Pros
The people: shop managers and below were a pleasure to interact with daily in my tenure at Cash America. The job was challenging, but not what I would call difficult. Perhaps some individuals lacking work motivation or ethic would call it overwhelming, but as a whole, it is average as compared to other positions I've held. Also, the incentive structure for hourly pawnbrokers was fair and rewarded those who performed; as the manager, i can see how this helped with the overall financial performance of my shop. .
Cons
Pay is below average, and in some cases, far below average for the industry. Additionally, the management bonus structure is complex and difficult to understand: it was always difficult to determine which metrics would increase or decrease the bonus potential-- this needed to be simplified. Over the past few years, several changes have occurred such as the acquisition of Pawn Mart, which for the Atlanta region, it was as if Cash America had been acquired by Pawn Mart in management, practice, and policy. There were a lot of growing pains through this process, which I guess I became a victim of: for example three different DMs in a year what felt like rapid turnover at all levels. Additionally, my location was a 30-45 minute commute from my home and a shorter commute is a key personal need. I was concerned about my future as well as my future- potential with the company. This was something that my DM, OD and other's never discussed or made reference. Although my time there was short, I excelled operationally and financially and improved the shop location where I was located-- many of the processes I implemented are still in place there today. It was the lack of communication, feedback, and overall development which ultimately drove me to consider greener pastures.
