Pros
The salary wasn’t bad, and the 25% discount on brand it’s ok, but considering the workload and the way some managers (including the HR team) treat employees, it wasn’t enough. I ended up leaving through the back door because my mental health had reached a very bad point. This is the kind of job that drains you—the more you give, the more you’re expected to keep giving. In my experience, the company doesn’t genuinely care about employees’ mental health. I asked on two separate occasions to reduce my working hours, and the first request was simply denied. Only managers seem to have access to more balanced schedules. Despite taking on more responsibilities, there was no increase in pay.
Cons
The role came with the same responsibilities as a regular store employee, but with no additional pay. Working full-time also meant having very little time to manage your personal life, especially if you’re living abroad on your own. It was extremely difficult to swap shifts, even if you had a doctor’s appointment or needed a day off for personal reasons, because everything depended on the “needs of the store.” The same applied to annual leave—you have to book it as early as possible, otherwise you risk losing a whole week of holiday, which happened to me. I asked the HR team by email if there was any solution, but the only response I received was in person at the store saying me that nothing could be done. There was no flexibility and not even any form of compensation. Be especially careful around Christmas. As a full-time employee, I was told I couldn’t take the Christmas week off, even though I had requested it months in advance (around May/June). It didn’t matter that I would have been spending Christmas alone, away from my family. If you’re lucky enough to have supportive colleagues, the job becomes more manageable. Otherwise, I found the company culture to be very unhealthy. It often feels like if you’re not part of the “inner circle,” you’re treated differently.