order picker

warehouse worker

receiver

shipping and receiving clerk

supply chain specialist

Fastenal

My time at Fastenal Company

I started working for Fastenal in June of 2011. I left my job at Wireless Zone, which I enjoyed very well. I figured it was time for change and find a company that I could grow a career with. My at the time girlfriend’s father held a regional position with the company and I asked him about employment and was told to apply online.
After I went through that whole process and I started employment at the Manchester, NH location around June of 2011. Coming from a Wireless Background and working for a handyman under the table when I was 18, I didn’t really know much about the industrial supply industry but I was eager to learn.
At my location I had two of the best co-workers you could have. They were extremely helpful and whenever I had a question they always had an answer no matter how stupid it was. I could always remember I would get stuck on something and if they were not around (out doing sales calls) there was a government sales person that had an office there as well and he was always great in helping me with a customer. I was going at a pace with the online trainings through the company’s “School of Business”. I was so excited to learn about the different types of fittings and bolts.
A month or two in I was really starting to get the different types on sizes and products that Fastenal had and assisting customers was getting easier by the day. I was working on cycle counting as well as trying to clean up the store peace by peace everyday when the Best looking store contest came around. I worked my butt off to clean that store up for the contest. I even stayed after an extra 1-2 hours after store closing one night to mop the entire floor of that store. That store was looking pretty clean and neat by the time the contest rolled around. I was even included in the counter picture of the ones we submitted in for judgment. We won something just can’t remember what it was. I’m not going to lie that store was still a mess in the backroom. I was working my best to try to organize it and get stuff that had been sitting there from previous special orders (before me or my managers time) out of the way or shipped back. It was a pretty big product and being the only sales support for the store I was tackling it myself.
After a little while I started doing some delivery’s to help out with the sales person and my manager while they were working on quotes or other business related stuff. I was an awesome experience to be out meeting the customers and getting the feel for being out on the road. That was getting me eager to do sales calls. I knew that was the next step up and I was ready for it. My manager let me go on a few by myself with a small list of no buying customers that had accounts with us. The first two weeks I went out on some sales call I got two customers who haven’t purchased in a while to buy over $500 orders. That was just going on a few a day while my manager worked on paperwork. I loved doing it.
When winter came around and we had a huge storm that caused widespread power outages I ordered a lot of generators from our supply hubs with my managers permission of course. I was cranking those things out like no tomorrow. I had a sign in front of the store I put out those days and was selling them to our customers while keeping it as close to list price as I could. Our sales that month were pretty good because of those sales.
Now around this time I was going through personal issues with my sons mother (at that time girlfriend). Her father who had an office in our store was not happy with me for the issues that were happening between me and his daughter didn’t really speak to me much after that.

Now right before thanksgiving in November 2011 I was called into my regional managers office that was also stationed in my store and was told that poor performance/ low store sales numbers was being lead to my termination of employment with Fastenal. I thought that was amusing consider just a week before my manager himself sent me a text while he was out on the road saying great job with the store stuff I was working on as well as the sales I was working on. (I still have a copy of that message to this day) I can’t help but feel like this had something to do with the issues I was having with her father. It seemed like everything in a period of two weeks went downhill. I will be the first to say nobody is perfect but I wasn’t a bad person.
I especially felt this way when I looked at Fastenal job posting the next week and saw my same position on their web site for that store. I can understand that seeing me sitting at a computer doesn’t look like I’m working but in reality I was working on a quote for a customer. My emails on the company email server could have proved that one. I was working on so many different things at once. I have seen some pretty lazy Fastenal employees who don’t do much or don’t care but I was living and breathing Fastenal blue when I worked there. It really is sad cause I wanted to make a career out of that company. On top of my daily duties I was trying to learn all about vending and sales from the learning site. I was so proud to wear my Fastenal cap when I wasn’t working to let everyone know that place was awesome. Fastenal really had a dedicated employee and what did I end up getting in end. Losing my job and benefits. I had ADD that I was getting medication for and it was really helping and everyone at my work knew that. I was juggling 15 different things at once without much of a problem. I do want to thank Fastenal for the opportunity just wish things went differently and thank you to the individual who confirmed everything when I went to get unemployment. I wish I knew who you were to thank you.

Long story short. Don’t work for family or friends. When her father retires one day from Fastenal I will apply again cause I do love that company and hope to work for them one day again.

In the beginning, days were spent dealing with walk in customers, while expected to also be packing orders for delivery in the back. Often there was not more than one employee on site at any one time so you had to stop one thing to help walk ins.   

As time went on and turnover occurred, we were placed with additional responsibilities on the lower ranked associates without increase in title or pay. Basically became outside sales reps and sales associates with BOBs (books of business) we were to call on and try to increase business with.  Everything with no increase in compensation and very little formal training.  Was flat out told by district management that Fastenal doesn't believe in cost of living raises either, raises are "factored into promotions." Only promotion offer I received after almost 2 years with them was for less than competing companies had offered me basically when I hired on with Fastenal (a substantial increase 10k+). I had stayed because the location was more convenient to my house and future plans and was constantly promised promotions right down the line. I applied for at least 5-10 other positions in the company within three states in  time I was there meeting all the listed credentials. Only called about a single one. 

We had major corporations in our area (one of Fastenal's top 5 customers I was told)  and they purchased all of their fasteners from us. Unfortunately, several of the items were custom made parts that had long lead times.  Red tape in management meant that those of us on the ground couldn't order these parts due to the expense in quantities enough to keep them in stock... leading to frequent stock outs or request for approval for large, often still negative margin quantities.   

The company claims one culture but I rarely saw it practiced. The lower ranked employees seemed to do much more of the actual work, and still get far less pay.  Management seemed to over promise customers and not deliver leading to angry customers and loss of business which we all were punished for (loss of available promotions / company resources).  This seemed to be a recurring issue at this branch as all my customers seemed to mirror many of my thoughts, most of them simply telling me these things unprompted during sales calls.  The best employees quitting due to poor salaries and difficulty with management, , and the ones who were around overpromised and underdelivered. 

Any time you requested time off without weeks notice it was highly discouraged / rude about. Always understaffed so whenever someone was out it was hard on the rest of the team. Job security for your position but very little advancement.  Not much flexibility for branch employees on hours unless you were salaried and exempt (OSR or manager. meaning almost none.)  Basically only exempt employees got to leave early for stuff without making up the hours somewhere or using PTO. Family life suffered as a result. Didn't even want to follow what was in the handbook for time off for doctors visits on occasions. 

I loved the customers for the most part, the flexibility to be on the road and not in an office, and the general work wasn't awful. But the low pay, poor management, and poor distribution of the workload was awful. Add in the ridiculous amount of red tape for a job that consistently told you was hands off management and it was highly annoying and a tad ironic.

It's been over a year since Fastenal was my career choice; it's always been in the back of my mind to write a honest review for prospective employees to gain insight from. Now that the emotions involved have passed.. here goes.. 
Throughout the six years I gave Fastenal I have worked hard and worked my way up from part time stocker to full time inside sales to full time outside sales to full time general manager. It was a quick climb up the ladder and with many trips to Fastenal training classes in Minnesota I felt I was ready to continue on with my career. But let's start at the beginning. If you're applying for a part time sales support position here's what to expect. Expect your feet to hurt, your shins to hurt, your back to hurt, your head to hurt... you will be doing everything short of fetching dry cleaning for the boss. There is no workplace team work / equality. You will have to answer the phone while waiting on customers because your coworkers will not help. You will but stuck working til close when everyone else (on salary) has checked out for the afternoon every Friday. The labor is tedious and annoying and if your store is successful and decent you'll be on your feet most of the day. Full time inside sales is relatively the same of part time sales support with a little more computer responsibilities. Upper management beyond your GM really doesn't care about you at this position. When you move into an outside sales role and higher is when you'll have decent conversations with upper management and they'll actually learn your name. As an outside sales person or higher position is when you're actually making them money. As an outside sales rep. (OSR) you'll be responsible for growing business and earning new customers, that is if you want to make decent money from commission. You'll be expected to knock on doors asking for Fastenal to take care of their industrial needs. These doors are the same doors the previous OSRs have knocked on for the past 10 years unless you're lucky and the business park in your territory is constantly gaining new companies (but I doubt it); in which case you'll be knocking on those doors and competing with every other industrial supplier around and simply put, you'll lose because of the margins you're expected to keep in your OSR book of business... your sell prices will be too high = goodbye commission. If you're successful (lucky) at OSR and want to move beyond it you can apply for a general manager (GM) position. This application process is annoying in and of itself. If you survive the process and they want you to manage a store here's what to expect. 
1. unreachable sales goals. 
2. unreachable sales margins.
3. unhappy employees.
4. bullying from district managers (your new boss).
5. Conspiracy and stealing from upper management.
6. Zero punishment to upper management from HQ.
7. Little to no training or explanations. 
8. Expectations that you have all the answers. Unacceptable if you do not.
9. stress. 
10. Demotion if your store doesn't perform to those unattainable goals.
11. You giving your two weeks notice. 
12. You landing a new, stress-free, job to advance your career. 


Okay, Okay.... maybe not all the emotion has passed.... I am only human.

The point to this review is, skip the application, skip the company. Dig a little deeper to a company with more than 3 star review rating where you have a better chance at being happier for longer.

I will say starting off my first few months I REALLY liked the job. It was new work for me and the shifts tended to go by quick. I started in the slower months and thinks started to pick up progressively. I always stayed at the top with my productivity each shift and I kept applying to fill full time lead positions. 

I did get passed over most of the time and it seems like they made up a new reason each time and would always tell me I’d get it next time, gotta improve on this and this, etc. I would improve on what I could if it wasn’t a made up thing and still get passed over. 

I eventually transitioned over to front of the line and it was the biggest mistake. Front of the line is where you’ll throw the product on the conveyor right at the point where product from receiving and picking also meets so it can be very busy and stressful. There were a lot of jams and basically everything fell on me. No other departments would help clear jams unless I purposefully ignored them for 10+ minutes and at that point other departments are getting upset and the managers are getting uppity. I got VERY little help while at the front and was mostly on my own. 

While doing front of the line I became a part time lead which is something they made up as “training” to become full time. Well, I couldn’t really get trained as a lead like I should or get the experience since I was stuck at the front of the line. I brought it up multiple times over a few months and told them they need to find someone to replace me at the front so I can do lead duties. I even got passed over on full time multiple times and their reasoning was I didn’t have enough experience, and I didn’t have that experience because they did not let me get off the line. They put me between a rock and a hard place and made it seem like it was my fault. I eventually snapped and sat down with the head warehouse manager and my department manager and told them my grievances. They gave the typical oh we will help and get you off the front. It took another 3 months for me to get someone to train up there since I was literally the only one up front for at least 6 months. The person I was training was ready to be on their own and then ended up walking out after all the training. They had so many extra people that they could have started to train but they refused and instead told me I’d be up front running the line at least another 3 months. They also don’t have enough fork lifts for anything to run efficiently.

I quit that night after finishing my duties. 

Looking back I wish I would have given a 2 week notice because I did like the place and the people I worked closely with. But, I could not take it mentally or physically anymore. I was very fit from the job but I now have lower back pain at 23 from the work. The job can kill you mentally, stress you out, and mess with you physically.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND WORKING HERE UNLESS YOU STAY IN REGULAR SORTATION. Do not agree to work both Sundays and Fridays. They will have you work till at least 11 or 12 Friday and have you come in 5am Sunday. 

You can meet some great people and the leads were great but the work is not worth the stress or the upper management being fake and utterly incompetent.

On a positive note, pay is pretty good once you’re there a few years lol

My experience with this company was overwhelmingly negative. From the outset, upper management made grand promises about career advancement, pay increases, and a supportive work culture. None of these promises were ever fulfilled. Instead, employees were met with dishonesty, disorganization, and a complete lack of respect.

There was absolutely zero training provided. New hires were thrown into their roles with no guidance, no onboarding, and no support—left to figure everything out on their own. It created a chaotic and stressful environment where mistakes were inevitable, and learning was purely trial by fire.

The company had no clear direction. Priorities shifted constantly, leadership contradicted themselves regularly, and decisions were made without any strategic planning. It felt like the entire organization was just winging it, with no long-term vision or accountability.

To make matters worse, employees were forced to purchase their own uniforms and even basic office supplies. This was not only unreasonable—it was insulting. It showed a complete disregard for the people doing the work and a refusal to invest in the tools needed to succeed.

Despite repeated assurances of "opportunities," it became clear that these were nothing more than empty words. The roles and growth paths that were promised simply did not exist. Advancement was not based on merit or performance—it was based on favoritism and vague, shifting criteria.

There were no pay increases, no recognition, and no meaningful support. The culture was toxic, built on broken trust and a lack of transparency. If you're considering working here, I strongly advise you to look elsewhere. This is not a place where you will grow, be valued, or be treated with integrity.

Summary of Key Grievances:

Zero training or onboarding – employees left to figure everything out alone
Empty promises – career growth and opportunities that never materialized
No pay increases – regardless of performance or tenure
Forced expenses – required to buy uniforms and office supplies out-of-pocket
Toxic culture – built on distrust, dishonesty, and poor communication
No strategic direction – constant changes with no clear leadership vision

If you're a job seeker, do your research and ask tough questions before accepting a role here. If you're already employed and experiencing similar issues, know that you're not alone—and that you deserve better. Companies like this thrive on silence and complacency. Speak up, share your experience, and help others avoid the same mistakes. Demand transparency, respect, and accountability—because every employee deserves a workplace that values their time, effort, and well-being.

Decent company (especially for people starting out in their careers), but it seems like there's a reason most people don't stay too-too long. 


When I started in 2019, it was the best company I had ever worked for. I was still in college full time and getting a job a Fastenal was a breath of fresh air considering I was only in retail prior, for the most part. The job itself is fine, taking care of customer orders, and filling/repairing vending machines. The customers I work with trust me and appreciate my help & presence. To state the obvious, you will learn a lot about the supply chain & B2B sales fields, too.


Most of the managers I had I've gotten along with, even to a point where one of them helped me with a personal issue that I had. My work is useful too, let's just say the only way I know that I'm technically an A-player is because management thinks I will cause disruption if I quit. When I leave, there will be plenty of coworkers and managers (across several locations I've worked at over the years) that I'd want to keep contact with, which is something I never wanted at any other company that I worked for. 


However, getting promoted seems to be almost solely based on luck or circumstance. In retrospect, I was someone who was trying too hard to get promoted (I was very title hungry). With that, the big rub I have is that management seems to be indifferent if someone stays in more-or-less the same role for several years. If I were a boss, I'd have an issue with having an employee staying in the same role forever, but active fast tracking doesn't appear to happen at this company. When I do reach out to management about advancement, I'm not very confident that I have a career path at this company anymore. As okay as my job is, I honestly do get tired and numb with it when I don't see advancement and growth down the line, and it does discourage me, and all that combined makes me not do as good of a job as I could be, honestly. We do have trainings, and it's a good excuse to travel, too, but again, trainings don't appear to have as much of an impact with actually getting promotions and seem to be used more for people to get better at the new roles when they already got them.


I'm now looking at employers that will be more active with career development. It's going to be a sad day for me when I hand in my two-weeks, but the pastures ahead will be greener for me after that. And if anyone has a business that needs a vendor for what we carry, I'd actually recommend Fastenal in that case, but again, working there long-term can be a different story.

Position assigned will be just a name because you would be in charge of everything everytime. Everyday is a different downer at Fastenal, just when you getting the hang of things manager will twist your duties around using the District Manager as an excuse for all the hard times. With only few hours and 4 days of work you will have to obligated complete online coarses, large lists of CycleCounts (inventory) deliver products, stack vending machines, answer phone calls, emails, create quotes and take care of walk in customers. Not to mention updating a site where you call old customers and try to get them to buy from you again. Make no sense, no time to learn much and even when taking online coarses the staff will have loud non work related conversations, phones ringing of the hook or regular walk in customers that only part timers have an obligation with because Management and fulltimers only take care of big money making clients "their rules". Manager is always in the street doing personal things and other coworkers do as pleased during his time out. Manager is always criticising our personal lives and making fun of coworkers, Would advise not to get too friendly with him because once you're not, he will make your life imposible forcing you to quit and leave on your own. Employees only have benefits if manager likes you, as in having similar lifestyle as him, one guy got recruted and jumped to fulltime outside sales immediately, now him and the manager are always up and down together even doing non work related personal things like taking haircuts, taking their personal vehicles to fix and even seeing women (majority female clients) and have dates which they call "meetings" during working hours, they also tell you that you don't have the right to sick days nor vacation, benefits you loose If you don't claim while actively working at Fastenal. Seen this story repeat itself, its exhausting and not emotionally healthy to work here. Few hours a day to reach District Managers expectations, Hours drop unexpectively, Manager never around for final decisions, Only allow to treat well corporate clients, Alot of rules broken, Never any petty cash to give change to regular walk in customers and alot of sexually behavior and profane language.  Sad story is that District Manager knows all of this but won't do anything about it and reporting this is useless since the store always meets sales goals monthly he will take decisions based on the General Managers as well as his own convenience and your termination at Fastenal will be the outcome as a consequence. I will quit this torture once I find me a full time job elsewhere, maybe even outside of Puerto Rico. I will never get more hours nor benefits with Fastenal regardless the effort I make in this store.

It’s a nice place to work but there is a lot of BS depending on where you’re located and what plants are around. It’s very nice to be able to be in the store for part of the day and out making deliveries the rest of the day. You definitely will learn a lot about the ins and outs of different factories and plants around town and you’re given the necessary training and support needed to do your job. You will have to start out part time to learn the ropes but once you go full time you’re salaried at $2,500 a month with full benefits, but if you break that down to hourly you’re making 15.625/hr. You will also get commission and depending on your title it will effect how it’s calculated. This is where you get out what you put in: make a lot of sales with high margin, bringing in new business, and meeting store sales goals. Personally, I feel like the money isn’t enough for everything we do.  

I love the people I work with in Fastenal and I have a great support system however the people you have to work with at the plants can drive you nuts. To me it feels like no matter how well you sell you will always be expected to not only maintain that level but to do more and more and it will never be enough. There is room to grow in the company and can definitely advance but you will most likely have to move to a different location to do so unless someone above you leaves or moves on to another position. This is a very unique job that can turn into a career if you like sales. 

The main point of your job here is that you are expected to know your job and have dedication and motivation to get it done. You’re not micromanaged and are expected to keep your customers happy. Everyone is a team but you have your own duties you must take care of. You’ll find your own flow of things and get a routine but every day is different and brings its own challenges. 

If you’re a female (or anyone really) and feel like you don’t know enough about construction or industrial anything, don’t worry! There are plenty of people who start out knowing nothing and become top employees. The training is great and hands on with learning. If you are female or effeminate, there will be older people who will try to ask for a man or someone else to speak with and they will come in thinking they know something you don’t when you probably know more than they do. It’s just expected to happen once or twice but for the most part they’re easily taken care of. Just don’t be discouraged if this is what you’re worried about. 

I wish I stumbled upon all the other negative reviews before going here.Yes,the DC manager is deplorable,degrading,repulsive and has many shortcomings,no pun intended.No communication skills.Zero managerial skills.A better job for him would be sweeping the floors or taking out the trash.Or try driving.Nothing a few phone books can't fix.The traffic managers,no better.Cocky,rude,lacking of common sense.Especially distance yourself from the tall,lanky,awkward Abe Lincoln looking one.The fellow is very creepy,sleazy,disrespectful and will put you in a somber mood.The head of traffic is lazy,lethargic.The drivers call him Lump.The hub managers personal puppet and yes man.The trash from the snickers hole seems to be ending up in this traffic department.
So many reasons you to avoid this pitiful place,I honestly do not know where to start. The lengthy,horrible and mismanaged application process.
The initial interview and exit interview was even worse,because there is none.
The trucks are nice though you'll go insane keeping it at the EXACT speed limit.No,seriously.
The automatic braking,cruise sensor,the beeps,the buzzers,the lights,the lane control features will drive you crazy as well.
If you need all these safety features,you probably shouldn't be driving...
like all the managers.Manage a job you can't do.Brilliant!
It would help if they drove or at least went on a route to see what the drivers have to endure during the looonnnng nights,alone,at isolated store locations....
unloading about as heavy freight as you can get after it is not loaded properly for you to begin with,empty propane tanks for the forklifts,changed locks and alarm codes they don't tell you about,pickups blocking your delivery area,piles of product left exactly where you have to unload,the scanner accuracy and times.It would take a thousand words to describe the ridiculous procedures for this alone,like you can't deliver early.No,you read that right.And on and on and on.The uniforms suck as well.
The hub does have a nice gym,though you'll be too tired to use it.I kinda liked the xmas bonus box of junk snacks.Way better then the billion dollar company giving the poor Canadians a grill scraper and a bottle of BBQ sauce.Big blue,no thank you.Head for greener pastures.Thank you Indeed for giving us the opportunity to post and alert others to help them find decent jobs where you are treated fair and with respect. 

If you are VERY machine and tool oriented, you will advance fast. If not, you will wallow in the same position. I know this because I was not machine and tool oriented, and apart from the training classes in Atlanta that one day, I was not groomed to become any sort of account manager. Just "on floor salesperson" AKA store jockey.

So, with that being said, the management at my local store in Aiken was okay. The place where I trained, next to the fairgrounds in Aiken, South Carolina was a health hazard. The store was always full of propane, which made me feel nauseous all of the time, and I am one hundred percent sure the pipes were lead-lined. I say this because after drinking the water a few times, I complained of my chest burning to the manager, and he said, "Oh, yeah, the water here is bad. Don't drink the water. There's something wrong with the pipes. They won't come out here and fix it." No, that's on you and your boss(es), because normal tap water isn't supposed to make a person's chest BURN. Anyway, that manager was also bit of a jerk he was just one of those "I sacrificed my life for this store, I have nothing but this store, this store is my life and it should be yours too" kinda guy. Not the most pleasant of people, but I got along with him.

After getting moved to the Fastenal on the other side of town, I found the staff overall to be much more amicable. The staff at the first stroe that trained me was okay, but no one seemed to care about me past giving basic directions on how to do something, and that was it. The second store was much nicer, the manager much more friendlier and overall cordial.

However, as I stated before in my first paragraph, there was no advancement.

Oh, and the hours? They sucked. While at first hours were good, October of 2015, it was soon shown to be that hours DIPPED NOTICEABLY. I mean going down to twelve hours a week during winter months. Then during baseline holiday hours, think pre-Christmas, my hours as an on-floor employee dropped to ten a week. I was told they would jump up after winter was over, and I dipped out in February.

Overall, as I have stated before, if you are VERY machine and tool oriented, they will advance you quickly. If you are not, they will let you plod along in your slow lane. This I know for a fact because at a store meeting at the main hub store in Augusta, Georgia, I met people around my age at the time who said that they had been with the business for two years and had not been trained for a higher position at all.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Order picker 13 salaries reported	$17.89 per hour
Warehouse worker 5 salaries reported	$17.00 per hour
Receiver 16 salaries reported	$18.42 per hour
Shipping and receiving clerk 10 salaries reported	$18.25 per hour
Supply chain specialist 10 salaries reported	$16.50 per hour

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