machine operator

sales representative

customer service representative

account coordinator

seasonal associate

Herff Jones, LLC

There was no such thing as a "Typical" day at work. You traveled as a part of your job. Sometimes you were an hour away, sometimes 8 hours. Sometimes you woke up at home sometimes in a hotel. But when you were at the job site this is where the typical part of the day kicked in. Lug in and set up large heavy units of camera equipment and wait for the kids to come for their pictures. I have had no one come and I have had everyone and their family come... literally. I have had people come in to no wait and some to a few hours. but when all was said and done, you broke it all down, lugged it to your car and headed home, or to the next hotel for the next job. Heck, sometimes you headed from one job to another that day.

I learned to think on my feet here. I had to make it work, no matter what. And I did. And it was usually pretty awesome.

The management here was typical. It was awesome when I started here and they were under a different company. When they sold, new management was a little sub par but it was okay. Another company buy out and new management a 3rd time and it sadly went to rubbish. 

My co-workers were the best! I still am in touch with several of them. But with each new company that came in they brought with them other employees that did not seem to want to be there.

The hardest part was all the equipment. it was rough on the back and the knees. a close 2nd would be the hours. some weeks you worked 5 hours. other weeks you would hit 70 hours!

The most enjoyable part of the job was when I got to work with all these kids graduation from high school and college alike. They did it, they made that job fun for me. I would talk to them all and that made it worth lugging all that equipment up and down flights of stairs, sometimes getting stuck in elevators. Having to park in special areas and make 4 trips back and forth to get it in. It was hard and a pain, but it was worth it when you got the perfect shot of a kid who was nothing more than elated to be graduation.

I have to give it a 3 though because when I started here I was guaranteed work, 10 out of 12 months. When I left I had worked 5 of 12 and collected for 6 and suffered for 1. With each new company that bought us our pay rates decreased and the insurance became more expensive. It was sadly no longer a profit for me to stay there.

 The only thing i liked about this job was the majority of people that i interacted with at work. love the customer service reps, the people out on the floor, and the people on my team under my manager and my manager. I liked the pay only because it wasn't hard labor compared to the previous jobs I've had that paid me less, however, for the number of things you'd have to figure out on your own, it sucked. I did a lot of cross-referencing, was usually on top of everything, work was going over the KPIs, I would make sure to keep an eagle eye on the work that was exceeding it and my email correspondence was on point and the turnaround time was quick. I was transparent about wanting to find a company to grow with and my personal growth from the beginning. I had applied to two other positions internally and never got an interview. The only times I would be absent was because it was mental health and medical related (which counted as disabilities by the way). I put in a lot of work and willingness to cross-train and in the end, the company decided to let go of people for a mediocre excuse that the workload is being downsized because things were being outsourced. This company likes to find ways to save face and keep up the image of the company rather than making good, solid decisions. They throw a lot of fancy words and phrases around and try to constantly find ways to change processes, but at what cost? We can give our opinions and participate in meetings but nothing gets done about it and that's why people leave. For the company to terminate the good people also is a huge mistake and I don't quite see a future for the company. Here are my pros and cons since it's too long for the spaces below. Pros: office experience I guess. knowing more of how valuable and worthy I am when it comes to a company like this and that there is always something better out there. honestly, the people as people and not just whatever their positions were. Cons: employee appreciation? you get a chocolate chip cookie! yay :) communication is up in the air. loyalty. the realm of how human resources does things.

A typical day at work seems to include someone in tears or someone being fired.  The management is very numbers driven and it appears that they are pushing out the employees who've been there many, many years.  They aren't giving these people any clue they are just walking in and escorting them out.  They are hiring, it seems to be anyone, to fill these positions.  Yes from a numbers point of view they are saving money on these employees, however they are letting experienced, hard-working, and dedicated employees walk out the door.  The end result for the company is going to be very unhappy customer's who aren't receiving quality products.  The new management doesn't realize what behind the scenes work these people did and how they went above and beyond to keep the customers happy.  

I have made some of my very best friends with my co-workers and I've also met people that don't care for me.  It's a very diverse group of people, from young to old, poor to rich, and many different ethnic backgrounds.  Despite everyone's personal opinion of each other we do work together and get accomplished whatever that particular task requires to do, and we do an efficient and quality job.  

The hardest part of my job is the management.  They are changing things on a daily basis but then realize a couple days later they are changing it back to the old way.  Change isn't always a bad thing, but they make a change before consulting everyone else down the line.  Most often the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.  Unfortunately, this causes the co-workers to become frustrated with each other because management didn't pass the change to all the proper channels.  

The most enjoyable part of my job is that no two orders or situations are alike.  Since everything can be done custom, I'm constantly learning more about other people's skills throughout the plant, and what awesome things we can accomplish when we work together.  I really enjoy all of my co-workers, regardless if they care for me, I greet everyone with a smile and a hello each day and treat them how I want to be treated regardless.

When I first arrive at work I have to check my email for electronic orders or electronic bulk orders.  Then I have to print all orders and bulk websites off in order to have the information to enter and process the orders.  I do orders by delivery date or custom products first. Then we have a run for our data to import into the system with the student or faculty measurements that have been submitted and I have to check and see if any bulk websites import and put them in envelopes to be sent to the warehouse. If I have any available time I am to key and verify orders.  Also, for about six months out of the year I am in charge of printing off and sending out the measurement supplies for over 200 representatives.  I usually do this by myself.  All day long I am receiving electronic orders and bulk websites in my email and processing orders. The management at Herff Jones is responsible for making sure we get the orders processed in a timely manner and receive information from employees on how to make things better. Most of my co-workers are easy going and willing to help, but there are a few that just refuse to help certain people for their own personal reasons and I feel that those feelings should be put aside and just get the job done so that the customers can get the product that they have ordered on time. The hardest part of the job is knowing our custom products and how to enter them and process them since we are constantly creating new products and I don't see that  many of our custom products doing excels.  The custom products are mostly sent in by paper orders.  The most enjoyable part of my job is doing the excel orders when they are sent in properly and don't have to be fixed to process the order and I enjoy being in charge of the customer lists and sending out the measurement supplies every year and keeping the supervisors informed of which representatives have had their measurements sent out. 


The leadership team is out of touch with reality.  The team that has been put together is young and lacks experience in many different situation.  Each leader can show a past success, but no one can show a history or multiple successes in the past.  Leadership (top) like Sales, HR, Mkt are in a "land" grab play and it is hurting many hard working people. Senior players have been brought in and because they seem to threaten the status quo are immediately exited from the company.  I agree with the other comments, it is literally POOF, they are gone. Looking from outside it looks like the right things are being done.  But when you pull it back and get into the details, this has been going on for years with no real impact EXCEPT increased costs, lack of revenue - millions.  The team is so focused on driving a process and they have forgotten about what makes that happen, people.  Think about this, if they were able to get their act together, and they have been trying this for years, they still have a product  (book and ring) that are out dated, not in demand, and is NOT addressing the future demand of their audience.  One could take the numbers with little effort and forecast the end.  There comes a time when the fixed costs can no longer be rationalized. You can see this over the last five years in the industry movement, as reps (who are not employees) are outsourcing their products and adopting additional products from outside the industry.  It is a mess, and there is not a bright future with this company or industry as it is moving today.  The industry is a cash cow and it stay attractive to investors, BUT, there is a time coming when this will be no more.  In the meantime the chairs continue to be rearrange on the Titanic, outcome continues to the the same and only a few are making 100,000's even millions in the process.

In the Fine Papers department, the upper management has an achievable and sufficient vision for what the image of the company should be.  The issue is the middle management is unprofessional and bias making inappropriate comments about their employees’ lifestyles and personal choices while giving other personnel advantages not made available to the entire department lowering the morale of the group as a whole and sabotaging the companies vision for greater productivity.  The employees themselves work against excelling the company approaching the workload with negative mindsets, spreading rumor and animosity towards one-another, and selfish intentions.  Accountability for mistakes is often misdirected with blame unfairly falling on the Order Manager position for issues caused by Account Managers and the varying QA departments not providing or understanding entirely the guidelines and information needed to successfully process customer orders.  Even the tools and programs provided to perform everyday tasks prove inadequate with the network system operating slow-paced, faulty, or suddenly shutting down entirely while the unorganized and irresponsible handling of customer information and file management causes confusion, stress, and loss of business on the account of late deliveries, damaged product, invoice discrepancies, and inaccuracy of orders.  The rightfully damaged perception of the company also caused difficulty for the upper management in filling multiple vacant middle management positions due to the difficulties and shortcomings of the staff.

My time as Fine Papers Supervisor at Herff Jones presented a unique set of challenges and experiences. While I deeply valued the exceptional individuals on my team, the overall work environment was significantly impacted by the department's management style and lack of adequate support.

One of the most significant hurdles was the complete absence of formal training. From day one, I was expected to independently acquire knowledge across three distinct divisions, develop process improvements, and manage a team. This 'sink or swim' approach, where errors were met with write-ups rather than constructive guidance, created a stressful and unsustainable environment.

The department manager's passive-aggressive, dictatorial, and micromanaging style further compounded these challenges. Every aspect of the team's work was scrutinized, and attempts to extend this control into other departments through their employees and reports created unnecessary friction. This level of oversight effectively removed any sense of autonomy for myself and my team, hindering our ability to perform effectively.

Despite these managerial obstacles, I was fortunate to work with a truly exceptional group of employees. Their dedication, resilience, and collaborative spirit were the silver lining in an otherwise stressful work environment.

In summary, while I appreciated the opportunity to lead such a talented team, the lack of training, excessive micromanagement, and passive-aggressive leadership created a highly stressful and ultimately unsustainable work environment. This experience highlighted the critical importance of supportive management and adequate training in fostering a positive and productive workplace.

I was lied to about how much overtime I would have to work. I was also told in my interview that overtime would be optional but the minute they nabbed me and I got stuck at this job, they decided to tell me that overtime is mandatory. I was also lied to by Human Resources about my work schedule. When I was called with a job offer, I was told that my schedule would be Mon-Fri 8am to 5pm. Not the case! On my first day, my manager decided to inform me that my schedule was actually going to be 7am to 4pm. Since I lived 30 minutes away and it was the dead of winter, that wasn't at all the schedule I was looking for. Waking up at 5am every morning Mon-Sat was what I had to do and it stunk big time. Not only was my training terrible, they expected me to be an expert at everything on the 2nd day being on the job. That's just plain insane. I learned that management makes the big bucks and they want you to work your butt off without decent compensation. They treat employees poorly and they don't actually take employee feedback and needs seriously. I can't tell you how many times 3 of the 6 women's restroom stalls had huge messes in them that wouldn't flush. There was nothing enjoyable about this job and I would never ever ever go back. After having worked there, I have absolutely no idea how they're a thriving business. Their practices are questionable and they are experts at screwing people over. They make you feel guilty for being sick and even though I was very sick on a couple of occasions, I came in and spread my germs because I knew I was going to get reprimanded if I took a sick day. Don't work here unless you want to hate your life.

Driving in the dark trying to catch a 6am flight somewhere in the northwest. Helping my sales professionals close some big account or put together an engaging presentation for specific potential customers. Training on the go and reviewing sales techniques. putting a plan together for goals, actions and expected results for the next business cycle. I traveled a few days with each of my 15 sales professionals every quarter.

I learned sales people as well as operational support like to feel part of a team and to be recognized. They like people to listen to them. They want to be included in any decision making process.

A hands off management with strong direction and training proved best in this situation. Updated reports on progress and hurdles to overcome was important. Communication in a way that all parties involved can understand and agree upon.

Co-workers need to be understood. It is definitely NOT one size fits all. Each has different ways and means. Different motivators and needs to be treated differently on an individual basis.

This in and of itself can be one of the most difficult  parts of the job but also it can end up being the most rewarding. nothing feels better that when a team is clicking on all cylinders. The camaraderie that develops is a feeling of utter bliss and accomplishment.

I worked as a collector for 5 months. When I was sent to interview it was for A/R but was put in the credit dept instead. That was fine, i went with the flow. At my 3 month mark, i started asking about getting hired. I was given excuse after excuse. I had been offered a supervisor position at 2 months, so I know it wasn't my performance. 
My supervisor was in and out of the office do to health reasons, so my longest conversation with her was my interview. 
I felt like an outsider the whole time I was there.
I received a call from the temp agency this past Tuesday stating not to return, that they had to end my assignment. They started someone told my supervisor I was talking about a gun and made people nervous. For the record, I NEVER mentioned a gun to anyone and replayed every conversation I had that day and there wasn't any that could have been misunderstood so if it was said, someone out and out lied.
They also stated I had become increasingly aggressive with the customers in the past week. That also was not true. I made the mistake of upsetting a rep.
If they had an issue with my performance, they should have talked to me instead of lying because I was pushing to get hired permanently. 
Overall, Herff Jones the company is probably a nice place to work and some of the people are nice but if you don't fit in right away, you never will.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Machine operator 2 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour
Sales representative 5 salaries reported	$59,500 per year
Customer service representative 2 salaries reported	$21.00 per hour
Account coordinator 3 salaries reported	$19.67 per hour
Seasonal associate 4 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour

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