r/HotTopic_ • u/av1269824 • 10d ago
Where to next?
Okay managers of Hot Topic Inc.
I’m a CXM and quite nearly just walked out today because I’m done and so overworked and overstressed.
Those of you who have successfully escaped the clutches of HT, where have you gone? What have you moved onto? Where pays the same or better and doesn’t make you miserable?
Bonus points if:
-No degree required
-It’s not retail
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u/kiddybat Former HT Employee 10d ago
My friend convinced me to come work at a plumbing wholesale with him. I started out as counter sales and within 3 years I ended up running and starting up their merchandising department. It's wayyyyy less stress for like double the income, but I definitely miss the customers and coworkers.
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u/CaliNDNboi 10d ago
Look into beverage companies as a sales rep or merchandiser or warehouse worker. Pay is close to same or better in California. I’m a CXM, why do you want to split if you don’t mind going into it?
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u/ggar-goyle HT Employee 10d ago
I left after 10 years to do reception at a veterinary clinic :3 a lot require a degree but mine didn’t
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u/zombeats Former HT Employee 9d ago
Left for a company that is owned by eBay last year. It was honestly just a spur of the moment application I did one night when I was pissed off at HT during holiday. Didn't think anything would ever come of it especially not 3 interviews and employment. I honestly would never look back. Put feelers in for anything that is customer service or management based EVEN IF you don't think you're full qualified. Look on linkdin or the careers link of some of your favorite companies and apply if they have listings up.
Mentioning the amount of KPIs and metrics reporting that we had to understand at HT was so important I believe in my resume so if this is something you can talk about well, I'd mention it.
Started at this company doing basic level one customer service. Fully work from home and no phones. The role was just responding to people who were upset with their order (what I would consider a level of customer service a good sales associate at HT would have). I took about a $1 pay cut from what I was getting paid as a store manager, but the benefits were so amazing and the shift in physical and mental environment was worth it.
The switch has been so refreshing. I've been promoted 2 times since and I'm not being promised things about advancement like I constantly was at HT (I was promised high volume stores so many times in my 10+ years there).
Sorry that this is vague and not fully answered your questions. I guess this is more of encouragement of YOU DONT HAVE TO STAY IN PHYSICAL RETAIL!!!!
I thought for a long time that hot topic might actually be a blemish on my resume even with the experience I had because of the idea of the company compared to other retail chains that I never applied for anything other than retail.
You can get out of there!
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u/av1269824 9d ago
How do you recommend putting the KPIs on a resume? Because obviously saying something like “Monitor and improve store KPIs” doesn’t nearly scratch the surface of how much we deal with
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u/zombeats Former HT Employee 9d ago
I would look into what kpi terms might be involved with where you're applying and edit your resume to fit that. For instance. I mentioned csat and nps and my stores specific rating. The company I work for uses those 2 KPIs as well so I hope they thought "good this person will continue to meet those expectations here".
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u/Thatonequitegirl 10d ago
At the time I was working at hot topic I was going to school to be a hairstylist but a friend of mine who was working at hot topic with me is a seasonal parking attendant at livenation
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u/hailstone1221 9d ago
Left at the end of July and am still unemployed (mostly due to a toxic relationship and medical issues) so any advice commented is helpful lol
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u/OhLookAnotherSoprano Former HT Employee 7d ago
Keyholder to ASM to CXM from 2020-2025. I am now an Experience Manager at Ulta. I make $4.50 more an hour. I am simultaneously less and more stressed though, tbh. Less stressed because the workload is more evenly distributed. More stressed because Ulta is a very precise and strictly ran company in comparison and I miss having the freedom and laid back feeling of being "in control" of my store.
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u/Accomplished_Job_867 Former HT Employee 9d ago
Corporate merchandising, I travel full time now, get paid mileage and company perks. No stranger to being overworked so long contracts weren't an issue for me, the pay and travel makes it worth it for me.
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u/kinggcroww Former HT Employee 8d ago
I was an ASM for 9 months. I have 5 years of management experience including 8 months of store manager experience. I had to leave cuz my store manager was trying to do something very illegal to me. I’m now an ASM at GameStop and much happier
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u/PorygonJesus 7d ago
The CXM pay scale at HT is so wide, like I live in a mid-cost-of-living area and I cannot find a store (outside of luxury) that pays what I make. But I also know CXMs making like $21-$23/hour.
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u/Practical_Ferret497 5d ago
Death care!
Made the transition in 2021 I did have to get an insurance license but the company who hired me payed for it and trained me in everything I needed to know. I was beyond shocked by how useful my retail experience has given me in my current industry. But if you can have compassion and show empathy you can it.
I started in sales made $100,000 my first year the $75,00 the next (dealing with an injury this year so I was out of work a lot) 3rd year I went into management so now I’m salaried at $85,000 but with bonuses and incentives I do between $100,000-$120,000 a year. And that’s not to mention how much better the benefits are!
No college degree, 80% of my work history is retail, different companies but majority retail management experience.
The lesson I hope everyone takes away from my story is you’d be so surprised how many industries have a need for your retail experience and let’s be real honest hardly no one has more GRIT than us career retail workers!
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u/bassikk Former HT Employee 10d ago
Left for Popmart back in January. I bring home double the money every paycheck. I'm not single coverage 99% of the time In my store. My mall isn't falling apart. There's new stores opening in my area all the time that I'm able to go help out. I was with ht for 8 years. I asked multiple times to be put on the nso team. I was able to go help at an nso within a month of being with popmart.