sales associate

assistant store manager

store manager

tailor

outlet manager

Brooks Brothers

All of the tech is broken.  Nothing works the way it is intended.  If they finally have an upgrade for your 15 year old equipment, you'd wish they didn't touch it to begin with.  Upper management was stretched so thin they never knew what was going on.  Of all of the visits we've had from DMs etc. they never once showed any awareness behind our sales numbers.  All they talked about was our current staff, how our merchandising was, and "why is that shelf empty?".  Payroll was so misunderstood our store was rarely properly staffed, while the store 20 minutes up the road was under hundreds of hours of payroll and they wouldn't grant us any of theirs.  It's not a "great solutions" type place, and more of a "it says this on a piece of paper, so that's what we do".  They hire associates at a low rate, so finding help is near impossible.  We had to hire high school kids since it was so low, who in turn had a rough time because our customers were mostly older and they wouldn't take the kids seriously.  Not to mention customers are creeps so they had to find out about the real world the hard way.  Consequence-less.  We had the worst inventories I've ever had in my retail career and never heard a word about it.  If we bombed a month badly it was like it didn't matter.  It made me miss the days being screamed at due to poor performance, cause they at least cared.  The bonuses for lower than SM are ignorable.  Hitting payroll is part of the bonus structure (which isn't unusual) but as mentioned earlier we would miss out on business from not having enough people.  So if we were bombing a month anyway, we might as well put a ton of people on so that we're less stressed.  If we're having a good month we're doing it understaffed, so then management is forced to do almost everything.  There was no winning when it came to bonuses.  They have a crm type app where you email customers.  It's an absolute waste of time since you can only email one person at a time, and doing so takes a minute or 2 per customer.  There's a goal for it so you gotta do it.  At a prior job i set up something in my email so I could email hundreds to thousands of people at one time in a matter of minutes.  However, they're version of outlook is so outdated, i wasn't able to set it up.  The only thing i did like was my team, but not even everyone.  There were multiple members who do to varying circumstances couldn't execute everything in the job requirements.  It was a boring slog where everything is on your back, nobody seems to care as long as you have 1 or 2 16 year olds employed so they can say your staffed, and they're completely clueless as to how you can improve or maintain your business.  I left without a plan b in place.

A typical work day for me was 830am-530pm (Sometimes longer dependent upon merchandise projects being tackled that day). Honestly, I've learned nothing in regards to advancing my merchandising skills. There was poor advisement by the district merchandising manager for myself & visual merchandiser cohorts. In essence, we were "getting along" by our own efforts. Management at Brooks was by far the worst that I've ever experienced in my retail career. This highly disappoints me because I had held brooks in such high esteem since childhood and had great expectation for what the company would be, and simply it wasn't what I thought. Ironically, the immoral behavior of management at Brooks surpassed the actions of my prior managers at more amateur companies that I was employed by such as; Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle. I find that to be completely insane! The job in itself was easy in a sense that if your merchandise for one company, you can pretty much merchandise for any other retailer. However, immature, petty, insulting, superior-attitudes, inferior-treatment, coveting of my position by a manager whose visual title was forfeited upon their acceptance of an ASM position ONLY because another equivalent position that I held and he so desperately desired wasn't available and upper management allowing that same individual come in and over-step his boundaries and do my job while failing to meet his own responsibilities in all honesty became the hard part of my job on a daily basis. No one deserves to be, nor should be blatantly disrespected by any means, irregardless of the title and/or job responsibilities in the company's chain of employee hierarchy. As a result of twelve (12) out of sixteen (16) of the past months being the conditions that I had to come in and endure for such an extended period of time after having several conversations with various levels of management from store all the way up to regional operations management and nothing was done to resolve the perpetuating issues at hand, nothing about this job was enjoyable other than my weekly pay and anticipating my weekends off.

A typical day at Brooks Brothers is not typical at all. Being in a retail sales environment one can expect to experience something new everyday.
I have learned so many things during my tenure at Brooks Brothers. I have learned how to be my most professional self while providing the highest quality of customer service I could. I have learned the art of negotiating with customers and even management in different capacities. I have learned how to up sell merchandise and anticipate customer and client needs. I have learned important life skills; salesmanship, time management, how to get allow with multiple personalities, and ultimately cultivated a refined sense of my own integrity.
Management is very approachable and understanding with subordinate needs and family obligations. Management makes valiant efforts to get to know their people not only professionally, but respect them as individual people first. Management is not afraid to admit faults within particular systems and provides opportunities to be heard and heed suggestions for improvement. Management also has attempted to seek outside help e.g. outside consultants, for different ideas and ways to ignite motivation to perform better in it's day-to-day activities.
Co-workers are for the most part friendly and helpful. Within a commission based system that Brooks Brothers operates under it can make being friendly with those that are essentially your primary competitors a tall task. However during down times co-workers have proven to be fairly inviting.
I'd say the hardest part of the job would be juggling the wide variety in business trends. Given the spontaneous nature of the operations it can get rather boring and unchallenging at Brooks Brothers. Because there are so many associates with a large amount of tenure, it makes promotions of making lateral moves challenging.
The most enjoyable part of the job changes daily. Working closing with members of your team that are likable can make working at Brooks Brothers a pleasurable experience. Another enjoyable aspect of working at Brooks Brothers is when you engage with highly satisfied customers that choose to repeat their business with you.

Pros
Strong brand recognition and a loyal customer base. Dedicated store-level teams that genuinely care about the customer experience. Opportunity to develop a broad retail and operational skill set.

Cons
Significant operational dysfunction across multiple areas of the business. Outdated systems and inefficient processes create unnecessary obstacles to completing routine tasks. Communication is often inconsistent, resulting in shifting priorities and confusion. Many longstanding operational issues remain unresolved, forcing stores to rely on workarounds rather than effective solutions. The company’s increasing focus on cost containment has reduced resources and added operational restrictions, making it more difficult for stores to execute effectively.

Advice to Management
The company’s increasing focus on cost reduction appears to be contributing to many of the operational challenges facing stores today. Over time, tighter budgets, reduced resources, and growing operational restrictions have made it more difficult for store teams to execute effectively.

After working for multiple retail organizations, the level of cost containment within this company stands out as unusually aggressive. Routine operational needs often require unnecessary approvals or workarounds, creating inefficiencies that ultimately impact productivity and performance.

At the same time, stores continue to face outdated systems, inconsistent communication, and operational obstacles that have remained unresolved for years. Store teams are frequently expected to overcome these challenges while delivering increasing results.

The organization would benefit from investing in its operational foundation rather than relying primarily on additional oversight, reporting, or cost-cutting measures. Strong brands and talented employees can only compensate for operational inefficiencies for so long before those inefficiencies begin to affect business performance.

Advice to Career Seekers:
Run.

Brooks Brothers is a traditional clothing company offering everything from casual outerwear to conservative business attire. The core competency of this company is its focus on quality, value, and customer relations. A typical day on the sales floor will provide you with ample customer interactions including a main focus on selling and customer follow through. Brooks Brothers has very high standards in developing long term customer relationships and the customer understands their importance in this company and the value of quality customer service. The company itself has transitioned over the years to incorporate a new management style that focuses more on sales and achieving and/or superseding sales figures and other objectives. Managers themselves are very administrative and have limited involvement in store floor functions. All members of the sales floor are expected to sell in all store departments and constantly update themselves in new company policies, product information, and procedures with or without the assistance of the management team. Co-workers become your best friends and the company culture is very interpersonal. This is not a high-end clothing store. If you do not enjoy hustling and sometimes taking on multiple tasks at once and a high degree of sales pressure, you need not apply. Your pay is derived from a draw commission structure, which in other words means you need to achieve an average sales figure per week,(about $7,000/week), in order to make any commission at all. During slower seasons and a saturated sales floor you it forces you to be aggressive. The most enjoyable part of the job for me is being a problem solver. There is an abundance of information to know in this job which you will continue learning for years to come.

A great brand cultivates a positive work environment that fosters collaboration, creativity, and employee well-being. At its core, this environment is rooted in a culture of respect and inclusivity, where diversity is celebrated, and every team member feels valued and heard. Open communication is encouraged, allowing for the free exchange of ideas and constructive feedback, which leads to innovation and problem-solving.

The physical workspace is designed to boost productivity and comfort, featuring ergonomic furniture, ample natural light, and spaces for both focused work and collaborative brainstorming. A well-stocked kitchen and areas for relaxation help employees recharge throughout the day.

Additionally, the brand invests in professional development, offering training programs, mentorship opportunities, and clear pathways for career advancement. Recognition of hard work and achievements is a regular practice, strengthening employee morale and loyalty.

Work-life balance is also prioritized, with flexible scheduling options and support for mental health initiatives, ensuring that employees can thrive both personally and professionally. This holistic approach to the work environment not only enhances employee satisfaction but also translates into higher engagement and productivity, underscoring the brand’s commitment to its most valuable asset—its people. In turn, this strong foundation drives the brand's overall success in the marketplace.

Brooks Brothers is a wonderful company and I have enjoyed working there. I would recommend it as a great starter job for a college student or a retirement job for older people.  
I have gained valuable experience in retail work, customer service, and sales during my time there. 
The product is high-quality and excellent in style, although sometimes over priced. The promotions are generally pretty good.
The workplace culture is (for the most part) great - the supervisors are amazing and my coworkers are now my friends. 
However, while the supervisors are hard-working and dependable, there is sometimes lackluster management and often a lack of responsibility among the higher-ups. 
Customers are 50/50. They can be either wonderful people with whom it is a real joy to work, or entitled rich people who treat you like dirt. 
Hours are hard. You have to work late nights or short shifts (4-5 hours). The schedule is flexible, making it easier to get time off, but there is not much consistency in the hours worked from one week to the next.  
 
In all, great place to work for a summer or temporary job. Greatest part of it is amazing coworkers and a great environment.

A typical day at work involves servicing new and existing customers with their clothing needs, notifying customers that orders have arrived, and using electronic media to place orders for product not in stock.

I have learned the intricacies of dealing with upscale customers needs, and the best way to administer the best customer service possible.

Management does the best they can to assist me with any issues, and also tend to my customers in my absence. I also meet with management monthly to review my progress versus my goals.

Being a commissioned sales professional, there isn't the typical interaction between co-workers that a more mainstreamed job may have. My coworkers will notify me if a customer visits the store, but will get management involved if the customer needs detailed help. 

The hardest part of my job is making sure that product that isn't in the store can be obtained in other locations. The best part of my job is the satisfaction that I have helped a customer so well that they ask for me again upon their next visit.

I worked at Brooks Brothers from around 2008-2010 and during my time there I loved it. The store was comfortable and classy, my co-workers were professional sales people, the suit specialists and in-house tailors were on top of their game, and the merchandising/window display staff were excellent at their craft. It came at a time in my life where I wanted to advance my career in advertising and I'll always credit Brooks Brothers for grooming me in how to dress professionally, converse with educated and professional individuals and refine my speaking mannerisms and sales presentation. 
Of course it was competitive, as every sales profession should be. And if you did your job well, the commission was your reward. 
I visited the store recently (2019) and was sad to see they had closed down the lower suiting department -- the sales people were now hourly-only and non-commission. And the service reflected that, unfortunately. 
But Brooks Brothers is a lifestyle brand, and have endured since 1818 (!) so I think they'll be around as long as their is a demand for timeless, classic and quality clothing steeped in tradition

The number one goal is to provide the best service to customers. However a lot of emphasis is placed on unnecessary numbers and trying to hit random goals which seem impossible at times. We have to try to sell as many items as we can in each individual transaction to get a high UPT (units per trans). They also have censors that tracks the conversion rate of customers that walk in to customers who buy stuff. Corporate management is out of touch with current retail because they set really high goals when customers are less likely to buy expensive clothing during troubling economic events. When goals aren’t met they blame the store employees even if a lot of customers come in just to window shop. For a personal experience, they kept me working longer than I should have because they kept dangling a promotion in front of me and after working harder they would essentially ghost me and leave me with no answer. This was frustrating because that was one of the reasons I joined, I was told I’d be trained for a higher position that they seem to have never intended to give me.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Sales associate 156 salaries reported	$17.00 per hour
Assistant store manager 88 salaries reported	$23.99 per hour
Store manager 26 salaries reported	$21.18 per hour
Tailor 40 salaries reported	$25.08 per hour
Outlet manager 48 salaries reported	$19.35 per hour

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