Stay far, far away. - OUTSIDE SALES Fastenal Employee Review

2.0
Jun 19, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Benefits were some of the best I have ever had at a company. The salary plus commission structure can allow for some people to make a descent salary but...

Cons

...Very long hours. Average workday is from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm (with other branches having extended hours). Upper management is very strict on sales numbers and will constantly micro manage you in hopes that you will hit your monthly goals. My district manager was very fond of sending the entire district progress reports on how each individual branch was doing and would make it a point to highlight the good and the bad. Product would either come in late or not at all and would force you to constantly apologize to customers. It is very hard to keep customers when you tell them that there order will arrive in the morning, but when they come to pick it up there is nothing there. It is very easy for them to go to other suppliers that stock much of the product that Fastenal has to order. The growth potential at this company is an absolute joke. I worked for the the company for three years and was initially told that branch manager positions open up very often. In the three years I worked there, I saw two positions open and roughly twenty salespeople apply for them. Don't expect a raise. If you want to take a customer to lunch, it comes out of your own pocket and is not reimbursed. The list goes on and on.

Explore other reviews about Fastenal

5.0
May 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

good team to work with

Cons

client sites can be frustrating

3.0
Jun 9, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

They offer training programs through their internal “Fastenal School of Business.” A few good mentors to guide you should you find one and if you’re willing.

Cons

* Work/Life Balance - No official WFH opportunities. Branch employees were told to report, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. 15 days of PTO (10 for vacation and 5 for sick). You don’t earn additional PTO until the start of the year following your 5 year anniversary. * Pay - pay is inconsistent and they find reasons to change your pay by eliminating and changing titles. Pay is below industry standard and is a base + bonus program for most roles. * Boys Club - Especially in MN/WI area. Positions created or filled for cast off tenured employees to find them another spot rather than termination. Promotions based on political moves instead of merit or opportunities for growth. Positions posted for new roles internally but sometimes not shared with teams to allow for those politically motivated decisons to fill a spot. If a role is only posted for 1-week vs 2-weeks, it usually means they have a specific candidate in mind to take that role. * Cheap & Tacky - Required to travel but not all meals are covered. Welcome to stay at hotel that offers free breakfast but no per diem for lunch or dinner. Some meetings or trainings might provide lunch. When traveling for team meetings or trainings, usually required to share rooms - sometimes with other employees you’ve never met. Encouraged to book rooms using discount codes provided by customers. There is a target room rate they’d like you to hit and sometimes it means driving out of the way. They’d rather the expense hit elsewhere such as fuel and travel versus the room rate.

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