segments and you are not paid commission just 8 $ an hour. They are very inconsiderate of your personal life when you need to call off for a shift. It's your responsibilty to make sure your shift is covered or you will be PUNISHED. They make sure that employee's know that they are easily disposable.
Pros
15 $/Gratis Bra's
30 % Discount off Full Priced Items
Very Friendly Co-Workers
8.00 per hour starting salary
I have worked for the company for a little over 2 years. I started out as a seasonal employee just helping out with the grand opening after the remodel, Started out as a cashwrap and sales associate, and eventually migrated into the backroom and got promoted to the Sales Support Lead role and then into the Merchandise Flow Supervisor. I love my job in the backroom and enjoy dealing with all the product. I would never return to working on the floor though. WAYYY to selling focused and not a relaxed environment especially during peak segments. Very credit focused! My managers have been awesome and I think, for me anyways the scheduling is fair, maybe because im a supervisor?
Supervisors work just about as hard as managers but no benefits or PTO.
Paid is alright. started at 8.50 now making a little over 11.50. Raises every spring they are small though.
30% off full priced merchandise
15$ buy in on new bras
Definitely a high pressure job most of the time! There is a lot to keep in mind to ensure that goals are made and every customer gets a great experience. Focuses for the day are based on customer-feed back and my store manager and other managers are very passionate about being the best place for our customers to experience. LOVE the products and all the newness!! Team atmosphere, on-going training and lots of positive reinforcement, for example our managers will give you prizes or way-to-go cards to show they appreciate your performance. I will admit there is pressure to get people to sign up for the Angels credit card but if you ask every customer you do not need to be pushy to meet your goal.
started at $8.55 and have gotten two raises and one promotion in little under a year. Now I make 10$ an hour even. 40% discount on full price and free or huge discounts on new items.
When you first start they make everything seem like its going to be the best job or that they'll work around you or as if there concerned about your opinions but they're not. Their main focus is about meeting segments and credit. They confuse you to think that if you sale more and make each segment that you will get more hours. It really is a load of crap. i've been there since October of last year and I've been only on, on/calls. Managers are rude and have a special pick of favorite employees. If they don't like you they will make it known. I tried asking the managers for more hours but instead of giving the already employees more hours they instead hired 7 new people. so work there if you want to but I believe its a complete waste of your time and you won't make much profit from it either.
Pros
FREE sample perfumes, $15 Bras, 30% off full sale items.
Cons
Terrible scheduling, Managers are rude and money pay not worth the time spent there.
Agree - LOOOOOVVE my job!everyone is so great! always excited to go to work and i am really enjoying working there. what i would like to say to haters - dont wish it was easier - wish u were better! love u my store!!! =)
I am in my second year of college and have been working for Victoria's Secret for about 7 months. I came across this website and all I saw were negative comments. I would like to change that!! I love my job, the people I work with, and most of the customers! My managers make us want to come to work and provide great customer service to our customers! The negative comments I read made me want to write this review; I love my job! Maybe the atmosphere just fits my personality, or it could be that I am studying fashion, but I do like my job, my managers, and all of my co-workers! :)
I hate working here !!! you work 2 times a week with shifts of 5 hours each. And get paid $7 something an hour !!!! all the managers care about is credit, credit, credit. They say if we get them credit cards we get more hours but we all know that is not true ! at first i would get them two to three a day hoping that they give me more hours and the never did :( i talked to my manager and they told me that they would give me more hours but they never did so i stopped stressing about the credit cards and my hours still remaind the same. They clearly have favorites there and some of the cash leads are rude and lie to save them selfs
pros: every now and then we get to buy the new bras for 15 dollars and we get 30% off the whole store if it is not no sale
cons: managers dont care about you, no hours, little pay, and cash leads treat you bad
A lot of pressure is put on associates to open credit cards, sell launch bras/fragrances/etc., greet customers as soon as they enter the store and ask them who they are shopping for, etc. It really gets ridiculous at times. I feel bad for customers because they seem annoyed by the fact that I constantly ask them for help because my manager is screaming into my headset to make sure the woman in the leather jacket is finding everything she's looking for. It's OK to let people browse sometimes. Also, be prepared for terrible hours during sale periods. I have been at the store til 4 am sometimes and we still didn't finish. Also, have been working there almost 2 years and still haven't gotten a raise. Expect to be on call for a while when you first start.
Pros: 30% discount on full price items, an occasional free bra/fragrance (rare)
Cons: too much pressure put on associates, hours aren't that great, can be very stressful
Pros: Salary, Opportunity for growth in the co., Team-based environment.,
Fun and stressful at the same time, but hey its retail. What i dont get is that people (former associates) say that not enough hrs, the pay etc.. Its true to an extent. It could be better I agree. However I believe that if you are determined and passionate about what you do you will get far. I did it and its taken me where I am today. If people actually begin to see their work place more than just a job then, it will be better for them if they make it better. Demonstrating dedication and true hard work does pay off, believe me I know. ;) On the other side those that have a negative experience with (A) Victoria's Secret store may have unfortunately had the opportunity to work with a non-cohesive management team. That has to do a lot with how the rest of the team(associates) and customers feel to "shop"/ "work" there.
$10-$18
3 wks paid vacation
Bonuses 2x a yr.
health benefits
The pay here is less than nothing compared to the money that this store brings in and you would make off of commission. Managers are inconsistant with policies and procedures causing employees to be confused and customers to be angry. Discount is decent but only on items that are not on sale. There is no real training, but it is needed. Count on being at work earlier and leaving later than other mall store employees (including department stores). Store does not give a lot of hours and give inconvenient on-calls where the employee has to call in before a shift to see if they have to work that day. Managers will keep you after your shift even if you have worked an eight or nine hour day. Your main job is to meet the managers personal money goals every two hours and get credit cards. Managers nagg you about meeting sells goals and selling certain items when there is never enough product available, but you are still blamed. They are very annoying about everything, Good Luck if you are to work here, you'll need it.
Pros:
Discounted bras and beauty products sometimes
Non-management co-workers are nice and supportive
Cons:
Nagging Managers
Inconsiderate hours
Inconsistant Management
It's not a place to work if you need to support your family. It's for teens who need extra money to buy a pair of jeans or something. They want you to be available everyday of the week for there convenience, but don't give you a lot of hours. I would only get 3-4 days 5-6 hours a day. One/two of those days would be O/C meaning if they needed you they would call you. So so much for making plans for that day when you have to wait for a call. If you don't sell any credit cards they have a list and put you under "Losers" (very unprofessional). You have to go to these meetings where they teach you the same things over and over again. The managers treat you like your a child and yell. They are very "stuck up". People think that to work for Victoria's Secret is great, but your better off working at Target. There's probably more, but that's all that comes to mind now.
CONS: All sales associates are part-time. Just managers work full-time. They start you with $7.50 and give you a raise once a year which was 30 cents. There is very high-pressure about selling credit cards. There are NO benefits. You get a 30% discount, but you can't use it on sale items. If panties are 5 for $25 or other offer you have to choose between your discount or the offer. When you work there you don't get any free pantie coupons in the mail.
PROS: You get free bras and perfumes.
I have been training to be a Store Mgr & I can see that the training program is not clear, and it's only a couple of weeks. My co-mgr's salaries are almost the same as mine and I feel everything is being shoveled down my throat. Not alot of direction is given in my case to succeed coming from the outside. Overwhelmed & underpaid ...) :
It seems they reward you greatly if u do well. Perks...
pros: It's a very easy job with a pleasant atmosphere. The job isn't very difficult.
cons: You have to push the store credit card to the point of absurdity and the pay is on the low side.
$8.25 an hour.
I would describe the company as inconsistent. Policies and procedures change often which is very frustrating. As a store manager you report to a DM-district manager. This is the person who decides how you run your business. I had many different DMs over the years and they all were pretty different.
You end up working between 50-80 very stressful hrs per week. The company is very driven and they want to be the best at any cost. They squeeze everything they can out of their managers and then some. When you do well they do lavish praise on you but if do not so well…expect to be seriously chastised. The dress code is a black suit everyday.
Your pay relative to how many hours you worked is low. I earned in the $50s.
