Pros
Working with kids Lively environment Great for extroverts
Cons
Low pay and few benefits while being incredibly emotionally taxing. Often bears are meant to act as counselors for customers with no training on how to handle grief or otherwise weighty subjects that customers may wish to discuss with us. The drive to push sales is very uncomfortable when dealing with children and bereavement bears. Despite being a key holder, which is designed to be a position as a bear builder unless no other management is on shift. Despite there being a manager or assistant manager on shift, I often found myself functioning as the acting manager and expected to take on greater responsibilities. Management was a retaliatory mess. Lots of questionable legal activity from one of the two workshop managers during my time there and the DM refused to step in. The assistant manager at my location was openly transphobic, ableist, and racist, and would also frequently comment on the bodies of customers. Very gossipy environment and little to no accountability from management at any level.