Good, but draining - Sales Engineer Sweetwater Employee Review

3.0
20 Oct 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great gear discounts, cool coworkers, good technology to help make the job efficient. All of the sales coaches are great, and Sweetwater University is really helpful. Haven’t had training this good at any other job I’ve been at. Getting to learn about all kinds of gear is great. Tons of free gear.

Cons

You will have no life. Sweetwater does not value your work life balance at all. You will work 3 unpaid early AM meetings, and usually stay later in busy seasons especially if you are new. You’ll work multiple late shifts a week. You have to work weekends frequently, and holidays without any extra pay. It is almost IMPOSSIBLE to request days off unless if it’s MONTHS in advance. If you have kids you want to see or aspirations for doing anything outside of work, this might not be for you. They also are planning on changing the commissions structure drastically, in a way that could have the potential to be a serious pay cut if you don’t pester your customers. But we’ll see

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Sweetwater Response
4y
I'm glad to see your many positive comments about your coworkers, coaches, SWU and gear benefits. Regarding the Cons you mention, we are very clear with all sales engineers that the role is a commission-based opportunity. As such, there will of course be meeting times that are not directly paid (since it's not an hourly position) but are necessary for continued learning about the products and vendors we support. We are pressing into making some improvements to scheduling and, for the past several months, a group of sales engineers has been providing front-line guidance on how best to design and implement a system that could work well for the very complex task of coordinating nearly 600 schedules. Thanks for offering you candid insights here. We're always working to making things better for our team members! - Jeff Ostermann, Chief People Officer

Explore other reviews about Sweetwater

5.0
19 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
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Pros

-Structure for private lessons -Create your own hours -Pool for new students -Food discount -Benefits

Cons

-I personally did not have problems

4.0
5 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If sales and music are your drives, Sweetwater is as good as it gets. Management in my experience has been very supportive and development-oriented, creating a positive culture around the company. They have a fantastic training program (albeit intense) that trains on both products and sales methods, so even if you're lacking experience in a given category there's plenty of coaching and training to get you ready for the role. Over time, the position can also be quite lucrative which compliments Fort Wayne's low cost of living well. They also offer relocation assistance since all positions are on-site, and a great benefits package. I've been fortunate to become great friends with many of my coworkers and honestly some days don't even feel like work. Ultimately, with this job you get what you put in, and making a solid living to geek out over music gear all day is a pretty sweet gig.

Cons

The job is very demanding - it's a fully commission sales job that revolves around constant customer outreach via call, text, and email. This means starting out is tough financially, and days are usually long. Try to have a savings cushion before you start, especially if you're moving from another city/state. You also work nights, holidays, and rotate through weekend shifts which won't be new for those who have worked retail before, but it's still a tough adjustment. Starting out I struggled from a social aspect as well. Fort Wayne is a cool city, but it's no LA, NY, or Chicago. Long hours at work make going out and making friends or getting involved in community groups/organizations difficult.

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