Academy Sports & Outdoors Reviews

Pros

Easy to move up with different opportunities available.

Cons

Long hours with no recognition

Advice to Senior Management

some associates need more training.

Pros

Paid vacation, tuition reimbursement, and 401K for both part & full timers, flexible hours, pay is based on experience, easy to be cross-trained in another department.

Cons

It is hard to move up within the store as the company just got bough out by KKR, and the structure is changing. They just changed their tuition reimbursement program to cater to only business students when it used to be for every major. Pay is reflected on experience, but sometimes that can over-qualify you.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat associates with respect. The new "Primetime" program is ineffective. Managers don't really work. They're on the computer or observing employees. They never help out customers, but never fail to call an associate to help the customers.

Pros

casual dress- Academy shirt and long pants (black, khaki, grey)
great co-workers- friendly, helpful, like an extension of your family
variety of tasks- depends on department, also may be moved to a new department based on need

Cons

low pay rate- not much room for negotiation at this level at least
somewhat unorganized company
lack of effective communication between departments, stores, and corporate office

Pros

You are open for most of the week due to stingy company that uses you.

Cons

Stingy company uses you and does not pay well.

Advice to Senior Management

It was never about the customers. It was all about the profits. Try to do flip that around.

Pros

Employee discounts on merchandise were on par with what you'd expect from any retailer, camaraderie with fellow associates, abundant locations throughout the south

Cons

As stated in the headline, you don't go into retail for the professional stimulation, rewards, and to make a career. More often than not the work is tedious, monotonous, and if your colleagues are "seasoned" because they can't make it anywhere else, you can expect them to be generally disgruntled and get pissed when you don't do things their way. Employee turnover is generally high (at least in the store I worked in), and it wasn't helped by customers generally being rude to and obnoxious in front of associates.

Advice to Senior Management

Retail is a tough gig, not much one can do to incentivize the "rank and file" to peform to the highest level

Pros

The sales associates are friendly and fairly good to work with. Customers are more often than not thankful for assistance.

Cons

Management cares only about themselves and covering each other before the regular employees. Sporadic, unpredictable schedules. Its almost impossible to request a day off and actually get it. Management plays favorites and its hard to work one's way up the ladder.

Advice to Senior Management

Give employees more raises and such, more predictable hours, days off when they ask and have a viable reason and respect. The frustration that this company gives most it's employees would be alleviated if they simply reevaluated their management and just gave us that little .25-50 cent raise

Pros

friendly, easy going place to work

Cons

long hours, very busy and frustrating

Advice to Senior Management

vocalize

Pros

Good people to work with. Good possibility to move up if you work hard. Great way to learn customer service skills.

Cons

Many employees dont care about their job which makes your job harder if you do care. Retail hours are horrible.

Advice to Senior Management

The management at my store was pretty good. Some better than others. A few managers treat regular empoyees as if they are better than them. The store director was great.

Pros

The management is one of the best I've had experienced, very nice and extremely helpful team leads and managers. There are a few intimidating and grumpy co-workers but that's everywhere. Atmosphere is overall awesome and A+ from my past job experiences. They give a 90 day review and .25 increase of pay if you do good. It's easy place to work at and a wonderful place to start. Great school job with flexible hours that fit within your busy schedule. Lots of perks for college students and full time employees.

Cons

Hours for part time sucks. They are flexible and work with your schedule but will only give you 18-34 hrs a week max if lucky. This would be a perfect college or school job but I have bills to pay and need more then 20 hours a week.

Pros

cool associates to work with

Cons

this company is ridiculous!!
they are always coming up with new policies and rules that make no sense.
getting a raise is almost impossible.
the tardy/call in point system is a joke.
overworked and under paid.
lazy managers that have no knowledge about their department or what is going on.

Advice to Senior Management

the only advice i have for management is to change your career and let people who actually will acknowledge and respect the associates have your job. oh yeah and get off your butts and do something besides surf the internet while the rest of us work for peanuts!!