sales associate

retail sales associate

service technician

service manager

sales consultant

Bass Pro Shops

This is a long one, but an honest one. Especially what you may need to expect.

The management is poor and the staff are cliquey. Within two weeks of me being there, they let go a worker that had been there for years. Within a month they had me doing duties unrelated to my job and filling in other positions. First week: all praise, friendly interactions, encouraging remarks. After that, the true colours showed. They do not truly care about their workers whatsoever. 

I (and others as I overheard when they finally turned me over while passing the break room) hired on part-time was working a full-time schedule my month there, no full-time benefits. They are not a reliable or significant job source. My second month there they cut just about everyone's hours in half or even more. Most staff (except seemingly those more 'favourable') were then working maximum 16 hours or less. Loyal workers were even treated the same.
Unless you are part of the clique, you will most likely be shunned to a degree. Do not let their welcoming demeanour at first trick you. In truth, they are snakes.

Second month they did everything possible they could to keep me away from my assigned position, which was curious to me after receiving so much praise and comments like I was "baptism on/of fire" enthusiastically by one of the store managers. To then suddenly be disrespected like that so blatantly. There was specifically one day where I got every side duty they wanted me to do done in under an hour and I had a full day shift. "Done already?" Yep. "Did you do this?" Sure did. "Did you do that?" Absolutely. "How about this?" Already done. "Uh, did you do this yet?" Of course. The lady directing me to my one of many duties (I had done them all for everybody in under an hour my first hour there) was looking at me with offended surprise, almost scared by the fact that she didn't have anything else of that sort for me to do. No more errands and she even looked around for other supervisors for another excuse to keep me away from my actual position. I had to ask if I could return to my normal duties and she really said, "I guess so for now since there's nothing left for you to do." Until they could have me cover for someone's break or take over greeting which numbed my busy (ADHD) mind (which in retrospect could have swayed their judgement on me a little, but I can't help my tics, especially when I have nothing actively keeping me completely busy. I even informed them of that.)

Hallowe'en came around, that's when everyone bit it, hours cut, most of us were down to making 4-500 a paycheque if we were lucky. AKA when everyone was like "how do I cover rent let alone my basic needs, phone bills, down payments and mortgages". On top of cutting hours, they had hired 11 new people NOT including myself, and they had me on floor as greeter to entice people still to apply for SEASONAL positions. Might make more money from doing chores at home.

Finally, the start of my month which would have finished my probation period (after witnessing all this, it's probably not likely you'll get past it, seems they're only looking for temporary solutions) they terminated me. In the coldest way possible. My supervisor (also who makes everyone's schedules, who knew I had to bus there even before I started, and did not make that compliable with my hours), turned me away with zero empathy, zero sympathy. Before that, they had me do all their errands again and had me listed as a full day, they couldn't even have the courtesy to let me finish. I'm called to the office and she pulls me into a room with a glass window next to the receptionist with no privacy (given everyone can look in and just know what's going down). I start bawling as she tells me heartlessly that I'm not fit for the job, I'm not what they're looking for, it's not working out, I'm not what they need or want, it was all negative, no positive, no reassurance, just watching me cry and try to fight it as she twirled around in her chair and then said "okay, you can go now." Still trying to calm down before walking out in front of everybody an emotional wreck, "you have to go now." Fine, I leave, go to get my stuff, and she follows me in there a minute later "you need to go now," then has some staff escort me out of not just the store (it was snowing and freezing outside and just missed my bus which comes by the HOUR, so I even asked to be by the mall entrance only to be rejected) but out of the mall entirely, shame of walk past the front desk. Absolutely humiliating. 

Oh, and did I forget to mention the inconsistent hours and scheduling? And maybe the last minute call-ins and stay longer. The unaccountable management and staff when they screw you over with the schedule and can't take responsibility for what they say. When you call in to double check and make sure your schedule is the same and they fill you in that it's changed and you get a call on what they said was your day off asking you where you are and that "This doesn't look good for you." 

Yeah, just keep that in mind when applying for Bass Pro. Don't even think about the possibility of having an unpreventable accident either.

Bass Pro Shops stands out as an excellent choice for a summer job due to its unique blend of outdoor recreation, retail, and community engagement. Working at Bass Pro allows individuals to immerse themselves in a vibrant and dynamic environment, catering to outdoor enthusiasts. The company's commitment to fostering a friendly and inclusive atmosphere enhances the overall work experience, creating a positive and supportive workplace culture. Employees at Bass Pro have the opportunity to learn about a diverse range of outdoor products, gaining valuable product knowledge that can be beneficial for personal growth and future career prospects. Moreover, the summer season often sees increased customer activity, providing employees with the chance to develop strong interpersonal and customer service skills. With its focus on community events, such as workshops and demonstrations, a summer job at Bass Pro allows individuals to contribute to the local outdoor community while enjoying a fulfilling and rewarding seasonal employment experience.

On my first day of onboarding training two cashier's failed to show up for their opening shift. A manager made a comment that "they have a reputation for calling out of work." If they know this, why schedule them together to open on a Saturday!? 

I asked for part-time and 20 or so hours a week. I was told I'd probably get around 10 because "we have to save on hours."

Was not shown the lunch room. No idea how to clock in/out. 

No store tour. No introduction to other members of my department or anyone else for that matter. 

Forced to take a lunch break instead of just powering through the training. 

Manager reached out to several applicants and left voicemails. Later in the day when checking messages from the respondents, they were immediately deleted upon mention of having other part time employment. I guess Bass Pro Shops expects you to have open availability to be hired on for 10 hours per week. 

From what I saw, the store is a mismanaged circus. 

Bass pro shops is one of the best places that I have worked at. It has such an amazing atmosphere and the employees there treat you like family. 

For part time, they are very flexible with schedules (school, or other jobs). Must be available to work weekends but every few weeks you get the full weekend off. The hours that you get scheduled are not nearly enough as I would like. They do pick up during Christmas and during the summer (20+ hours a week) but during the slow times between Feb-June you can expect to get 8 hours a week. 

The salary is minimum wage. However, the very generous discount makes up for that. You get 45% off of Bass Pro named brands and 15% off of other brands in the store. This does exclude electronics and ammo. 

The management is alright, however it is not the best. It is tolerable though. They do make sure that the customers leave happy.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this job to retirees and students. The hours, unless full time, are not enough to support a family.

Really enjoyed my time here, looked forward to going to work and would leave in a better mood than when I got there. The people here are friendly and welcoming to a point you don't usually see anymore, the culture and the atmosphere is unlike any place I've ever seen. You really do feel like a valued part of the team/family.
It has its cons, like any workplace. It can be difficult to move up unless you can get in at a supervisor/management level initially. There is lots of corporate politics at play, like most workplaces.
The biggest issue, and the reason 90% of people leave the company, is just hours. Usually not enough, or at times when the employee has said they are unavailable. Full-time is very hard to come by, and part time offers very few hours. But they do at least try to be accommodating, and they usually are for the most part.

However these are just small cons to an overwhelming amount of pros. Probably the best job I've had so far.

Great store with great items and products. Interesting every day. The staff are great and help each other allot but Management is terrible. Lie to employees and can not be trusted with anything you tell them. Everyday you go in for a shift you are scared to get fired so there feels like no job security at all. Some department managers threaten employees about their jobs and do not listen to your input, It is their way or the highway. At times there is no staff to assist customers and you are blamed for lack of sales. Weekends are busy but still no service in some departments. Very stressful place as you are always looking over your shoulder about getting fired. Would have stayed if department managers knew what they were doing and Managers would not lie to you.

This company is a great company to work for. Management is laid back and easy to communicate with. They are all very understanding when home life situations arise. They are very lenient with your availability, they will always try their best to keep the amount of hours on schedule that you have requested. They work very hard in letting their employees know how valued they are.

Co-workers are very uplifting and fun to be around. You will make great friendships that merge outside of the work place.

Hardest part of the job is keeping the customer happy. If we do not have what they are looking for in stock, we do our best in locating that item for them. Sometimes we do not succeed and must deal with the consequences.

The most enjoyable part would be the overall environment of the outdoors feeling within the store.

Doesn't matter how much you like or dislike the job, it begins and ends with the management.

For the most part, job itself is easy. Where the issue lies is you need to be held accountable for other people being slackers.  They don' t show up so you do a double shift. In the end its just expected of you.

The slackers get no recourse for their actions especially if you are one of the favourites. It is all about pacifying people and no real direction to improve for some who do want to grow with the company.

Most of the GSMs are clueless to what the issue is going on and the above take no accountability or direction to help move people in a good and positive direction. Its all about covering their own butt.  It's a complete and corrupt company, at least at this location.

So many issues with the store, reason why you go in there and you can see the depression on peoples faces.

Staff are initially sold on the workplace culture of Bass Pro Shops ... believed in what was probably the "original"  Philosophy of such a grande store.  Either Johnny Morris never follows up with his chain or managers are given free reign  to break the company's promises resulting in bullying and condescending behaviour displayed by some managers. Staff start out and want to be loyal to the culture, but often are shut down.  Unfortunate that great staff are often not promoted from within.

As a former employee at Bass Pro, my overall experience was a mix of positive and frustrating moments. Most of the team I worked with were supportive, hardworking, and genuinely made the workplace enjoyable. There was a strong sense of teamwork among many staff members, which made every day tasks easier. However, there were a couple of individuals including someone in management who struggled in their roles. This created challenges with communication, organization, and overall morale. While the majority of the staff carried the team in a positive direction, the lack of strong leadership in certain areas made the work environment inconsistent. With better management support, it could be a much stronger workplace.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Sales associate 3 salaries reported	$15.25 per hour
Retail sales associate 1 salary reported	$20.33 per hour
Service technician 2 salaries reported	$28.50 per hour
Service manager 2 salaries reported	$71,073 per year
Sales consultant 2 salaries reported	$74,854 per year

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