Pros
- Compensation plan is top notch. benefits, 401k, company car, and the pay is phenomenal, especially considering this is a first job out of college for most DM's. - For the most part you make your own schedule, so it's as flexible as you need it to be. - Independence, which can be a double edged sword. The best directors will provide direction and allow you to run with it, only stepping in when you need help or guidance. - The training program the company provides to get you prepared to be a DM is second to none. While you may not fully appreciate it when you're in the middle of it due to the insane workload, when you get to your district you'll realize that the training program was invaluable, and the time spent in store will allow you to better relate and be more credible with your employees.
Cons
- Work/Life balance. It's always something that is discussed in meetings, but once the meeting is over so is that train of thought. - Sometimes the physical aspect of the job can be overwhelming. If your store is struggling, be prepared to spend a lot of time (hopefully in store clothes and not in a suit) helping out. - It's retail, so there will be odd hours at times. Overnights, weekends worked, early mornings and late nights. While only the weekend work is mandatory (one Saturday and one Sunday a month), the others are infrequent, but can be frustrating at times. - Changed districts roughly twice a year. It was great to be able to work with so many different managers, each with their own style, but it was difficult to establish a rhythm in a store. Once you had a store where you wanted it to be and could begin to really dig in to fine tuning it, districts would change and it would happen all over again. - Also very frustrating to turn a store around and invest time in it to make it productive, only to hand off your hard work to someone else.