Dillard's Salaries, Bonuses and Benefits.

What are the average starting salaries, bonuses, benefits and travel requirements like at Dillard's?

What do you like best about working at Dillard's? Are there any great perks or special treats for employees?

The pay is horrible in comparison to the amount of time
they expect you to put into the job. I worked at a large Dillard's in Florida for 2 years. As a manager-in-training I made 28,500 and when I was promoted to full manager, I started making 33,000. Mind you, my boss expected her managers to put in roughly 50-60 hours a week. The holidays are torture. You work at least 60 hours a week and NO BONUS!!!

Dillard's is a revolving door. They want you to meet sales whether they have people coming through the door or not. If you don't meet those sales they will cut your starting pay which is shameful to begin with and then through their evaluation process will terminate you. They just want another warm body to ring up sales and when you don't sell their high priced merchandise then they will terminate you and get another warm body!

Dillard's is the worst company i have worked for. The starting pay is decent, but when you don't make the outrageous sales goals, they cut your pay by 10%. I work in cosmetics and our particular counter is number one in the entire st. louis area, which also includes columbia, MO and paducah, KY. We have received numerous cash prizes, awards, and kudos from the cosmetic line itself, but Dillard's refuses to recognize our accomplishments. How is it that not one person is eligible for a raise at our counter, but we are making the numbers which Dillard's sets for us!?! The company and its practices are bogus, unfair,and outlandish. I can't wait to get the hell out of there once i finish college. If you are looking for a career DO NOT WORK FOR DILLARD'S!!!!

DILLARD'S REAL REASON FOR THEIR 3% SALES DROP = HORRIBLE MANAGEMENT IN YOUR STORES. HOLD ON, MANAGEMENT IS A BIG WORD TO USE FOR THOSE "SEAT WARMERS". THE ONLY THING THOSE "MANAGERS" DO ALL DAY IS WARM UP THEIR CHAIRS WHERE THEY GOSSIP ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES IN THE BACK OF THE STORE. THEY NEVER GO OUT ON THE SALES FLOOR TO SEE WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING WITH THEIR DECLINING SALES. THE ONLY TIME YOU SEE THE SEAT WARMERS OUT ON THE SALES FLOOR IS WHEN THE DILLARD'S OR THE DM COMES TO VISIT. THESE SEAT WARMERS TREAT ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH SUCH DISRESPECT. (ESPECIALLY IN OKLAHOMA)WHERE DID YOU FIND THESE PEOPLE TO RUN YOUR $7.6 BILLION COMPANY? DRUG TEST YOUR SEAT WARMERS AND DON'T BE SURPRISED IF ALL OF THEM FAIL-THEY EVEN DRINK ALCOHOL ON THEIR WORKING SHIFTS. YOUR SEAT WARMERS HAVE NO CLUE WHAT HUMAN RESOURCES MEANS AND ITS POLICIES-ANOTHER THING THEY HAVE ZERO CLUE ABOUT IS MANAGING--ALL THEY DO IS THREAT THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH ALL THIS NONSENSE. THE OVERALL COMMUNICATION IS A COMPLETE JOKE. MANAGERS SHOULD BE ROLE MODELS FOR YOUR HOURLY EMPLOYEES, UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE NOT. OUR MANAGERS SHOULD MENTOR US TO BE ONE OF THEM SO THEY COULD MOVE UP THE CORPORATE LADDER; HOWEVER ALL THEY DO IS DISRESPECT US, WHEN WE ARE THE ONES THEY SHOULD RESPECT THE MOST BECAUSE WE MAKE THEIR NUMBERS LOOK GOOD OR BAD!
REMEMBER THIS: WHEN YOU LOSE A DILLARD'S EMPLOYEE-YOU LOSE A DILLARD'S CUSTOMER--BECAUSE EVERYONE LEAVES DILLARD'S IN A NEGATIVE WAY. AGAIN, WHY DID YOUR SALES DROP 3%? YOU DO THE MATH! THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN AND NEEDS AN IMMEDIATE ACTION PLAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I'm planning to do an employee "Motivation" analysis on Dillard's.
Anybody interested to be interviewed? (confidentiality guaranteed).

Host said: What are the average starting salaries, bonuses, benefits and travel requirements like at Dillard's?
What do you like best about working at Dillard's? Are there any great perks or special treats for employees?

I have to say that I agree with many of you. I thought that these things were only happening in the Charlotte, NC area. Management is a major problem. Our operations manager was arrested for theft, but fled to Florida before he could be arrested. He was tipped off by another manager. Our juniors manager was put in cuffs and arrested for theft. Along with other employees that have been fired or arrested for theft. I have to wonder why this is accepted by the corporate office? Are they doing so well in other areas?

I only worked part time, but was forced to leave without notice because they were scheduling me over 40 hours per week. I have a full time job which is my "bread and butter." I worked in cosmetics because I loved the job...not for the pay. It was fun money for me.

I think that Dillards has much to learn about management. I wonder if the stockholders will eventually require this because of declining sales?

I am in total shock! I had no idea that there are so many people out there who have had as bad an experience as I did working at Dillard's. I worked there about a year and a half ago and still feel traumatized by upper managements treatment. I started as an assistant manager and was promoted to cosmetics manager within 3 months. I took the position only because I didn't have a choice, but said I would do the best I could with no experience in cosmetics, besides the fact I had never been trained on a register. They just wanted a warm body to fill the management slot. Long story short, I didn't meet their needs and they fired me. I wasn't given another opportunity. I wasn't moved back into an assistant management position to learn and grow. People are disposable at Dillard's and that is the main problem. It also seems that the people they put in upper management are heartless and ogres. They give you management endless amounts of tasks to perform with unbeatable time lines. Which results in uncompensated, thankless overtime. Oh well, I guess I feel vindicated now. The Store Manager in Clarksville, Indiana just got fired for theft and is being prosecuted. Anyone who sits that high on a throne must fall some day. I hope the Dillard's boys use more discretion when filling the upper management positions in the future.

I'm doing a project about how Dillard's can improve their operations. Any thoughts? Comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

1. A complete overhaul of the Sales Per Hour program would be the first place to start. Dillard's draws associates in with a high pay per hour and cut it the first chance they can.

2. In my experience, the Store Manager and Operations Manager are tyrants. How about a more ethical, caring person in a leadership position.

3. Set schedules for department managers.

4. Dillard's needs to revamp it's associate scheduling system. The program is ancient and takes days to schedule properly.

5. They need to update their computers, and registers. They use out of date systems.

6. The Dillard's boys need to respect the time of floor management. When I worked there, you were never guaranteed a day off because the Dillard's boys could decide to fly in at any given time. If that happened you lost your day off and it was recovered.

7. Training for floor management would be awesome! I had two eight hour days of training.

The Dillards of my younger years is still the same old hellhole. It is a people mill,bringing people in to work for inflated wages that they know will be dropped once they can't make the crazy sales quotas-especially sinbce they overload each sales areas with too may sharks in the same sales area...I was a top performer and won may sales awards. I left with a two weeks notice but the d*** b**** I worked for tried to extend my time at Dillards, and told the HR dept that I left early- so I am NEVER rehire-able. I found this out when i tried to get a job with a cosmetic vendor that would require me to be in the stores OCASIONALLY...Later, when I was a manager for a competing dept. store and we had a job fair, the majority of applicants were dissatisfied Dillards employees, desperate to escape the hell of dullard's!

That place blows. I would never wish it on my first enemy,

I've always wondered why some Dillard's employees don't write formal compliants to the state Dept of Labor for the pay cuts all get for not making the sales targets. Then again maybe a class action lawsuit would be a good starting place as the majority of employees can never make the goals which means the goals are unreasonable.

ari said: I'm planning to do an employee "Motivation" analysis on Dillard's.
Anybody interested to be interviewed? (confidentiality guaranteed).

I don't know if you are still looking for people but I will be happy to be interviewed.

well i agree 100% with all of you-- i was working at dillards through the holiday season and up until last week--- they sent out mens department to a convention in denver for suits then fired ALL of us, including the mens manager for supposed time card fraud for being clocked in during the convention-- it is amazingly weird that by firing all the mens dept. meant they fired all the 'blacks' in the store--- i have been readin many article about their ethical practices and how many people file harassment and whatnot from them--- and then the kicker-- i disagreed with their reason for firing me and low and behold they decided to file theft charges because i was in another store using a gift card they said was obtained illegally--- yeah right--- the whole Dillards organization is a joke and i really really hope they get their act together before we all take action against them

Hi Barbara, I would truly appreciate your insights for the paper. I'm halfway done through my analysis of the company's negative sales growth rate.
I'm a business school student at a city university in New York City, btw.
Please reply this post by emailing me at ari_13j@yahoo.co.uk.

Best,
Arij

is it possible that they fired my bf to ring his return on his name and charged him 1000$ because of it.... for a trust or whatever ??

i work at dillards now and if you are black do not hold your breathe on being promoted. our store manager only promote young white female with no management experience and i have 15 years of management.terrible benefits worst than wal mart.the owners are stuck up andlook down on the employees and the never speak.

Iam a new commer to this site. my question is could some one elaborate on their experience at dillards. i would like a detailed account of what really happened- so i can tell my sister not to go to thee interview/nor waste her time-my sister and i share the same web address/ leave each other mail and info about a lot of shared topics.

anybody interested to be interviewed????

I also was a previous employee and to this day I am still having problems with them. I have explored chat boards and sites seeking as much information as i possibly can. The sheer volume of employees with problems mentioned only proves the enviornment of harrasement, civil rights violations and total disregard for the safety of thier employees reaches extremely high in the corporation. The use intimidation and errogance to be mistaken for ignorance.
Personnally I have 15 years of management expeirence (not that this fact means that I am more qualified than anyone else) but some of the things I was witness to literally made me sick. All my life I always turned my back on these sort of problems and thought that it is not my problem. Not any more, if I turn the cheek this time, I will not be any better than Dillard's. We can tell our storiers to each other and cry all day but I would rather band together and make a change. It will be extremely difficult because most people get so frustrated and just give up. That is exactly what they want, they did not hire the chief legal attorney just for corporate litigation. Also be very carefull about who and what you blog, since the creation of Blogs, corporations use these forums to find out exactly what people think and in some cases they have even identified employees and fired them for it.

Okay..it's true that they usually would hire on light skin because i was when there today and the manager didn't like me because of my skin color...everybody else was light skin

BarbaraR said: The pay is horrible in comparison to the amount of time
they expect you to put into the job. I worked at a large Dillard's in Florida for 2 years. As a manager-in-training I made 28,500 and when I was promoted to full manager, I started making 33,000. Mind you, my boss expected her managers to put in roughly 50-60 hours a week. The holidays are torture. You work at least 60 hours a week and NO BONUS!!!

I have worked at Dillard's for 6 years and my boss
is the same. But know because sells are not there they are trying to make me quit. I have seen them do this to several of the managers. The turnover rate is very high who wants to take a pay cut!!!!!!

arijin Amityville, New York said: anybody interested to be interviewed????

I work in one of the divisional offices and i would love to be interviewed, but i can't give you my name or my position. i know how horrible Dillard's is and I can assure you that it's not just at store level - that there is discrimination, lousy pay and even worse benefits all around - it doesn't get any better when you move into those executive offices. The company is completely mismanaged by two of the Dillard's sons who have no plan, direction or idea of what they are doing. The problem starts at the top and it trickles all the way down. I work with seven other executives and five (including me) are looking for work elsewhere.

I was talking to my father-in-law about just getting hired at Dillard's and was shocked to hear him say "you know that Dillard's is a very hard company to work for?!" I had no idea...

I figured that I would do some research for myself and boy am I glad I did! Can anyone give some advice so that maybe I can avoid these situations?

Ok I just got hired at Dillard's yesterday. When I told my best friend she looked at me in horror she said DON'T GO PLEASE! Then I started reading all these horror stories and now I'm truly scared they when through that pay cut thing really quickly at training and brushed it off by saying " oh don't worry. I'm a really good sales person and I have worked at Macy's who are credit hounds but we had NOTHING like this. Now I feel like I should go job hunting again.

As a former Dillard's manager, I definately know the disadvatages of working there. Let me just say that where I started was not great, but when I started working at the "Flagship Store", the company's baby, Park Plaza, I was completely amazed at the disorganization and lack of common sense management had. All we would here at our other store is how great Park Plaza is, being in the capital city, looking and doing everything perfect. That's all a load of horse crap!

I understand the point of quota based pay. They think it makes them money. All it does is make management unaware of their people. They DO NOT appreciate their employees! If you have a question, you are better off researching it on your own, because nobody knows anything. You think you are doing good and then the quota raises. Most people don't realzie that it fluctuates during the year due to what they call "seasonality".

I don't manage now since I'm getting my masters. I am on the sales floor. When our manager brought us more paperwork to sign, he told us that it showed where we stood in our personal sales. Um NO! The assistant store manager told him this. IT was paperwork that each one of us should have received either from our first review or when we got hired. It showed our sales standard-where we should be, and our raise quota. So, they are passing these papers out lying to the employees. I could go on................

wowza in Longwood, Florida said: The Dillards of my younger years is still the same old hellhole. It is a people mill,bringing people in to work for inflated wages that they know will be dropped once they can't make the crazy sales quotas-especially sinbce they overload each sales areas with too may sharks in the same sales area...I was a top performer and won may sales awards. I left with a two weeks notice but the d*** b**** I worked for tried to extend my time at Dillards, and told the HR dept that I left early- so I am NEVER rehire-able. I found this out when i tried to get a job with a cosmetic vendor that would require me to be in the stores OCASIONALLY...Later, when I was a manager for a competing dept. store and we had a job fair, the majority of applicants were dissatisfied Dillards employees, desperate to escape the hell of dullard's!

This is excactly what happen to me. I'm contacting a lawyer to have my record changed. It's not right that they can effect whether you work for a cometics company again. Especially when you give a notice and just because they don't like it the try to destroy you.

mememe in Hickory, North Carolina said: Okay..it's true that they usually would hire on light skin because i was when there today and the manager didn't like me because of my skin color...everybody else was light skin

OK, LET'S HOPE YOU DIDN'T MEAN WHAT YOU LITERALLY TYPED. THIS 'SKIN COLORED' THING IS AN EASY EXCUSE FOR SOMETHING ELSE YOU DON'T WANT TO OWN. LET'S ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS:

1. HOW DID YOU DRESS FOR THE INTERVIEW/APPLICATION PROCESS?
LEAVE THE TUBE TOPS, FLIP FLOPS, BREAST BARING TOPS, SHORTS, ETC HOME.
2. DID YOU PRESENT A RESUME?
3. WAS YOU APPLICATION COMPLETED?
4. IF YOU SPOKE TO THE ACTUAL STORE MANAGER THEN YOU WERE IN A 2ND INTERVIEW AS THE AREA SALES MANAGERS WOULD DO THE FIRST INTERVIEW.
5. WERE YOU CHEWING GUM, HAVE MULTIPLE PIERCINGS, TATS, ETC?
6. HOW WAS YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS? NO "I AXED YOU A QUESTION", OR
"BOFF US". THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE RUDE, BUT SPEAKING ARTICULATE AND CLEAR IS IMPORTANT. I KNOW IT'S NOT BRAIN SURGERY, BUT IT'S NOT STREET CORNER SALES EITHER.
7. DID YOU HAVE A GOOD WORK HISTORY?

THESE ARE JUST SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT. BEFORE YOU GO BLAMING SOMEONE ELSE, LOOK INSIDE, YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED. THESE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE FIXED. LOVING LIVE STARTS FROM WITHIN. HATE AND BLAME IS A DISEASE, SO EASILY CONTAGEOUS.

Lucy, your recommendations might be valid with an organization that had integrity and respect for the individual but with Dillard's that isn't even in the ball park. Dillard's sales are off because Dillard's leadership is off. Some simple principals here like if you take care of your employees they take care of your customers and your customers take care of your stock holders or owners. Everyone is a temporary employee except management = no benefits.

I never had a problem with management, training, or scheduling conflicts when I worked at Dillards. The worst part was the health benefits, they were quite outrageous, and the sales per hour situation was a pain. I would have been promoted to ASM if I would've made my sales per hour, I barely missed it too. Urgh.

I never had a problem with management, training, or scheduling conflicts when I worked at Dillards. The worst part was the health benefits, they were quite outrageous, and the sales per hour situation was a pain. I would have been promoted to ASM if I would've made my sales per hour, I barely missed it too. Urgh.

Be grateful you never made your sales per hour.

What??? Opening again at Dillards Travel in Austin, Texas? It's only been 3 months ago, 2 of their agents quit at the same time, leaving the MANAGER to be MANAGER & AGENT. Again the same situation. Does anyone realize who is the reason behind the revolving door? It is none other than the MANAGER HERSELF, totally screwed up lady. So agents, if you get hired by her, you'll be looking for another job before a few months are up if you're not a kiss-up or white skinned. Ask any of their retail staff at Barton Creek Mall in Austin. Nobody wants to even talk about the travel manager, there is a BIG PROBLEM.

To all former Dillards employees,
I don't think you have worked retail long enough to have a clear understanding. There are some many things to consider in order to make it at Dillards or any other retailer. First, attitude is everything. Ask yourself,Do I have what it takes?,or Am I passionate about my job?, if you don't have neither you are in the wrong business. You also need to know who are your customers and understand your market trends in order to overcome any challenges. So stop blaming this company for your lack of success.

Robert in Lancaster, California said: To all former Dillards employees,
I don't think you have worked retail long enough to have a clear understanding. There are some many things to consider in order to make it at Dillards or any other retailer. First, attitude is everything. Ask yourself,Do I have what it takes?,or Am I passionate about my job?, if you don't have neither you are in the wrong business. You also need to know who are your customers and understand your market trends in order to overcome any challenges. So stop blaming this company for your lack of success.

Robert,
I have a Bachelors degree in Finance from a highly accredited business school, I had internships from prestigious firms, and have traveled around the world...I could have worked for bigger companies who would have paid me more but I chose to work at Dillard's because I thought it would be exciting to work in retail--I love people and I love fashion. Yes, it was at the beginning, but the more I got to know the company the more I was discouraged. I don't work at Dillard's anymore but to the very last day I cared about my associate and my department. Except Dillard's did not care at all that I worked my life around that company to build an excellent team and a successful department. Yes, I had the passion, but I guess it was not strong enough to last in a company that treats everyone as a disposable P-O-S.

Robert: you are a new employee at Dillards. Or You must have a masochist personality.
Only people who like to be mistreated, looked down on you, treated in a despotic, tyrannical way can last there.
Also do not wait for any benefits, because that is a scam.
All the employees I met there were very disgusted and just counting the days to find another job to leave Dillards before they break you into pieces. They are sadist people. I think a slave before the abolition was treated better than Dillards treat their employees, really!

I was employed by Dillards in a Human Resources position. I wasn't even on the sales floor and I couldn't stomach this company. This company cares for no one. Profits are the bottom line and forget all the H.R. policies that state employees should be treated with respect. You are basically a number to them and nothing more. Thank God if you didn't get hired by this company because you were spared their abuse. It was the most awful company that I have ever worked for. Hopefully, they will get what they deserve.

ari in Amityville, New York said: I'm planning to do an employee "Motivation" analysis on Dillard's.
Anybody interested to be interviewed? (confidentiality guaranteed).

I will be more than happy to tell you everything from a managers view from Memphis, Tn!

What kind of legal action did you take? I gave a two week notice and they still put me down as un rehirable. I feel the same as you do but I did want to be an area beauty advisor and unless I get that reversed I can't do that because you have to be rehirable at Dillards. I only wanted to work limited part-time because I have a full time job. The continually scheduled me for more. I was an above average employee and they treated me really bad when I gave my notice. That why I was wondering what kind of action I could take.

This is what I would do, I will meet or call the area Human Resources Manager an let him/her Know about this issue.Once you have some alligations on the matter, the couln't touch you. But my advise for next time you need to be less onest, because a lot of companys take this situation very personal, unless you are a good friend with the store manager. FYI play thier GAME

If I were you I would call the corporate office in Little Rock and try to talk to someone about the 2 week policy. Are you sure they didn't give you an excuse as to why you would not be considered "rehireable" even though you gave your notice? I would also try to get a friend to call the corporate office and pose as an employer who wants to do an employee reference check. Have them verify what dates you worked there, department, and "if you're eligible for rehire". If they can't do it I'm sure they will direct you to the right person (possibly the HR office where you worked). If your record reflect "inelligible for rehire" call corporate and tell them there must be some MISTAKE, YOU GAVE YOUR NOTICE and have them look into it and get back with you. If you gave your notice, got treated bad, and then quit before your 2 weeks, I'm afraid you may be screwed. If that's not the case, keep pursuing you cause. Call everyone and find out for yourself.
I learned my lesson well, and it's this, WHENEVER you have problems with your manager or even upper management, speak to someone higher up, even if you have to go through the corporate office and FIND OUT WHAT THE POLICY IS. It's harder to get support from any government agency after you've given notice, so always try to resolve discrepancies beforehand, try to get things in WRITING! that always helps YOU. If you really feel helpless after all this, try talking to a legal aide attorney (I did) and find out if you have any recourse, especially since your problem lies after the fact.
Good Luck!

Sure, I'd like to participate. E-mail me anytime.

I gave my two week notice on a sat. and when I went back to work the following wednesday they told me that the didn't need me to finish out the two weeks. They didn't say anything about putting me down as unrehirable. Thanks so much for the advice I will try to find the number in little rock.

I think you should contact Little Rock and file as complaint. If you have a copy of your letter of resignation, fax it to them as well.

anonymous said: Dillard's is the worst company i have worked for. The starting pay is decent, but when you don't make the outrageous sales goals, they cut your pay by 10%. I work in cosmetics and our particular counter is number one in the entire st. louis area, which also includes columbia, MO and paducah, KY. We have received numerous cash prizes, awards, and kudos from the cosmetic line itself, but Dillard's refuses to recognize our accomplishments. How is it that not one person is eligible for a raise at our counter, but we are making the numbers which Dillard's sets for us!?! The company and its practices are bogus, unfair,and outlandish. I can't wait to get the hell out of there once i finish college. If you are looking for a career DO NOT WORK FOR DILLARD'S!!!!

I also worked for Dillards in the cosmetics department and I cannot believe the way the management team treats their employees. I moved to SC from up north and never shopped in a Dillards store until recently. I fell in love with it, but then I applied for a job there and now I will never in my life step foot back in another Dillards. The only things they care about are numbers and who has the brownest nose. I only wish that company goes bankrupt someday. They are a disgrace too work for and a disgrace to this country. We have a war going on and as Americans we should be noble to each other. But, instead the Dillards management team care only about themselves and higher numbers. This company is a disgrace and shame on them!!

I'm sure MR. DILLARD is ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE! SHAME ON HIS HEIRS, SONS & DAUGHTERS FOR SHAMING SUCH A MAN AND HIS LEGACY! SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!

anonymous in Saint Simons Island, Georgia said: I never had a problem with management, training, or scheduling conflicts when I worked at Dillards. The worst part was the health benefits, they were quite outrageous, and the sales per hour situation was a pain. I would have been promoted to ASM if I would've made my sales per hour, I barely missed it too. Urgh.

Be grateful you never made your sales per hour.

*Let me guess...you missed your sph by only a few dollars! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm sorry, but that is an on-going joke at Dillard's in Toledo, Ohio (Westfield Shopping Center). Associates 'miss' their pay raises, or end up with a pay cut because our sph is always "so close" but short by a few dollars. I don't know how to say it nicely, seriously, this is truly one of the worst companies to work for. They're abusive really.

Student in New York, New York said: I'm doing a project about how Dillard's can improve their operations. Any thoughts? Comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

You are joking, right? You would need to re-structure the way the entire store operates. Except for the 'pop label' thing, that seems to work well for the company. Its abuse of managers and associates is the problem. I would suggest getting rid of the Sales Per Hour, but this is used only as a game by Dillards. The whole company is one big lie.

HIRE PEOPLE (MANAGERS) THAT HAVE A SENSE OF INTEGRITY, SOME FORM OF DIGNITY AND THAT ACTUALLY POSSESS A TRUE RESPECT FOR THEIR ASSOCIATES. PERIOD!

Anyone have more to say about the divisional buying offices? Pay, work/life balance, stress level, people who work there?