In over 7 yrs., I've had 13 Co-Mgrs. and 11 Assistants come and go; 2 still work for HL. - Store Manager Hobby Lobby Employee Review

As a mgr/co-mgr it is all about whom your DM and RVP are. I've had numerous different DMs and current one is by far best people person. Is the exception though. Most "upper mgmt" have no idea how to help you solve your problems in store any better than you do. That autonomy can be good, but can be bad too. $12 for FT associates and a quota we are expected to fill. WHY? You have no idea how much seasonal freight you are going to get til it shows up and you are drowning in it. For the love of Pete, plan ahead at corp. and d.c.!! We receive this years Christmas trees starting as early as March, every year. Not a couple of boxes either, but hundreds and hundreds of 80lb boxes you get to warehouse for 9 months! YAY! There is no benefit to increasing your sales or running a higher volume store. You won't get paid more and it is only more difficult. No,( before you say it), Sales does not cure All! There is no plan ahead (it appears) at corporate. We will receive 4-5 major resets in various departments at once, and have to get them completed in a 2 week time period with the same associates that cashier, order, stock freight, cut fabric, frame pictures, zone their depts, put away returns, provide customer service, and clean. Oh yeah, make sure you don't overspend on payroll too! Another poster stated that the cogs in this wheel are easily interchangeable. So true for managers too. Always worrying over a threat of a visit. As another poster said, 9 times out of ten, it doesn't happen. But that's okay because I stayed til close just in case. It's alright, my family time is irrelevant! As above, the work/family time balance seems to be a constant struggle with HL. I used to think it was just my immediate supervisors in the past that wanted me to work all the time to help the company at my family's expense. But now I think that the years of the Executive family silence on this subject speaks volumes. They don't care. In all honesty, if you are permanently single, have no kids, or are at least unhappily married, this may be the job for you because they will NEVER stop wanting MORE from you!!! Some specific things that I can't stand exclusive to HL: Top Caps Clean up and Clean up trucks (or lack thereof) Christmas trees showing up in the spring and summer Phase 2 showing up in the summer (We CAN't put it out at all til November!!! AAAAHHHH!) Closing projects The phrase "stay later to get caught up" Fabric departments Needlework departments (How can this department make any $ for the company, Really?) The phrase 'I can't believe you are putting Christmas out Already!" 5,000,000,000,000,000 different types of display fixtures. Simplify already! Cashier errors and register training on the adding machines, I mean, registers. Monthly Audits. Nothing like having every inch of your store audited by someone that has never been a store manager. Inventory Prep. Better than it used to be, but still such overkill. Moving counters once a year. How many times can you pry loose, lift, roll, drop, and bump something that was never meant to move? Returns - Surprise! Many customers want to borrow the mdse. How about a restocking fee? Anybody??? Regardless of whether I caused the problem(s) in my store or not, I have to fix it and pay for it = More payroll = Less bonus$ More hours for me = :( . I wonder, does the braintrust that approves sending out 4-5 layouts at once or 6 gazillion boxes of Christmas in July work late and on their days off? Doubt it. I remember a certain CEO stating that we had the most difficult jobs in the company. Is that like telling a cop that and then giving them the standard 2.5% raise? Cause that's the raise we get in salary mgmt, while hourly FT associates got 8% this year, and between 10-20% the previous 2 years in most cases. Hey, if you are thinking of working here and think this stuff sounds untrue, just call up your nearest HL and ask the mgr or co-mgr about it.