Get your experience and get out. - Sales Support Fastenal Employee Review

2.0
Aug 12, 2010
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Better than an office environment. Work with blue collar customers. Get to get on the road. Good networking opportunities with all the businesses you work with. It does look good as experience to future employers due to all the responsibilities taken at such a high demanding career.

Cons

Confusing commission structure - constantly changing in order to keep salaries predictably low. Very cheap company, CEO has been voted the cheapest CEO in america. To get above the general manager position requires lots of politics. No air conditioning in the summer, no heat in the winter. Constant micromanaging. Unfair profit margins, the markups presented to us do not reflect the actual markup. As good of a salesman you can be, competitors flat out get the products to the customers cheaper. Often times customers will only come in as a last resort - causing morale to be low. You have to do inventory on thousands of products on a constant basis amongst juggling the actual task of sales.

Explore other reviews about Fastenal

5.0
Apr 30, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good job to have during college. People are easy going and easy to get along with. Overall really good experience

Cons

Gets repetitive after a while

4.0
Jul 9, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great company culture, love the investment they put in for career advancement. Great people to work with, CEO is amazing but he's stepping down this month. Benefits are good. Decentralized organization so your ideas and solutions actually get listened to and implemented. Feel like I'm actually making a difference in the company.

Cons

Pay is lower than the industry average for most departments and they don't keep up with the cost of living, don't do bonuses (unless you're in sales) or pay raises. You have to ask to get one and most times they say no. Very male dominant at the branches and in sales, but many women in corporate leadership. Don't have any DEI initiatives. Not flexible on relocation for internal management roles, have to be at corporate HQ in Winona, MN.

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