Pros

it is truly open door communication in the company.

Cons

Although there is a high saturation in most areas with the company, promotions were hard to come by. I was told repeatedly that I was ready for the next level and that I was qualified to move up, but I did not.

Advice to Senior Management

n/a

Pros

Pretty amazing discount, 20% off of CDs and movies, 40% off of everything else. Get to talk about music (if you manage to find anyone who listens to it). Pretty cool people to work with for the most part.

Cons

EXTREMELY incompetent management. Store manager and district manager cannot spell and lack professionalism. Store manager does absolutely NOTHING but complain and have other managers and associates complete her tasks. Most promotions seem to be at random, as in people who are unable to manage are given higher positions due to work attitude as opposed to actual performance or competence. Orders for store (design, hours, etc) are mandated from corporate, so extremely little amount of actual responsibility is given to the store manager, yet work and tasks are still unable to be completed. New forced promotion of a failing music networking site created by Hot Topic (Shockhound) which is not competitive in the market. Pay is extremely low, lower than any other comparable store, and hours are usually low (under 10 hours per associate is fairly common). Frequent new hires for holidays while keeping hours for individual associates low. Lack of promotions for certain associates, while quick promotions for others (depending on store). No real compensation for a job well done. A strong change of direction based on what is trendy, they are not as they claim "all about the music".

Advice to Senior Management

Get a new store manager. Make sure that management is COMPETENT in all aspects of management, not just in telling associates what they need to do. As in actual work. Managers should work for the money they earn and not have associates and assistant managers do all of the work for them while they complain about associates not getting things done on time. Bring back more music merch; and by more not more of the same shirts that are trendy, but more variety.

Pros

Loud Music, Interesting People, Relaxed Environment and Great Discount! Selling on the floor at Hot Topic was my favorite position. Talking to customers and helping them make purchases. It was always lively and energetic in the store.

Cons

All the managers are angry and stressed into an inch of sanity. This trickles down to all employees. Sometimes at my store there was a total disconnect between management and the rest of the staff. Sales Associates were all unimportant underlings and easily replaceable. This was the attitude held by some of the management.

Advice to Senior Management

Respect your employees. Ease up on your managers so they can relax and appreciate your employees. Do not tolerate hazing or ridicule from store managers. I was once called "white trash" by my store manager in front of a store full of people.

Pros

The lack of a strong dress code let's you be yourself, minus some of those shirts that you can't wear in front of Grandma anyway. The music is awesome and the vibe can be way possitive.

Cons

Some of the upper management can be very unconnected with the sales associates. We had great support from our store manager, and our DM was cool when he came, took time to talk with everyone, even about what new music you were into and where you wanted to go. Our regional was kinda snippy and seemed really hard on the manager.

Advice to Senior Management

Make sure that the fashions stay connected to the music we are listening to. Some of the stuff we got in was really lame and embarassing to have to try and sell.

Pros

The discounts and the atmosphere, it's big girl heaven with cool clothoes

Cons

Long hours, losing your weekends to retail, as a manager you aren't allowed to take off whenever you want to.

Advice to Senior Management

More positive feedback also knowing their position. You can't preach to others about what you don't know yourself.

Pros

The benefits are amazing! Awesome discount that extends to Torrid & Shockhound.com. Low cost healthcare options for management (even part-timers!), Stock options, company-matching 401k, monthly bonus opportunities, band grants, tuition scholarships, concert reimbursement and other contests for cash & prizes. Additionally, Hot Topic is a fun place to work and has great people across the board extending from HQ down to all the stores. Career growth potential? The sky is the limit! If you are willing and able HT will take you to the top of the company and everyone above you has a vested interest in you, your training and your advancement.

Cons

From my experience, it is impossible to be highly effective as a member of management without having Hot Topic consuming a lot of your free time. Do not misunderstand me, they discourage and actually prohibit anyone from working off the clock, but if you want product knowledge (namely music) you have to seek that out on your own time. You are required to be an "expert" on everything HT sells, being an expert on that much stuff is time consuming! Every really good manager has no life outside of work- sad but true. I also think that there is a lot of stress for management, especially if you take your job seriously and want your store to do well. Managers wear many hats- they are sales people, they are coaches, motivators, planners, merchandisers, stockers, cashiers, loss prevention and sometimes have to unclog toilets and dig through trash- all while trying to make it appear to customers that they're just hanging out having fun. It is a lot to juggle sometimes.

Advice to Senior Management

I would strongly advise them to try harder to find candidates to promote from within the company before looking elsewhere and hiring outside the company. My personal experience with this has led me to believe that if they invested as much time, effort, training and confidence in preparing the assistants they already have for Store Management positions as they do with outsiders their success rate would be much higher.

Pros

They are very flexible in regards to schedule and family. It is a great place for learning and some of the perks include regular concerts at the office by upcoming bands. Another great benefit is their 9/80 schedule which gives employees every other Friday off. Great for those raising families or like to travel.

Cons

They do not pay very well. They tend to pay their higher executive very well, but mid level to entry level employees are poorly paid.

Advice to Senior Management

I would advise senior to research their technical design departments and provide better compensatio packages.

Pros

You get to listen to good music, and get to wear pretty much what you wish. The most of the people working there are friendly and everyone usually gets along with one another.

Cons

You also have to listen to bad music that sucks, and especially for the holidays, they make you listen to the Nightmare of Christmas like OVER and OVER and OVER again!!!! you have to work with senior level management that still tries to be in their youth. The kids that shop their with their parents are the worst.... parents still think its a devil store and are crazy.

Advice to Senior Management

Communication goes a long way!

Pros

Hot Topic provides employees with a fun atmosphere. The customers are usually friendly and nice. Full time employees have a great benefits package. Your higher ups are usually laid back, less corporate then most corporation employees.

Cons

Sometimes it is difficult to move up because there are many people trying to do so.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more aware of professional goals of the employees.

Pros

Great people and a fun enviornment.

Cons

Lack of opportunity for advancement, sometimes poor development of internal candidates

Advice to Senior Management

Keep closer tabs on regional and district managers. Ask those who work under them for feedback more than once a year.