Hot Topic Reviews

Pros

Non-stop music choice, alternative crowd and customers you can relate to and learn about new genres of music. Excellent employee discounts once in a awhile. Team recognition and individual praise was given for surpassing set sales, loss prevention, or employee of the month.

Cons

Very little hours are given when you first start out like 4 hours a week and you gradually build to up to 30-38 hrs per week but never OT.

Advice to Senior Management

Initiate more selling incentives for sales associates to participate in. It really boosts morale and the drive to sell more!

Pros

-Great work environment
-Great music while you work (of all genres)
-Lots of communication

Cons

-Much lower pay than most ASM positions.

Advice to Senior Management

I worked at Hot Topic for about three years total and I loved every minute of it. The only reason I left was because of pay. Other than that, I was completely happy.

Pros

Great music, product, envioment, fantastic co workers.

Cons

Babysitting teens, maximum workload with minimal coverage, no merit increases for the last 2 years.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't forget about the store level employees and all the hard work they do.

Pros

-Great discount
-Fun work environment
-Fairly open dress code
-Great place to learn new things
-Open and excepting environment (gay, straight, religious, atheist, nerd, emo, punk, hardcore kid whatever)

Cons

-Inconsistency in everything
-LOW LOW LOW pay
-Lack of hours for sales associates but NO time off for management
-Lots of favoritism, depending on the store
-NO opportunity to try and compensate for low pay (no commission?!?), no incentives and crappy bonus programs

Advice to Senior Management

The company culture has entirely shifted with the new CEO..... Hot Topic used to be about being one huge "family," they actually cared about their employees. Now..... They are just like every other crap retail job out there. You are expendable. Get the job done, and don't ask any questions or complain either. No creativity, just do what you are told. They demand more and more work, but cut hours and pay. They expect you to know and keep up with all music, movies, TV, pop culture, memes, body jewelry, etc. but don't want to pay people for their knowledge/what they are worth. The kids and especially the managers who work there are worth it, so why not make a little more effort to retain good people? They also refuse to promote capable, kind and emotionally consistent individuals and instead decide to keep/promote the people who have been working there WAAAAAY too long and treat their staff like idiotic, insolent little children who need to be scolded. Yeah, they can run a store and make their numbers but they are MEANIES and PSYCHOS.... Oh! And for the love of all that's holy, please.... If you are going to skimp on pay but make us work ten times harder then AT LEAST have the courtesy to offer commission, good prizes, nice bonuses or SOMETHING.

It's a good job at a low level, but avoid management at all costs. Don't expect to make much of a living off of your job.

Pros

No dress code, open environment, lots of great people, on site ATM, gym, cafe, great benefits, chiropractor, physician's assistant, etc.

Cons

Many of the management team people have been let go and replaced by new people that I'm not sure what their vision for the company is.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to the people that have been there for a while. They have good information and are open to new ideas and feedback.

Pros

good opportunities up to SM level then it plateau's. Fast paced work environment, lots of good experiences to be had for those willing to stay at SM level.

Cons

advancement opportunities beyond SM level

Pros

* Strong partnerships
* Supervisor support
* Results Recognition

The work environment is fun and the employees demonstrate a great level of passion and loyalty to the Company.

Cons

* On-going senior leadership changes
* Last-minute decisions/direction from HQ

The Company has gone through significantly changes in order to improve sales

Advice to Senior Management

Ensure to collect surveys from the employees to gauge their opinions and recommendations on how business is going as well as their job satisfaction.

Pros

Discount was amazing
The customers how came in were ususally genuine
Great place to meet new people and share memories

Cons

Hours suck
Some management shouldn't be there
Pick favorites
Some rules that affect personal life (not including drugs)
Bad work environment
Hires too many people at one time
Never get the work that you were promised
A LOT of deception
The way you get paid

Advice to Senior Management

Okay, so, hot topic management really needs to get there head out of their ass... My store manager puts on this face, and then totally deceived me, and overall made me regret working there. I hope that i take friends from the experience, but i also hope no NEVER see this manager again.. She honestly makes me not want to go back to hot topic again.

Pros

Awesome discount, get to listen to music all day, great benefits, virtually no dress code. Very relaxed atmosphere and not at all like some of the reviews I've read.

Cons

The pay isn't the best but a job can be more about quality than pay. The way promotions go can sometimes be frustrating

Pros

HT has a great environment
Friendly customers
Helpful coworkers
Friendly and honest management
Great discount (20% on electronics, 40% on all clothing and accessories)
Worlds best dress code, WHATEVER YOU WANT!
Everyone I work with is supportiveand cool with my sexuality

Cons

There are so many TWILIGHT shirts to fold lol
Closing is a little hecktic but still nice
Not being full time :)

Advice to Senior Management

I love everything about HT, the culture, the music, the enironment, the people, even the scene kids. I love working here! I often show off my name tag to my friends and they all moan in jealousy. Honestly, This could be my career for a long time...