Working at Sears — Reviews by Employees

I was told to leave when I asked about who's training myself. The second in charge at the time a store manager said "Nobody can hold your hand and I don't think yor a Sears employee.." Wait. I was taken into the HR room with this second in charge manager of the store and the HR Manager. The second in charge said to the HR manager do you think he has an attituide with me. She turned around and said I think he has a little attitude with you Sir. He said go home and I'll call you --- I said I quit.

Why did he became angry and nasty. I asked him who's tarining me. I am still in the training period. He said the person training you is coming in at 1pm. I told the second in charge I leave before that, he barked and said "Do you know who your talking too...' I replied "I don't know anyone I am new here." He flipped out and thats where it all started.

I was looking for support. Get this I WAS STILL IN MY TRAINING PERIOD. I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE THE STORE BY THIS UNSTABLED MANAGER WITH THE HR MANAGER IN THE ROOM IN MY TRAINING PERIOD. I have to ask anyone, especially if your a manger --- If I am in my training period aren't I suppose to ask for support and get the help by someone. Get this (sorry for rapeating that word) The women floor manager that took me downstairs to talk to Larry (I believe was his name) said someone should be showing you and training you because your new. But Larry said to me "Your not a Sears employee and I don't think Sears or you are right for each other..."

Out of a job. STAY AWAY FROM THIS STORE. REGO PARK, NY

Stay away from the Rego Park, Store. I resigned becuase the Second In Charge Manager told me "Keith nobody can hold your hand and you are not a Sears employee." Get this folks, I was still in my tranining
period. I ask myself what a nutty statement! Think about it --- I train for 2 weeks, still in my training period,
they call it floor training and the second in charge manager tell me get out go home I will call you.

I exited. Then called Sears hotline just to be told I am no good and disinguses. The place has hard working
Men and Women, even some managers but in general the second in charge and th HR store manager need to go. IU worked in retail for years.... I can't believe a person with power and authority said No one can hold your hand.... I never said hold my hand but I was looking for support and just to get throw out by an unstabled manager.

Welcome to f----- retail.

I worked at Sears for 4 years total, my last 2 as a Merchandise-Pricing Associate. I was one of the hardest working people in that store. When my supervisor was fired, the new store manager acted as if he would interview me for the job, but in reality did not even interview ANYONE within the store that had applied because he wanted "all new management". This man had been in the store a MONTH. I was later passed over for a second promotion because Sears apparently does not need to abide by any interview process and doesn't actually care if you can do the job. I had to continue to do my supervisor's job because he was too stupid to do things like make a set schedule and LEAVE IT ALONE. The schedule constantly changed and he always had an excuse like, "I don't know how that happened" when I would punch in for the day and surprisingly be late because apparently no one knew my shift had changed magically overnight.

Sears also decided to disregard my vacation which had been approved for months prior by overriding it and changing the schedule 3 days prior. You see, Sears also doesn't have to abide by any timeline for making the schedule. Sears doesn't really have to follow any rules at all. You will also be late if you have to work before the store opens because you have to wait for a manager to let you in, and they don't really care if you're on time or not, so they take their sweet time.

2 weeks ago the store manager tried to write me up for something that was actually the fault of a manager. The LP district manager told him that this could not be done, because the problem was not my fault. Now I'm suddenly fired because I "had been late too many times before and should have been fired a long time ago". This couldn't possibly have to do with the fact that 1) Sears is full of LIARS who look for any excuse to get rid of people who are smarter than they are, 2) My schedule CONSTANTLY CHANGED from day to day, so there was no way to know when my shift actually was, and no one would own up to "accidentally pushing a button and changing it", 3) A lot of times I would stay late or work on days that I was not previously scheduled to help out upon the manager's request, and the manager wouldn't actually change the schedule, making it look like I just didn't show up for work some days and worked randomly others.

BOTTOM LINE: Stay the hell away from this place. Putting so much effort into this job is a waste of your time, energy, and intelligence. You will be under paid, disrespected, and if you're not an idiot, there will be a target on your back. I got fired by a store manager 3 days before his last day at Sears, 2 weeks after he tried to get me written up for something that wasn't my fault. COINCIDENCE? No.

I have been working at Sears for a couple of months, and I have been scheduled to work around 25 hours/week. Out of the f-ing blue my hours got chopped down to less than half of the hours I had before. I apparently wasnt selling enough protection agreements. Is that even legal? I also refused to sign people up for programs without thier consent. I am not "making the stores numbers look good" but how does it make the store look when they lie to the customers about the products/credit/p.a.'s/shop your way rewards? They are pure evil!

If it were not for the fact that this store is located in a military town, there is no way it would survive. The management is terrible. They remind me of a junior high clique. Any time you need them you can find all of them sitting in the break room or outside at the smoker's table. I can't remember the last time I saw them actually doing something besides gossiping or bitching at someone about PA's or credit. They are completely understaffed in a lot of areas probably because of the high turnover rate. Nobody ever wants to come to work, there is always someone that calls in. I can't blame them, I dread coming to work too.

First off, let me say that this is retail. Anyone complaining that they have to "sell" in retail or "greet customers" (gasp) is being silly. That's the world of retail. If you aren't actively engaging customers as soon as you see them and asking if they need help then you aren't doing your job.

I work for Sears as a softlines associate. That means its a non-commission job and I get paid hourly. Sears hired me as a part time associate and yet, they give me 40 hours. Of course I'm not complaining. The problem I have is that I'm only being paid minimum wage. Normally that's not a problem at all but Sears definitely works me to the bone.

I've definitely been overworked for the little pay that I receive. Which is very odd because when I applied for the job, Sears advertised "competitive pay". I'm coming from a job that paid me 9 an hour in retail and now they are working me harder than my previous job for a lot less.

The managers are nice so I have no qualms there. The other employees are nice as well.

My home life/job management is good. I work mornings so I am able to spend my afternoons at home. However if you work nights.

I would recommend this job if you simply need a job. Obviously, it's retail, so you can expect your boss chewing you out over 'credit apps' if you are put on the register. That's part of the job. You just deal with it.

Speaking of Credit Apps, if you dont want to be a salesman dont get on the register. You will more likely be let go if you are a cashier because you are expected to sell Credit Cards.

These credit cards are terrible. They have a hideously high interest rate (25-29%) and only save the customer 15 percent. Just doing the credit check will lower the customer's credit score.

However, one of the more effective ways to sell the card is to not just ask them. Tell them "It will save you 15 dollars on todays purchase. Do you want to see if we can approve you for one?"

The customer says "no I dont want another credit card"

just tell them "Actually, what I tell my customers to do is et teh credit card and just pay it off. Then, when you come back in the store to make another purchase, just use the credit card and pay it off to keep building up your credit score."

When you give the customers ideas, it helps a lot. Also, if you arent getting Credit apps, and a co worker of yours is, just listen to their pitch and mimic how they sell the card.

Bottom Line: I wont work here forever and I certainly wouldnt want to be management at Sears. The managers are overworked as are the employees. But its a nice job to have while you find something better.

I have read several of the comments posted here that are about this company. I have to say that I whole-heartedly agree; this has to be one of the WORST places to work for. Like everyone else who has commented, when I first started working there last August, it was fine. I was a cashier and got around 25-30 hours per week and was put in different cash register areas each day that I worked. It was diversified and changed from day to day. I worked my rear end off for minimum wage. I always looked for things to do when it wasn't busy. Straightened clothes and put them away, cleaned my area, and helped customers with a smile. The only thing that I had trouble with were credit applications. I got one every once in a while, but was not one of their "Top Performers" when it came to getting them. No matter how much I tried to get them, people simply did not want them even if they could get $15 by signing up for one. I then got bothered by the Cashier Manager (and even the store manager) day in and day out about how I need to get credit apps and keep it at 100% or above. This dragged on for months.

Then it began, a 30 hr work week became 25, 25 became 20, then 9, and then 4.5 (1 day) per week. I was then only working 1 closing night a week for 2-3 months and was always put in the Home Fashions Dept. each day that I worked (the slowest, most boring, and most credit app unfriendly area in the store). This totally baffled me and I began wondering why this was happening. The scheduler (Cashier Manager) never once told me why my hours had been cut, and I could never ask her why because I never worked when she worked.

Then I did a little bit of research and figured it out. They were cutting my hours because I was "under-performing." Because I wasn't getting credit apps, it reduced their monthly credit goal every day I worked, so to increase the %-tage of credit apps, the result became scheduling me one night a week or none at all. The better the store credit (and for that matter Protection Agreements) %-tage, the more the managers' year end bonuses are, you see. Otherwise they wouldn't push it so hard. Long story short, I was called into the store manager's office last night and he told me that he had to let me go because (surprise, surprise) my credit percentage was too low. Talk about being hosed. Even though I had great customer service ratings, I was let go because of something so stupid and trivial as not getting credits.

Something is just not right about a store and company as a whole that concentrates solely about pushing credit and padding their numbers but providing minimal customer service. Nowadays, people simply do not want to have more than one credit card, especially a Sears credit card that charges 27% interest on purchases that are not paid off and encourages minimum payments to ensure that it happens. Only the most dishonest and fast talking of employees can meet their so called "credit goals" by suckering customers into getting such an awful deal. $15 off the current purchase by signing up hardly makes up for it. I am glad that I am not the kind of person who fast talks people into getting something they DO NOT WANT!!! Working here, at least, shows me that I am not a dishonest person.

On other fronts, the minimum wage employees were great as well as some of the managers. The other managers are awfully dishonest and many others only care about themselves and their year end bonuses based on year-end store numbers such as store credit app and protection agreement percentages. There is next to no respect or job security if you don't get people to sign up for credit. There is virtually no career growth or wage increases even if you are going above and beyond the call of duty like I tried to do. The work environment is awful because you are constantly and consistently feeling intimidated by management and supervisors (especially the store manager). This company used to be a great lifetime career opportunity, but not anymore. I predict that the future is dim for Sears as a whole. If they don't shape up and focus more on customer satisfaction and putting less importance on pushing dishonest credit policies, they will go under. Brands like Kenmore and Craftsman will move to better managed companies that earn more because they focus on the customer and not numbers. This is definitely not the All-American company that it used to be. Richard Sears is probably rolling around in his grave right now because of the way his company is being handled.

If you take anything away from this, it would be, DON'T BOTHER APPLYING FOR A JOB HERE. You are better off finding something better. Take my word for it: there is a reason why 170 (171 counting me) people hated working here and just 35 loved it.

I started working at Sears as a part-time cashier while I was going to school. Honestly, there is not a single thing about this company that I enjoyed. The store manager where I worked was a complete and total witch and was the least friendly employee there! When customers were present, she had no problem her employees in front of people. She didnt ever smile and didnt ever care to really talk to or get to know any of her employees. The only time this woman ever expressed the possibility of knowing your name was when the district or regional managers were around.

This company has by far, THE worst policies of any company I have ever worked with. The fact that you MUST clock out by 5 hours is ridiculous. One of our Automotive employees got fired for this .. because unfortunately there were some days where he was the only CSA working and if he had clocked out at 5hours, does that mean the auto shop would have closed for his 30min lunch break? Of course they would never allow that to happen! So he had to stay on clock.

Another thing .. you could be the WORST person when it comes to customer service, but if you can get credit apps, then they dont give a sht about your people skills. Another girl had to finally quit because the store manager was cutting her hours for lack of credit apps, even though she was absolutely fantastic with people and helping out with other employees as well. But of course, the girl who is absolutely rude and vile to customers stays because she got about 5+ credit apps a day.

At the time, this was just a job and nothing more. I guess in some ways I understand why the store manager of the Titisville location is miserable - she's a Sears store manager! Awesome. Great way to prove your hard-earned degree. I would NEVER want to make Sears a career. If you need a job, apply at your own risk. If you're looking for a career, you're definitely with the wrong company.

Sears is a company that thrives from various forms of discrimination and workplace bullying.

Use any search engine to read about workplace bullying.

It doesn’t matter if you get credit applications, protection agreements or sell merchandise.

The entire company is based on who is related to whom and who are friends with the management.

Behind kissing is the normal way in the Sears to get promotions and get scheduled for hours – it doesn’t matter who is working and who is actually making a profit – it doesn’t matter if you get 10’s on your customer satisfaction surveys.

My store has 90% of employees who are related to each other.

The few non – relatives are scapegoats for every problem in the store. Yes there are many problems. The place is very negative to be in – if you’re a non – relative – nothing you do will be enough.

Scheduling - if a job category has 10 employees and 8 of those are employees who do no call or no shows (a constant problem with this company) those 8 employees will be rewarded by being scheduled more hours – then the 2 people who DID show up as scheduled will get their hours reduced and even will be removed from the schedule.

There are employees who are removed from the schedule forever for attending a funeral – while employees who call off to go to a theme park, to go to a party, or just don’t want to come into work are rewarded with additional hours the next week.


This behavior on the part of management is completely demoralizing!!

They always give the excuse that corporate decides to schedule no call no shows the most hours – WHY would corporate do that?

I have seen excellent employees who have worked for years removed from the schedule – and they have excellent attendance and work ethics – while someone who has the worst attendance and work ethics – gets promoted and scheduled full time with benefits – this is DISCRIMATION!!

They constantly send around the attendance memo – but everyone KNOWS that the attendance policy is ONLY for the people who will not behind kiss the managers!


They will then expect the best employees to sit at home by the phone 24/7 and be on call for the no call no shows.

Another problem is the goof off employees who stand around or sit on the counters – texting on their cell phones (which is of course one way to tell their friends how to steal merchandise). Now the company is trying to solve this problem with something called Pebble – so that employees can text or message online on the companies computers – that gives the goof off even more of an excuse to sit around and play on the computers – while the non-relatives are doing the work.

Another big issue is the lack air conditioning in the stores – you can go to any other store and they have air conditioning – but not Sears – they always have some excuse for not having air conditioning – now what customer is going to shop at Sears on a hot day in a 100 plus degree store when they can go elsewhere?

Then ringing up sales – customers in a hurry – want out of the hot store and we have to ask them question after question – begging them to sign a credit app. – beg them for protection agreements, heroes for home, rewards card, kidvantage, capture their emails, and more and more and more – Customers get mad and say they will NEVER come back and I don’t blame them!

Signing – this company is sign happy – gazillions of signs print out and we don’t even HAVE the merchandise. Then they schedule the manager’s relatives to come into the store at 7 am to put up signs – and they can’t put them up because they don’t have the merchandise to put them on! So those employees have nothing to do but play on the computers – PEBBLE – and do nothing – then leave at noon – just when some customers might be coming into the store! And those employees had NO WORK to do but get paid and the most hours again the next week. And management thinks it is funny that there is 1 person to work half the store the rest of the day.

Add in there are no raises or promotions or incentives to do well in your job – it is all behind kissing and lots of managers standing around with their relative employees – giggling and laughing and goofing off and getting paid for it. Lot’s of talk about how the customer matters – but the employees who actually sell merchandise or help the customers are the ones removed from the schedule or hours reduced until they have no choice but to quit.

This company is always talking about teams and team playing – there are no teams – there are little groups who do nothing while other people work – the workers get few hours the groups get all the hours.

Management does not get along with each other either – they secretly work against each other – when district comes in they act like they get along – but as soon as they leave they work against each other again.

For all of those treated this way – file for unemployment or partial unemployment – it makes Sears look bad – good – that is what they deserve. File complaints with the EEOC about age discrimination, gender discrimination or any other discrimination covered by the EEOC that you think pertains to you. File complaints with OSHA about the high temperatures in the store and other violations (you can do this anonymously)

Read about work place bullying online and toxic work environments.

The only way this company will change is if all employees begin to file complaints.

Customers need to be made aware of how bad this company is treating employees – tell people what is going on in the store and in this company.

The problems with the Sears are so severe, toxic and have existed for so long – I personally DO NOT BELIEVE - that this company even WANTS to make a profit and thrive – they seem to be doing all they can to put themselves OUT of Business.


I am definitely seeking a job elsewhere.

I have been here for 3 years now and it's been the worst 3 years of my life. I started as a cashier, the job seemed like it wasnt bad then it just kept getting worse and worse till this day, where I am serious now about finding a new job. I was promoted to electronics sales where I've been for a little over a year and I like selling but sears has to be one of the worst companies ever to work for. They dont give a shit about their employees at all. I dont feel like typing everything why it sucks, but trust me NEVER apply here ever. Management has turned the work environment into a prison, you get bitched at if you are talking to your co-worker, when it's busy they make you stand in the aisle and greet every customer that walks through when there is no one buying anything. I understand greeting customers but it is ridiculous, a manager will take the associates and tell them where to stand and greet everyone that walks through, rather than working on your own and greeting customers that come near you like normal. Managers are all assholes at my store and have no college education and are a bunch of low-lives that think they are all professional. Sales associates get no bonuses or anything for selling well. I'm the best sales person in my department consistently every month and I still get bitched at if I'm ever below for my attachment rate at a certain time in the month, they dont care if you sell well, they only bitch at you to sell more and never give bonuses or anything like that. The associate discount is only 10% off, where a lot of places have associate discounts of cost or 5% above cost.
If you work in sales and someone steals your sale, since you work off commission, managers will do nothing to fix it. As long as the company is making money they are fine, they could really give a rats ass on which associate gets credit for the sale. The other day I had a customer I worked with ask me if I could call the manager down so he could tell him how great of a job I did. The manager comes down and the customer told him I did a great job and gave great customer service, then the manager asks him if I told him to fill out the survey on the receipt, the customer said no thats the only thing I forgot, and the manager never said thanks to me or anything for giving good service. Instead he was upset at me for not bringing up the survey to the customer, instead of giving me any praise for going above and beyond for a customer. This is just one example of many to how managers treat their employees at Sears.

I could write 5 pages about how bad this job sucks but I'm tired of typing and hopefully you get the point if you read this.

Bottom Line- NEVER WORK AT SEARS OR EVER THINK ABOUT APPLYING THERE