Genesco Reviews

Pros

Great product
like running your own store
enjoyed coming to work
good customers
great discount
able to control hiring process

Cons

below average pay
job security
favoritism
lack of help
lack of coverage
low inventory at times
low chance of career advancement

Advice to Senior Management

company as a whole is good, company is not loyal to long time employees. Need to be the company that takes care of its people.

Pros

Solid work environment, great co-workers, opportunity to meet different people from all walks of life, GREAT discounts.

Cons

TERRIBLE PAY, NO RESPECT FROM HIGHER UPS, AWFUL HOURS be prepared to work every weekend, don't expect time off.

Advice to Senior Management

Show more respect to workers and management, allow employee creative freedom, allow employees time off, RAISE PAY, be more informal

Pros

Great opportunity to receive instant gratification with each customer experience.
Automatic involvoment in current fashion and other trends in pop culture and mainstream media.
Challenges present themselves with each business opportunity; the job is what you make it!

Cons

As with any retail job involving mid-level management, long hours are a unavoidable. Successful store operations depend on managers being accountable for each customer interaction and sale transaction.
Commision pay presented an opportunity for personal financial adjusting; slower seasons equated to less than average pay for position, while peak seasons present much higher than average.
Bonuses were sparce, however vendor spiffs would somewhate accomodate this.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to promote empowerment to Store managers and asst managers. Incoroprate -key level managers to cover less than 4 hours shifts; allowing Store mgrs to work schedules that would allow greater flexibility during 6 and 7-day work weeks, and 10+hour work days.

Pros

It's a great place to meet people, the discount is pretty good, my store manager is outstanding, workers are all treated well within our store.

Cons

Anyone ranked higher than store manager seems very disconnected and unwilling to listen to subordinates. Pay is significantly worse than competitors. Some stores seem much less organized than the one I work in.

Advice to Senior Management

Make employees feel like they are valued by the company. Rearrange pay structure to make it more worthwhile to become a manager.

Pros

Very capable and intelligent executive team, most of whom came from McKenzie Consulting. I really enjoyed their summer hours. If you choose so in the summer, you can come in earlier and work 7 to 5 Mon - Thurs and then leave at 11 on Fridays.

Cons

Upward mobility is quite dependent on someone else leaving. Many employees have been with Genesco for 15+ years so it's difficult to get and move upward.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep the summer hours- they're delightful. I would also encourage management to consider naming a "Jr. Board" to encourage the next leaders.

Pros

-Great People to work with
-Fantastic products
-Great Employee Discount

Cons

-Pay a lot lower than Retail Average on positions
-Pushing of "metrics" as opposed to sales

Advice to Senior Management

You have very good people that work for you on the sales floors. But, most ASMs and up are nothing more than paper managers. Meaning you read reports and spreadsheets but never ask how you can help your people or even know what they are going through.

Pros

Employee-Focused
Leader in charity/community work
High-level of corporate/brand communication

Cons

Pay is notably below the industry standard for my position.

Advice to Senior Management

My interview with the president of my division lasted over an hour, yet my position had 'Asst.' in the title of which I was applying. Presidents of multiple divisions know not only my first name but also remember certain details about my life and ask me questions when we pass in hallways. I have been here multiple years now and continue to be surprised at the level of warmth and respect Sr. Management gives me and those around me.

Pros

Staff is generally pretty chill and cool, and the employee discount was pretty great. Most Journeys stores are small enough that you don't have to do a lot of walking around looking for something you need.

Cons

Base pay is minimum wage hourly for non managers, and the taxes deducted are absolutely ridiculous. I would say almost 1/5 of my paycheck was directed to taxes. Every paycheck was also disappointing; you think you end up earning more than you do...every single time.

Advice to Senior Management

Maybe if you chose to raise the minimum wage a little bit higher, most of the staff there wouldn't be so moody. Most of them give attitude when you want to return items. If they don't voice it, their face sure shows it, and you can be sure they're talking bad behind your back when you walk out.

Pros

great employee discount relaxed atmosphere happy.

Cons

drags shipments goals transfers returns sad

Advice to Senior Management

co managers and managers should put away drags too!!

Pros

Since there is commission involved and an opportunity every month to make a nice bonus each month, you actually can determine your paycheck. The bosses are extremely wonderful and motivating. The merchandise is awesome for men of course and with the addition of the womens line it's even better. Every month there are certain items employees can get 70% off of as well as 50% off at all times. If you are competitive and love a challenge, this would be great for you.

Cons

The healthcare package isn't that great compared to my last employer. You do have to wait a year until you have 5 vacation days, however I have had several trips planned and had no issue of scheduling off-as long as the store is covered. You can however, carry up to 4 weeks of vacation at a time, so the familiar "use em of lose em" doesn't apply here. Now, you can make some serious cash with j&m but you gotta be willing to put in long hours and definitely hired outgoing and persuasive people on your staff or else you won't be able to make the 3 metrics the company stands by and therefore won't make your extra monthly bonus. Consistency is key with this job and you gotta love customers-or at least fake it good enough to get the job done properly.

Advice to Senior Management

Be a bit more helpful with the "weekly performance plans" which are focused on changing behaviors of u n ur staff to enable everyone to make the metrics. I thought for months now I was doing it right but just got word that I'm not as accurate as I thought. Specific examples need to be sent out to the store managers of what helpful "changing behavior" ideas are. Don't just let people flounder- if the store as a whole isn't achieving the metrics then obviously they are a bit confused on how to change their teams selling behaviors....duh.