Pros
The best reasons to join Macy's East store are also the downsides. The discount is great, 20% off and employees are rewarded for exceeding sales and credit goals with 'Macy Money' (coupons that never expire and can be used on ANY merchandise). However, you MUST use your Macy's credit card (issued to you at time of hire) to receive any and all employee discounts. Of course, if you pay off the balance every month it would not be an issue. Also, depending on what department you are in you could be living a dream or a nightmare. This is true for management and sales associates. For those selected to work in level 2 or level 2 commission areas, Macy's can be very enjoyable and even pay pretty well. I was compensated decently, $38K for a level 1 group sales manager (department manager) but put in many hours and 8 weeks of training out of state because they did not have a training program in South NJ.
Cons
The discounts and 'Macy Money' paired with the Macy's credit card is actually a downside disguised as a benefit/reward. Macy's wants you to spend above your means and buy their 'aspiration brands' (Ed Hardy, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren etc.) and accrue interest on their credit cards. Not to mention that your reward for a job well done is basically a thinly veiled attempt to get you to dump your paychecks back into the store! Again, depending on what department you are employed in you could find yourself loathing the job. I managed a 'level 1' department so my sales associates made minimum wage ($7.50, and you would think a huge department store would pay above the bare minimum) for a very grueling job. I worked many hours (salaried) but mainly because the turnover in sales associates was extremely high leaving me with huge gaps in floor coverage. Also, a manager works 9 hour days with a 1 hour break but it is frowned upon to just work the 9 hour day. As a department manager you are pressured into working 10 to 11 hour days by upper management. It's a very under-handed tactic to get the maximum amount of grunt work out their salaried employees. Oh, and be prepared to be watched like a hawk by security. Most of Macy's store theft is committed by employees so the security team is more interested in apprehending employees than shoplifters.
