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      Sephora

      Engaged Employer

      Sephora reviews

      3.6

      65% would recommend to a friend

      (9,595 total reviews)
      avatar

      Guillaume Motte

      81% approve of CEO

      56% positive business outlook

      Ratings by category

      4.1

      Diversity & inclusion

      3.7

      Culture & values

      3.5

      Compensation and benefits

      3.3

      Career opportunities

      3.2

      Work/Life balance

      3.2

      Senior management

      Sephora has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 9,595 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Sephora employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Ventas al mayoreo y al menudeo industry (3.5 stars).

      Ratings by demographic groups

      Reviews by job title

      10K reviews
      4.0
      Jul 14, 2009

      Working @ Sephora

      Consultant
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      There's always something new. Something new to learn, something new to show to clients. Makeup, although is a luxury, is a necessity to a lot of people, making is somewhere with good traffic. No micro-managing. You are allowed to come out with your own ideas and put them into play. "No Stripes" policy, meaning everyone is equally important, and a manager is not superior to a regular employee.

      Cons

      It can be hard to balance work/life while working for Sephora. Takes a lot of initiative and commitment, which can be overwhelming at times. The "costume" as it is called at Sephora, or uniform, is not the coolest thing to wear. Your hours can be cut if the store is not making money.

      5.0
      Jun 4, 2009

      Great place that needs you 125% dedicated to be successful

      Exempt employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Great place for career growth (lead and cast members). Exempt employees will either need to relocate or hope that they open new stores or create new DM positions. The education both exempt and nonexempt is superior to any other retail company and even some nonretail! It is a fun work environment and we tend to hire the best so your teammates are usually very good. I truly believe that the company wants to do good things for their clients and their employees. Even throughout the 2008/2009 economic downfall, they are doing what they can to be smart leaders. I have a great boss and I would never take that for granted.

      Cons

      You need to adjust to change overnight. They are always whipping up some new idea or concept that you have to be 100% on board with. Too many messages are sent at the same time, most times if you ask for input no one knows (and they should) or they can't answer. There needs to be more direction with some things. I also feel that Sephora allows people to not do a good job, not uphold values or just plain display behaviors that do not make them a good employee. Other companies would have given that specific cast member 1 or 2 chances to improve but if they didn't, then they would be let go. I feel that management in stores are doing the job of twelve.

      1.0
      Jun 2, 2009

      Ignoring Employee Well-Being

      Anonymous employee
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      Sephora used to be a laid-back place to work, and in some places I'm sure it still is. At that time, employee happiness was valued, and everyone was recognized for their hard work (this was called "Values in Action"). Brands regularly come into the store and train the consultants. Sephora employees receive far more training than most sales associates. Sales bonuses are a plus (if you can qualify for them). Managers work closely with their cast and do most of the same work. Corporate is full of wonderful, intelligent people. The original Sephora philosophy is awesome--let clients come into the store, browse, touch and play with anything they want, take home a sample of anything. If they don't like it, it's okay. The freedom to build a relationship with a client that is not based on having to sell them a particular product, or anything they don't want to don't need, is far superior to most retail environments. The fact that the staff does not work on commission means that employees don't have to be pushy with sales, and also don't have to be cut-throat with one another. Although there is a free CVS kind of rewards kind, there is no credit card that employees are pressured to sign people up for. It's the sort of retail environment that makes the salesperson feel like friend, not a salesperson. In theory, the company is developing a "Culture Committee" to talk about improving store morale, but it was not put into practice months ago when it was supposed to, so hopefully it will be rolled out soon.

      Cons

      Despite their extensive training, Sephora employees are paid (and often spoken to) like they know nothing, and those wonderful trainings are being cut back along with hours due to the failing economy. Thanks to the "Fish" initiative that, in my opinion, has been severely mistranslated by the Sephora corporation, the culture is changing rapidly into one in which people are simultaneously meant to be unconditionally friendly, playful and enthusiastic, but are scolded if they are seen as being too unprofessional, too casual with the clientele, or close with their coworkers. Any concerns raised with management is rejected as the employee's failure to "choose the proper attitude". Constructive criticism is, in theory, very welcome but not well received. Room for growth is nearly non-existent. It seems that demotions and pay cuts are occurring a lot more often. Employees often have to beg for recognition, a pat on the back, or even explanation for being reprimanded. The people in store management roles seem to lack leadership and people skills. Employees in most stores I have spoken with say that managers are very estranged from their cast and do not understand how their employees feel about them. Likewise, corporate does not check in with people at store level. Getting time off is difficult. Your job is expected to be your first priority, so classes or a second job is usually out of the question, and even a day off is a struggle.

      Viewing 9577 - 9579 of 9,595 Reviews
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      ReviewsSephora reviews

      Glassdoor has 12,200 Sephora reviews submitted anonymously by Sephora employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Sephora is right for you.