Of all the things they tell you at your interview, one thing that will be true is that there is a huge opportunity for advancement. One of my superiors started as part time and within two years had a high ranking management position. This is a story you will year across the company.Saying that there is opportunity for advancement, however, is like telling Will Smith's character in I am Legend that he has opportunity to become President. If all the people above you leave, of course you're going to get a higher position if you're the only one left standing.
When I left, there were 6 assistant manager and one studio manger positions open in a district of approximately 12 studios.
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I was hired in October of one year as a part-time seasonal associate. There were three other girls working there with me #1 was the manager #2 was the assistant manager and #3 was another associate who had been there since July. During season there were approx. 4 additional people who were not kept after season(eight of us total.)
I had my baby that following January (yes, I was 6 months pregnant when I was hired on at SPS and I worked my butt off that year.) I got a call in March that the manager had been FIRED for theft so I came back to work.
The assistant manager - who had no ability to motivate people but was a really sweet woman - took over. Then she found out she was pregnant. November she leaves to move to Pennsylvania with her fiance. There are two of us left (the employee who had been there longer than me and myself) with any kind of experience and some new hires for season who are completely inept.
After season our DM tells me he wants to promote me to studio manager. I told him I didn't want the job that the girl who had been there longer than me should get it. He tells me she's not reliable and tells me I can either take the job or leave the company...
I've never had a management position before. I had to run out to books-a-million and pick up a bunch of "management" books. I can sell, I can photograph, and I can do the paperwork, but I know dealing with living, breathing human beings is a whole 'nother ballgame. The girl was pissed to say the least - mostly at me because she was under the impression I asked for the position. She was later fired for giving away hundreds of dollars of free stuff to ONE customer who would only come when she was there.
I have been fortunate thus far to have DMs who are caring and try to get us excited about our jobs. I haven't experienced the "evil DM" so many of you talk about, but I have had one that was always stressed out. He would threaten to close the studio when our sales were down, speak rapidly saying "omg omg omg" everytime something bad would happen and complained to ME that we called him too much. Well, anytime there was a problem our SM (at the time) didn't want to be bothered and the DM is being paid salary... so who do you think I would bother?
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