Corporate is not as creative as you'd think - Product Designer Michaels Employee Review

2.0
Dec 14, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Depending on the category, there are occasional comp shopping trips that can be very inspiring. If you haven't traveled overseas yet in your career, there's regular trips to China for hands on experience (after awhile this can become a negative to most people). The benefits are okay, about the same as most corporate companies in DFW. The work-life balance is good, there's not a whole lot of after hours or weekends. There are occasional events that require a Saturday or Sunday's work but they aren't frequent enough to be a problem.

Cons

The re-structuring of the product development process was a terrible move. The buyers have all the control and the product brand managers think they're designers and basically tell the designers what to do. As a product designer, you will basically be reduced to slapping pictures on a page and calling it a 'style guide'. Unfortunately those pictures are ones the buyer and PBM tell you to use. Designers are basically production artists and art directors to China, without the title of Art Director. The management is useless and they don't appreciate, respect, or foster true talent. The culture is very negative in the sense that you won't get ahead by actual skills, talent, and/or hand work; it's basically a competition of who can 'play the game' and kiss the most behind. They've isolated the passionate designers that actually have the experience and skills to be great leaders but because they're not doing the 'look at me' routine, they aren't 'engaged enough'.

Explore other reviews about Michaels

5.0
Feb 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Had a really lovely recruiter w/ clear email communication back and forth. Process was a phone screen followed by an interview.

Cons

Interviewers were slightly late to the interview. Lots of technical questions, no leetcode style ones though.

2.0
Jun 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some great co-workers, employee discount, on site office benefits including a gym and cafe for breakfast/lunch, full suite of employee benefits at reasonable prices

Cons

Ridiculous amount of stress. Retail in general is often stressful but the amount of stress at Michaels is unnecessary and over the top. Constant last-minute changes by leadership to creative, promotions, products, and any other kind of changes. Things will be finalized and signed off on and delivered, and somebody will make a change at the last minute and things are constantly having to be redone. People are worn down and worn out. It’s the highest turnover rate of any place I’ve worked in retail at the corporate office. I’ve seen people take jobs and be gone within weeks. Leadership in some departments are extremely micromanaging and controlling even with employees that are tenured and have multiple years of experience. The stress level for both tenured and new employees is very high. Projects get discussed over and over and over again, decisions are made and then revisited again after decisions were made making delivery late and causing people to work unnecessarily in order to fix things that could’ve been done correctly the first time. The company tries really hard to make the workplace fun and offer activities, motivation, and incentives. Unfortunately they don’t offset what the environment is like working inside with some of the teams and expectations to actually deliver the work. Would not recommend.

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