Pros
I am with the Sam's Club division of Wal-Mart Inc. which I have found to be the better avenue to take in the company in terms of compensation and overall job quality. Working for Sam's Club has given me the opportunity to advance my career and puts me face to face with some of the best practices in the retail industry. The best thing about working at Sam's Club is the culture of the company. The "Open Door" policy allows all associates to voice their opinions without fear of retaliation. I am also very impressed with the quality of management at Sam's Club. They do a great job of cultivating an atmosphere where hard work is appreciated and where a job well done is recognized. Another really good thing about Sam's Club is the fact that anyone can move up in the company if they work hard and uphold the 3 basic beliefs (Respect for the Individual, Strive for Excellence, Service to the Member). The company claims to "promote from within" and they do a great job of making sure they do just that. Benefits are pretty good as well. The company will actually fund a portion of an associate's 401k even if the associate elects not to contribute. Sam's Club also offers a 15% match to any associate that chooses to join the stock purchase plan.
Cons
The biggest downside to working at Sam's Club is the monotony. A lot of times the work is very similar day in and day out. I am a person that enjoys some variety from time to time. Another downside would be the amount of associates that come in and out of the company. Although Sam's Club pays well, it seems that there are many new faces from month to month. While the company does have a good 401k plan, I would like to see some sort of match to any contributions made by associates. This would help to encourage more savings for retirement and would potentially help to maintain high quality associates/management.
