Not okay for first job - Style Advisor Aritzia Employee Review

2.0
1 Feb 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT! Workplace assessment survey.

Cons

The company targets girls in High School/ First year of university because they are not well informed of Canadian laws regarding employment and workplace. After I was let go from Aritzia, I studied Human Resources and I can now look back and confidently say that Aritzia is not a company you want to work for. Firstly, managers do not educate new employees on the company's procedures and policies. I was not given an orientation and was told to learn everything by observation and day to day work. First month on the job, I was clueless. I made the mistake of shopping at another Aritzia store while employed (which apparently is a no no without prior notice). Keep in mind that I was a VIP customer before I became an employee so this experience has stopped me from shopping at Aritzia as often as I did before. I did not know what the procedures were to request holidays/sick days. I was not briefed on the fact that there is a probationary period. My interview was very short and no questions were asked about my skills and qualifications. I was disadvantaged from the beginning and then, I was wrongfully dismissed (without prior notice or compensation in lieu of notice) over the phone while I was grocery shopping. There was no safety briefing about the job (sales). And yes, you need a safety briefing because you will be climbing tall ladders and handling steamers. I noticed that the people that did well and passed their probation period previously worked in sales at other companies. Aritzia has always advertised their company as having a family like work environment which I strongly disagree. Girls are catty and can get aggressive when it comes to sales (due to having a daily quota). The girls I worked with were not friendly at all. Management did nothing to properly solve conflicts and the aggression continued. I was picked on since I was new and this was my first job. My manager did seem be on my side when she talked to the older girls but that created animosity in the workplace. I advise everyone not to apply for sales at Aritzia if it is their first job.

Explore other reviews about Aritzia

5.0
9 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Great team of girls to work with

Cons

- Quite boring during quiet hours - Discount for boutique associates isn't the same as sales associates

1.0
18 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- competitive pay/higher than average pay - holiday pay/incentives - employee discounts

Cons

If you are offered an interview, your personality and attractiveness will matter more than your previous work experience. I came into the company with 5+ years of retail sales experience just to be constantly told that I was not ready to sell on the floor. If you decide to work here, just be prepared to be judged based off your looks 24/7, (and yes, if you’re a shopper, you’re 100% being judged as well.) As an employee, you will constantly need to keep track of your performance, and your numbers will be posted for all employees to see. This creates a very competitive and disingenuous work environment. It can get hostile. If you are just starting off, or at the bottom, management will work you to death and dangle better shifts or promotions over your head for you to prove yourself, just to turn around and outsource hire to fill the position, or not guarantee your scheduled hours. If you are injured on the job, disabled, become pregnant, or experience loss, I would just start looking for another job because they will not accommodate you, and will slowly phase you out and off of the schedule (even if you’ve been with the company for years). It feels like working at a sorority or being a part of a high school clique full of mean girls competing in a make-believe popularity contest. If you don’t subscribe to the cliquey-ness, be mentally prepared to be ostracized and left out of social events. And this is me barely scratching the surface when it comes to cons.

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