DISHONEST - Sales Engineer Sweetwater Employee Review

1.0
Dec 6, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Beautiful place to work, excellent perks if you can afford them, instantly recognized employer within the Fort Wayne community. "Always do the right thing," and "Sweetwater Family," are really nice to believe in...

Cons

Unrealistic and unfair demands on time, dishonest and untrustworthy management and upper management, isolated from interaction with Mr. Surak despite claims of "open door," policy, "The Right Thing," is only relative to Image and Marketing. DO NOT move here from anywhere else. They do NOT pay for the actual cost of moving, only some of it (and they try to wiggle out of that too). Age, Orientation, & Disabled status are all details that will be judged, sometimes harshly. No matter what you want to believe, your manager is not your friend.

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Sweetwater Response
5y
I'm obviously disappointed to see these comments. It's important to us that every Sweetwater employee has a good experience with us but that certainly doesn't appear to have been the case here. We are of course very careful and diligent in communicating up front about the opportunities and expectations that exist for everyone who chooses to join our team. Relocation coverage details are spelled out in fine detail in every employment agreement so there are no surprises. We also take a very intentional approach to creating opportunities for all regardless of their status. This is spelled out in all of our internal policies viewable to employees on our intranet, on our website (https://www.sweetwater.com/about/the-sweetwater-difference/) and in our anti-discrimination and harassment training that every employee takes. In addition, our Vice President of Employee Wellbeing, in-house staff counselor, in-house medical clinic and many other resources are all dedicated to helping care for our employees and creating an environment where they can do their best work and live a healthy life. If you have more specifics about your time at Sweetwater that you believe could help us be better, please don't hesitate to email me. We're always looking to improve and I welcome your insights. - Jeff Ostermann, Chief People Officer

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5.0
Jun 19, 2026
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Pros

-Structure for private lessons -Create your own hours -Pool for new students -Food discount -Benefits

Cons

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4.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If sales and music are your drives, Sweetwater is as good as it gets. Management in my experience has been very supportive and development-oriented, creating a positive culture around the company. They have a fantastic training program (albeit intense) that trains on both products and sales methods, so even if you're lacking experience in a given category there's plenty of coaching and training to get you ready for the role. Over time, the position can also be quite lucrative which compliments Fort Wayne's low cost of living well. They also offer relocation assistance since all positions are on-site, and a great benefits package. I've been fortunate to become great friends with many of my coworkers and honestly some days don't even feel like work. Ultimately, with this job you get what you put in, and making a solid living to geek out over music gear all day is a pretty sweet gig.

Cons

The job is very demanding - it's a fully commission sales job that revolves around constant customer outreach via call, text, and email. This means starting out is tough financially, and days are usually long. Try to have a savings cushion before you start, especially if you're moving from another city/state. You also work nights, holidays, and rotate through weekend shifts which won't be new for those who have worked retail before, but it's still a tough adjustment. Starting out I struggled from a social aspect as well. Fort Wayne is a cool city, but it's no LA, NY, or Chicago. Long hours at work make going out and making friends or getting involved in community groups/organizations difficult.

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