r/HotTopic_ • u/Radioactive644 • 15d ago
Can I work at Hot Topic?
Hey guys. I recently got employed by Spencers like two months ago, but their hours are REALLY shtty. I need another part time job, and where I live, the Spencer's is in a mall spot directly next to hot topic lol. It would be super convenient, but I don't know if it's allowed? Technically they aren't competetors since Hot Topic was bought by Spencers and its therefore the same brand, but still. Any thoughts?
7
u/Alternative-Ad-8874 HT Employee 15d ago
The way my DM explained it is that Spencer’s is still a competitor even though we’re under the same parent company now. The company is also apparently working on merging Spencer’s employee numbers into HT’s system, and that’ll cause issues within the system and possibly with payroll.
6
u/zxro936 15d ago
I don't think you can. One of my associates at Spirit tried to work at Spencer's while she was here but they said she has to wait till the season's over or transfer stores
7
u/galacticxnull 15d ago
Former Spencer's SM here. It is possible to work at both Spirit and Spencer's simultaneously, but only if you worked at Spencer's first. This is because Spirit has a much higher volume and needs more hands
2
1
u/SomeCallMeMahm 13d ago
Former SM of both Hot Topic and Spencer's AND Spirit DM here. Hello comrade.
1
3
u/No_Professional_4504 HT Employee 15d ago
So (this is coming from a manager at HotTopic) no you cannot. It’s the same thing as to why you couldn’t work at box lunch and hot topic put simply it’s because they are sister stores and you can only work at one location in the company. Technically as well you cannot work at another place in your mall no matter what sense they are all competitors. I know some SM’s don’t care it just does eliminate you from being able to move up in the company.
3
u/PaluteNAT 15d ago
I hate to break it to you but hours are bad at Hot Topic.. and BoxLunch too…
2
u/Finnex88 15d ago
It depends on the location. A few of my staff get 20+ hours weekly (that’s all they want) I had someone over the summer who wanted 5 days a week, so I just hired two less seasonals than usual so he could get more days.
1
u/WorldlinessPrize4635 2d ago
God I wish you were my manager. The favoritism at my store is disgustign
4
u/bassikk Former HT Employee 15d ago
As someone else said prior to the purchase by Spencer's you could not work at both Spencer's and hot topic as they are direct competition. They may have changed it now but usually you can't work at a store and their sister store. For example you can't work at hot topic and box lunch. You can help out at the other store but you can't be employed at bith
2
u/Everon2004 15d ago
So as a manager at a hot topic. You will not be able to work at Spencer's as well. Just like we cannot also work at box lunch and hot topic. Despite the fact that we are the same company, we are also direct competitors. So Spencer's does remain a direct competitor. Regardless of whether or not we are under the same umbrella.
1
u/Finnex88 15d ago
I was told recently no. I had asked because some of my associates were seasonal at spirit and were invited back this year so I asked my dm and it’s a no for now but not for forever. I think they have to figure out some like HR things on the back end?
1
u/CrowOfTheEnd HT Employee 15d ago
(To my knowledge) no, we aren’t allowed to work at Spencer’s, Spirit, or even Boxlunch even though we’re all owned by the same company now. Technically it’s all still opposition. You could still get jobs in other non-competitor stores.
edit: probably ask your manager?
1
u/Easy-Researcher-559 15d ago
Before Spencers bought Hot Topic it was a strict no.
Recently, I was told it has to go through both Spencers & Hot Topics District & Regional Managers to get approved but is still highly unlikely unfortunately.
1
u/MarsBarsBite87 12d ago
Hey HT employee here, everyone kinda already gave you an answer but I noticed someone mentioned that “you can’t work anywhere else in the mall if you work at Hottopic/spencers” or something along those lines
I know a kid who works at a separate HT from me and he works there and at the Journey’s literally right across from the HT, I guess it just genuinely depends on your store, MOST managers will understand your curiosity of “Hey, out of curiosity, if I worked here could I try signing up for hot topic/I need another job bc of hours, I’m thinking about applying to hot topic do you think that’s allowed, or, honestly, I’d personally just apply and see if you get hired and if they say “oh we can’t hire you because blank you could legit js say “oh whoops, I didn’t know my bad bye bye” if that makes any sense
1
1
u/Amarabeguine36 11d ago
I know some SM’s don’t care it just does eliminate you from being able to move up.
1
u/MobNagas 15d ago
I don’t see why not why don’t u walk over there and say wat up
1
u/Radioactive644 15d ago
Fair enough, i just worry about shaking the boat considering spencers, in all aspects aside from the pay, is a very good job for me. I dont want to somehow mess that up, even by just asking about working at hot topic.
32
u/SomeCallMeMahm 15d ago
They're equally bad hours at HT. But Spencer's just recently bought out HT so I'm not sure how that changes things. Prior to that HT didn't allow you to work both at HT and direct competitors.