Pros: good place for recent grads to get their feet wet.
Cons: unrealistic long term happiness.
You provide your own cell phone and work 9/hr. days (not including lunch) and get paid for 8/hrs. Must make 25-30 calls per day AND upsale while delivering product.
Was a truck driver for 2 years, under paid, false promises, horrible benifits, 1 am start times and no two days off in a row. If you just got your cdl they will hire you and your home every day but other than that it SUCKED!!!! Management hahahahahahaha what is that, a fat lazy guy that got out of any work he could!
Pros: 730a-5pm(bankers hours), benefits are ok if you are single
Cons: no breaks, poor management, lack of communication, no means of getting things resolved
From the time that I worked there, which was only about 7 months, we had 9 different part time employees that came through the store. I was in Outside Sales, started as a Sales Trainee and the company gives you the training but with little time to complete things. During the first 5 months it wasn't bad, as a Sales Trainee you get hourly+overtime. When – more... you go to Outside Sales, you are given your accounts or book of business they call it, and expected to grow it. I had over 100 accounts in which 40-50 were duplicate/dummy accounts that had been set up. The other one's that I had managed when I was a Trainee I was not given, the Manager instead took them for himself.
While I was there I would say my assessment of the company is that the company likes to hire college graduates to manipulate them, and if you want to use the vacation time you've earned, good luck with this. The reason for the high turnover is that it is treated like a stepping stone and management is poor.
My manager was attempting to undercut me on my own accounts that I were working as he would offer them better pricing if he could have the accounts. The object of a OSP or outside sales is to be selling 70% of the time, sadly enough the General Manager would basically manipulate and instruct me to be a glorified delivery boy and I would only be selling about 25% - 30% of the actual time.
In the end, the company overall isn't a horrible company, but I believe it has lost its focus along the way as management is very poor. Proper scheduling of human capital, utilizing time, efficiency, and productivity is what the company lacks. – less
Upper management is always switching gears. Going down one road today and another tomorrow. The pay/commission sucks for the amount of work and responsibilities you have. But other than that you are at will to do as you please.
I really enjoyed working for Fastenal. Fastenal is a great company that has a friendly and teamwork oriented corporate culture. My creative and innovative ideas were welcomed and encouraged. My typical day consisted of opening up and sorting mail, processing checks and invoices in a timely manor, and verifying them to ensure correct information. While – more... working for Fastenal, I experienced first-hand how effective teamwork leads to significantly better results. Management encouraged us to provide new solutions to solve work related problems. I learned to appreciate diversity as co-workers think and communicate in own unique ways. The hardest part of my job was motivating employees to do monotonous tasks (such as opening up mail). The most enjoyable part of my job was coming up with solutions that made the company more efficient. – less
A good company to start with and build a resume. Advancement within brings a lot of opportunityt and ability to move with the company throughout the country. You get to meet a lot of people and build relationships and network for other future employers.
Sales Support (Former Employee), Kentwood, MI – May 7, 2012
While working at Fastenal I learned much about Retail sales and business operations. As a business major, it was a great learning experience.
Typically, I would open the store in the morning and receive in the products and organize them either in the showroom or for delivery to customers. Each day I would perform a cycle count of products, to make – more... sure inventory is correct, help customers in the store or on the phone, among various other relatively simple activities/duties.
Management was good, but varies between stores as they are individually managed. At my location, it was very laid back as long as we got our work done and very flexible as well.
The hardest part of the job is learning all of the products. There are thousands of products and if you are not very interested in nuts and bolts and industrial supplies, then it can be a bit difficult and at times, boring.
The most enjoyable part of the job was making deliveries and helping customers get exactly what they needed to perform their own business. – less
Order filler (Former Employee), Edwardsville, KS – April 26, 2012
On feet all day scanning out orders. Supervisor and co-workers were friendly and helpful. I learned how to pick and pull orders. The hardest part of job was making sure u scanned enough procuct in a certain amount of time. The most enjoyable part of job was no one had to look over shoulder cause they could tell how many scans you were getting
General Sales Manager (Current Employee), Hudson, OH – April 17, 2012
There are solid parts, like job security, benefits, and compensation (depending on what type of store you run). But you are required to work long hours with no overtime, and you are an accountant/collections agent/delivery guy/inventory manager/operations manager and unfortunately a lot of that has to come before sales sometimes.
Treat my position like a business owner. Day to day activites include sales, managing employees, procurement, accounts receivables, accounts payable, expenses
Sales Support (Current Employee), Lincoln, NE – April 11, 2012
Pros: work around your schedule
Cons: poor pay for part-time employees
I get the deliveries out the door as soon as possible in the morning. Once that is done I generally help out around the store with stock, customers, and anything else the manager or salespeople need. I enjoy being around my co-workers and upper management. They are all helpful and for the most part appreciative. The hardest part of the job is being – more... at the store and getting things going at the break of dawn by myself, other than that the job is easy. The most enjoyable part of the job is being around co-workers and customers that are social and friendly. – less
Outside Salesman (Former Employee), Greenville, TX – April 4, 2012
Pros: decent benefits if you're single...
I spent a LONG 6 months with Fastenal, and I won't be spending another minute with them if I can help it.
The pay is minimal, "think teachers salary" and the hours are long. They would like you to work from 7am to 5pm without a lunch or a break unless you somehow create one for yourself. The pricing of their products is atrocious, and the only way – more... to make decent money is to somehow be able to sell an every increasing amount of these products monthly.
I had heard that this company had a HIGH turnover rate... I now can see why. – less
Great place to learn but not a secure job anywhere here.
Outside Sales and Support (Former Employee), Mission Viejo, CA – April 2, 2012
Pros: great pay
Cons: very small commission
I loved working and learning with this company but when my sales dropped with the economy they just terminated me rather than try to work with me or offer a lower position.
Anonymous (Current Employee), Anonymous – March 28, 2012
Pros: Great benefits, upward mobility, good work/life balance. Cons: Lots of turnover, lots of under/unqualified managers, pay is below average, commission structure needs work.
