Good place to work - potential dream for musicians - Anonymous employee Sweetwater Employee Review

3.0
16 Jan 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

• Working for a moral world-class company that has - and continues to grow exponentially • Family oriented • Employee Gym and Personal Trainer • Discounts on Products • A DVD lending library • Arcade* • Billiards and Ping Pong* • Diner* • Coffee Shop* • Slide* • Led by very experienced management • Financial perks for healthy living • Good 401K

Cons

• *Many benefits are open to the public. If you look forward to playing in the arcade or eating in the diner, be prepared to wait in line • Excellence is expected, not rewarded • Strict dress code • Few paid holidays (this is retail) • (Salary only) No overtime compensation • Little to no room for advancement - you're probably being hired because you're the best at what you do. • Minimal raises and flat across departments. Ask for a salary that you’re happy with for the entirety of your career. In the sales department, you’re solely responsible for your own success • Minimal profit sharing • Management that is very slow to adopt trending ideas and design

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Sweetwater Response
11y
Thanks for your many positive comments. The pictures on this site and many, many more on our virtual tour at our sweetwater.com website show the many amenities you mention for our employees. Yes, we do make these amenities available to not only our employees, but also our customers who visit our headquarters. We are a relationship based business, and what better way to engage employees directly with customers than having them shoot some pool or play a game of ping pong. The salary increases we gave in March 2015 are, on average, about 25% higher than the national average most companies are giving this year. In addition, our hourly employees in many cases received a significant adjustment above and beyond this to their rate of pay. We make no apologies for our dress code, which we call "Professional Business Casual." We receive hundreds and hundreds of positive responses from visitors every year about how professional our people look. They very often will also ask us during a tour "why does everyone look so happy?" It's noteworthy that many of our people dress above and beyond what the dress code requires for their job. For example, many of our male employees come to work in a coat and tie every day when this is not a requirement. We're proud that they feel that way about themselves, their environment and their job. Jeff McDonald, Senior Vice President of Human Resources

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.

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