Pros
As a professional on the design team for NPG (Nordstrom Product Group), you'll be so busy your days will FLY by! You'll quickly learn a ton about the apparel industry, you'll make good contacts if you do well in this environment, you'll get a great benefits package, at least two weeks off per yer, and then more as you work there longer, overtime if you are hourly, and if you can ward off the micro-managers and learn to stick up for yourself, you can likely have the empowerment of managing your own schedule (no, you can't come in whenever you feel like, but you can get away with working literally 9 - 5 most days - if you work hard all throughout everyday, learn to do your job flawlessly (which is almost impossible in the first year), and you can work from home sometimes too). The managers are mostly pretty flexible with some exceptions. There are great employee discount sales (in addition to the 20 or 33% you'll already get as an employee - its called the "nordy 40", and then other special offer promotions too sometimes) and fun activities also! The bottom line is that they expect people to work incredibly hard and to devote the majority of their daily lives to their careers at Nordstrom, but they know that they have to let their employees have some life balance, so sometimes the perks can really be worth it!
Cons
Ok, this is a cut throat environment. If you are emotionally weak, this is not the place for you. It can be very stressful, sometimes so stressful for some that they experience health problems. Yes, seriously. The communication from management is very "on the down low". Everything is very secretive and people tend not to be very honest, at least in mine and some other's experiences - it can definitely seem a little back-stabbish at times. There are untrustworthy people lurking in every corner. I'm sad to say you have to be very careful with who you talk to. Change takes FOREVER here!!! It seems as if one cannot just "get a job", it is extremely difficult. Nordstrom's whole tag line of "promoting from within" seems to have gone to the weigh-side for NPG, they have been farming out for all their people lately - its as if many who have dedicated many months or years of waiting for the "next step" or the "golden opportunity" with Nordstrom, are overlooked, even if they possess amazing talent and great working knowledge. It is definitely about who you know or what prestigious place you come from. If you do happen to get promoted to another position in the company, it is literally impossible to just "switch roles" - we are talking months of transition where one is doing two or so job roles at a time, with no real leeway on deadlines considering the circumstances. As I said in the pros above that it is possible to work 9 - 5, but well, lets be realistic, it is more likely you'll be working 8 - 6:30 or later without a lunch, most days. Some days, around buy meetings, you'll be spared nothing! You'll be expected to work sometimes 14 hour days and on through the weekend, all to impress those buyers (who also work for Nordstrom - this has never made any sense to me) and meet their expectations, for which they have no idea what the design and merch teams go through to deliver to them on buy meeting day. It is hard to separate emotion from this job as fashion is many of these people's true passion in life, and people here take their work VERY personally, especially when they invest so many hours and lots of stress and time away from their families to be here. Unfortunately, this can be a breeding ground for crabby and rudely direct co-workers, as well as major personal feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted. Expectations are at times, unrealistic and rediculously high! And believe me - you WILL do what Nordstrom wants! You will NOT disappoint because that would be a bad idea for anyone trying to move steadily upward in their fashion career. The bottom line at Nordstrom is the dollar, so it is sad to say that it does seem as if most of the employees here are disposable, I guess like all other major corporations. Lesson learned - try not to take it personally, just do the best you can at your job and reach for the stars no matter what you think may happen in the end! Ultimately, It is a pretty nice pay check, a huge growing experience, a major career stepping stone, and it'll undoubtedly look great on paper if you can get through this one with a few new friends in the industry and a smile on your face!! I call this experience in my life "Designer Boot Camp".