Nordstrom Reviews in Portland, OR Area

Pros

The culture is very welcoming. As a sales employee you have a lot of flexibility in building your own 'small business.' What I mean by this is you are allowed, and encouraged, to connect with customers and really build a network of committed shoppers. The company puts a lot of trust into each of the employees and overall it is a great environment for a commission-based selling retail shopping store.

Cons

If you do not like to work on commission, this is not the job for you because of the tedious need to continually push for sales to meet goals and expectation. The company does have other employment options of course, and I would certainly recommend the company to anyone looking to get into the retail shopping industry.

Advice to Senior Management

The only advice that I would offer to management (and this only pertains to some of the younger/newer management) is to try to manage all employees with a higher sense of professionalism. This seemed to sometimes be an issue in "back office" settings off of the floor.

Pros

Great discount, great way to keep up with trends

Cons

Poor way of assessing who should be promoted, managers sit on their butts while hourly associated work hard

Advice to Senior Management

Lead by example

Pros

Nordstrom is well known, highly reputable company. Having them on your resume definitely generates a positive start to many interviews.

Cons

Commission as a seasonal employee is a lower percentage. The Juniors department is also nothing but a high school girls locker room.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't befriend SOME of your employees and create outcasts of the rest. It's tacky and immature.

Pros

Great environment to work in. Great job after college. Nordstrom was a great stepping stone that recruiters loved to recruit.

Cons

Typical retail hours. Long hours during the Holidays. The Anniversary sale in July is a great time to make money. I made $ 10,000 in 2 weeks. Crazy Busy.

Advice to Senior Management

The Nordstrom Family is very genuine. I had the opportunity to have lunch with Bruce Norsdstrom the Father of the current CEO Blake Nordstom. No advice. They truly are great merchants.

Pros

-Commission sales, so you can make a lot more there compared to other retailers that just pay you hourly

-PTO and health benefits..(although I wasn't eligible for either for almost a year because I wasn't working the full 40 hours a week)

-Opportunity to "climb the latter" if you are willing to drink the kool-aid, be SUPER excited, enthusiastic and fake. Also be best friends with the people that matter... store managers, regional managers, HR, etc.

Cons

-Very little respect given to sales people unless you have been there forever and are a top producer in a top department... if you are in a failing department you are probably out of luck

-Hours can be extreme during sales and Christmas time, little time off allowed during those times (nights and weekends are always expected)

-Managers can be fired without any warning, for the most ridiculous, unfounded reasons

-Overall just extremely political, so if you can play that game then it's a great place to grow your career

Advice to Senior Management

Make an effort to see the hard work that all sales people and managers are doing, not just your favorites.

Pros

The merchandise is quality as you are surrounded by many beautiful things. The store is clean and very upscale which is nice.

Cons

Everything! Management pushes the employees around. The store pushes you constantly to make high sales quota, so your own sales team are cut throats against each other, stealing customer and sales! Management, although salaried, have to meet that quota too, so they will make you step aside with a customer you were talking with so they can get the sale! This is disgraceful. Also if you buy something and it goes on sale two days later they will not give you the discount but they will do this for any other customer. We are customers too.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't treat your employees last and don't swindle their sales so you get the commission yourself.

Pros

-Nice people to work with
-Discount- could be more (especially when salespeople are the ones helping customers)
-Good on resume
-Customers are fun to help

Cons

-Don't care about you as a person, if you wanted to transfer to another store, even after working for the company for 5+ years would rather hire someone new. All based on Sales Per Hour. HR does not value a reliable, committed employee.
-Being promoted rather quickly into management, was demoted out just as quickly
-Long, strange hours
-People who don't deserve the best hours seem to get them, based on favoritism
-Sucking up seems to be the best way to get promoted
-CAN NOT pay bills on this job, have to live with parents, only a few people PER STORE can make a decent living.
-Commission rate needs to be changed
-Management pay is by far the only pay to live on, but then you have to work a million hours to get the job done
-Upper management and/or Buyers make decisions that Salespeople have to communicate to customers. They should try and think about that before they make dumb decisions.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more aware of employees. Think about how many of your employees are struggling to make ends meet. Commission causes problems. Maybe change commission to hourly + commission instead of just commission.
Stop putting idiots with no management skills in Management. Just because there is an opening or they might be an OK salesperson does NOT mean they are good managers.
Listen to what salespeople are saying! We are not stupid and WE are the ones selling your products!!

Pros

Ok benefits
Discount so-so
Good first job

Cons

Management
Difficult to see any growth within the company
Overwork you
Pay is not good

Advice to Senior Management

Use more positive reinforcement

Pros

You obtain outstanding customer service skills that will allow you to excel in future careers. Good sense of family and team work.

Cons

Very long hours during the sales.
Nordstrom's flexible return policy will hurt your sales.
Sometimes customers can be cranky and treat you like a slave.

Advice to Senior Management

Encourage more outside of work bonding for employees. Make younger employees feel more welcome. Give food to employees during the sale.

Pros

Good benefits and pay. Salespeople get a good commission rate, benefits and flexibility. Lots of locations around the country to work and get promoted.

Cons

The happiest employees at Nordstrom are the salespeople. You can do your job well and be rewarded for it. If you choose a management path, you must be part of the "in group" to be truly successful. Upper level people often want to do it their way and are not as open to feedback and comments as would be expected in a culture of servant leaders and the inverted pyramid, that they often talk about. This last point is much more obvious if you work in the Northwest. I also worked with Nordstrom in other parts of the country and the experience was often very different.

Advice to Senior Management

Remember, you started as salespeople and Department managers too. Stay open to other peoples ideas and ways, and they will be more likely to reciprocate.