Prepare for the Real Story at Sweetwater - Sales Engineer Sweetwater Employee Review

3.0
3 Jan 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You get vendor Swag, you get a great discount on products, and if you are lucky, you may get the chance to talk to some great customers (famous musicians, voice -actors, and celebrities).

Cons

This is my experience and what I have observed from friends of mine working the same position. There are standards you will have to meet especially in the first year rolling out after the training. You will have to grind hours and work overtime if you want to get dibs on new customers that open up from other Sales Engineers who get fired or quit. Lots of prospecting leads. Management will critique you based off your numbers. They do this because it is easy to talk about from one Manager I have talked about this. Some Sales Engineers will be greedy, and cause drama regarding if you deserve commission from helping out their customers if they call in. I believe this is because to make decent money, there is a lot of red tape to close sales especially big system quotes you are building for customers. Every piece of commission counts. It is bad enough you will get some bad customer interactions, but to get it from your own team/department makes it even more tiring/irritating. Morning meetings are not paid yet you are expected to put in a few extra hours a week. I worked 49 hours a week because I was required to show up to meetings from vendors showing me how to plug an Audio Interface with a USB (Waste of Time). Vendors pay Sweetwater to get meeting time, which makes it even worse. It is nice Sweetwater gets something from it, but the employees just get what they call, "Sales Chops." Lastly, PTO is now 15 Days a year. You can roll over 5; however, you need to save a few extra days in case you get sick. The problem with this is some people cannot help getting sick frequently, which puts them in a situation where they cannot take days off because they are out of PTO. Because of this, this makes it easier for other people to get sick, which becomes a domino effect. I suggested a work from home plan if you do end up getting sick. That way you will not have to use PTO, you can still work, and you will protect your fellow co-workers from getting sick. In a meeting, Sweetwater said they do not have infrastructure to create work from home environment. Even though they were able to during COVID. I guess when you are required by the state government you have no choice... Lots of corporate politics, lack of transparency from management (not all), and pointless morning meetings you have to attend that you do not get paid for. But hey, Sweetwater gets paid though.

Explore other reviews about Sweetwater

5.0
10 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The job requires a versatile mindset. It is not just one job, it is multiple jobs. For me I like switching it up and staying on my feet. This job is not only customer facing but also warehouse. So it is the best of both worlds.

Cons

Sometimes you are required to lift heavier boxes but you usually get help if needed.

4.0
5 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If sales and music are your drives, Sweetwater is as good as it gets. Management in my experience has been very supportive and development-oriented, creating a positive culture around the company. They have a fantastic training program (albeit intense) that trains on both products and sales methods, so even if you're lacking experience in a given category there's plenty of coaching and training to get you ready for the role. Over time, the position can also be quite lucrative which compliments Fort Wayne's low cost of living well. They also offer relocation assistance since all positions are on-site, and a great benefits package. I've been fortunate to become great friends with many of my coworkers and honestly some days don't even feel like work. Ultimately, with this job you get what you put in, and making a solid living to geek out over music gear all day is a pretty sweet gig.

Cons

The job is very demanding - it's a fully commission sales job that revolves around constant customer outreach via call, text, and email. This means starting out is tough financially, and days are usually long. Try to have a savings cushion before you start, especially if you're moving from another city/state. You also work nights, holidays, and rotate through weekend shifts which won't be new for those who have worked retail before, but it's still a tough adjustment. Starting out I struggled from a social aspect as well. Fort Wayne is a cool city, but it's no LA, NY, or Chicago. Long hours at work make going out and making friends or getting involved in community groups/organizations difficult.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All