Urban Outfitters Reviews

Current Employee – been working at Urban Outfitters

Pros – DIscounts are great, especially during "Employee Appreciation." Music plays an important role with the company, therefore creating a fun atmosphere. Urban Outfitters promotes creativity, whether at a store level or as an individual. The company provides plenty of resources for success.

Cons – Expectations and deadlines can be ridiculously unrealistic. Many people have commented on favoritism and "kissing ass" and I do not disagree with them. Working hard and doing a great job doesn't mean you will get a promotion. I have noticed a trend of favoritism within the company, which is discouraging. From store level to Home Office, if you are not personally liked, that is an automatic "no." In order to succeed within the company, like any corporation, you must live and breathe the Urban Outfitters lifestyle and do extra credit work, sometimes off the clock.

Advice to Senior Management – Be fair and humble. Everyone started at the bottom somewhere. Just because you work at a cool hipster company, doesn't mean you must have the attitude to match.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Urban Outfitters

Pros – At the Berkeley store specifically, most of the associates are college-age or going to UC Berkeley. Everyone is laid back and doesn't take the job too seriously--while still doing a good job. The discount is also really nice.

Cons – I've never gotten a raise...but I've also never asked. This is just a chill job to have while at school.

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters part-time for more than a year

Pros – -Awesome co-workers. I met some truly wonderful people through working at Urban.
-The 40% discount on clothes (25% on housewares) is fantastic!
-The overall environment/aesthetic of the store is great and really fun.
-Some managers were really cool and friendly.

Cons – -Management alternates between being utterly unprofessional and unbelievably anal.
-Favoritism runs rampant - don't expect to get anywhere within this company unless you suck up.
-Low pay. I would not recommend this job if you pay your own rent.
-Closing shifts can have you working until the early morning hours.
-Managers expected too much for such low pay.
-Managers were often passive aggressive, resorting to gossiping or giving you bad hours if they were displeased with you, rather than actually confronting you about it.

Advice to Senior Management – Utilizing passive aggressive behavior to get back at your employees is a spectacularly poor method of motivating them to be better at their jobs. Playing favorites is not only unfair and unethical, but is completely ineffective in regards to creating a successful team (give promotions/good hours to people who are most deserving based on their statistics as employees, not people who just suck up to you). Treat your employees with understanding, professionalism, and respect, and it will be returned to you.

– I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at Urban Outfitters part-time for more than a year

Pros – DISCOUNT, nice atmosphere, cool co-workers
not a bad job to have during college
can gain experience in apparel

Cons – long hours and low pay and not much room for advancement
can get crazy during black friday and heavy shopping seasons

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters full-time for more than a year

Pros – Was promoted within a year. Coworkers were awesome and shared common values. Actually hung out with them outside of work, promoting morale. Never had any problems with the management.

Cons – High turnover rate of associates and managers alike. Store was understaffed and stretched pretty thin around the holidays. Sometimes wouldn't finish closing the store until very late in the morning.

Advice to Senior Management – Find more permanent store managers

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters part-time for less than a year

Pros – Really good starting off rate for retail, no dress code and everyone is overall very easy going. Very fun environment to work in.

Cons – Even though there is no dress code, Urban pushes you to wear certain items even though they want you to "wear your own style". Pending on the location certain managers have personal vendettas against sales associates which lessens everyone wanting to work as a team.

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters part-time for less than a year

Pros – I helped in the set up process of the store which was awesome to see come together. I found the job to be exciting and laid back; they were not constantly pushing us to up sale customers. The people I worked with were great people from all walks of life. Customers were fairly pleasant. The discount was great too!

Cons – My third week of working here, I was only given one shift which was an on call shift. Being a new store, it was slow and I knew I wouldn't be called in. I wasn't put on the schedule the following week, not even on call. Two days before the next schedule was going to be sent out, I received an email (that was sent to 20 other people) that my position had been terminated due to payroll restrictions. AKA they overstaffed and didn't bother telling us that our position was only temporary. The termination was immediate; no two weeks like previous jobs. I was completely disgusted by the unprofessional manner of my termination. I realize there was 21 of us to let go, but if you can't handle 21 phone calls or 21 meetings, you shouldn't be manager. I was extremely excited to be working for a company that I have heard nothing but positive things about, but now I'm extremely angry and disgusted.

Advice to Senior Management – Be more professional with terminations.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters part-time for less than a year

Pros – Holy cow, the 40% discount. Also a downfall because you end up spending a lot of your paycheck there. Urban Outfitters is obviously also a very hip company and it's fun being around "cool" all the time.

Cons – -Discriminatory hiring process. I was told not to tell anyone over the age of 30 that we were hiring.
-No advancement. I was never even trained on register.
-Same thing every shift.
-Managers breathing down your neck.
-CRAZY about theft prevention.
-Not a lot of hours.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters part-time for less than a year

Pros – THE DISCOUNT! it makes up for the boring job.

Cons – snooty co workers, high employee turn over rate

Former Employee – worked at Urban Outfitters

Pros – Great employee discount!
Perfect for a part time job (late nights and weekends) while working a fulltime job or in between school breaks (spring, winter & summer break)

Cons – For getting hired and growth within the company its about who you know. Its a bit clique-ish