When I was working at American Eagle Outfitters, I would hear from others that used to work there, How very happy they were to be rid of the joint...I could not appreciate, this until I finally got Weight of This tragic work environment from around my neck. As a manager, I learned alot, because it is such a high structured company; however, companies that demand alot of their employees should pay accordingly. American Eagle DOES NOT. I was a mgr at a retail company, yet I felt like I was working at Goldman and Sachs without the pay. Constantly pressured and harrassed to meet more goals than the united states military in Afghanistan, and everyday it was a new priority. Everyday a new goal to add to the ones we had to meet. Once again, this would have been nothing more than a great challenge IF we were getting paid for the added responsibilities that seemed to mount on a daily basis. Not the least of which was conversion. A word that if I never hear again it wold be too soon. And I am afraid of what I might do to the next person that ever uses that word around me again. Conversion is a helpful tool as a key performance indicator of how you as a store, convert the traffic that comes into your store into sales. However, the degree to which district managers will go to have you meet those goals, particularly mine, was LITERALLY nothing short of telling you, if you don't meet those goals irregardless of the reason, you might as well put a gun to your head and KILL YOURSELF. American Eagle is oh so quick to look for and jump on any shortcomings and in comparison not as quick to point out and or praise any
good work. Speaking from my own experience...I gave far more to a worthless company, than it deserved. I thank God, had the liberty of being able to walk away when I wanted, because I have a successful career as a DJ. And had only taken the job to give me something to do in my free time doing the week, since most of my gigs were on the weekend. After all was said and done, I would have rather stayed home and watched paint dry over and over again, before I waisted my time on a piss-poor, wretched, god awful bullsit company, like AMERICAN EAGLE. I have never even walked in, I actually never liked the clothes, i just made it work because I worked there. And the very day I walked out of my store for the last time, I actually almost skipped through the mall, I felt like a weight had been taken off my shoulder. I am DJiing full time, without any encumberances from AE, anyone or anything. I feel like the sun is shining in my life again. And am so Happy..I can TRULY LIVE MY LIFE, now that I'm not Working at the company whose motto is the same.