-Very cliquey, sorority girl type of environment. Some people are genuinely nice, others are fake nice and it’s hard to tell who you can trust. Lots of people form their own groups/cliques, and it’s hard for new people to feel included. Many are very ambitious and are willing to throw others under the bus or step on people’s toes to advance.
-Lots of favoritism. Projects and growth opportunities are given to a select few who are chummy with management. Favoritism is shown to those who’s been there the longest and/or those who mooch.
-Lack of diversity. HQ is made up of 80% Caucasians. Stitch Fix likes to hire the same type of people who think and act like each other. While it makes sense to hire someone who will fit into the company’s culture and teams, Stitch Fix likes to hire people who fit that cookie-cutter mold to prevent differing of opinions and ideas. The company definitely has that popular/sorority girl vibe where if you’re different or don’t fit in the “in” crowd, you’ll be overlooked or made to feel like an outsider.
-Stitch Fix is so full of itself. It’s great to have company pride, but Stitch Fix is bordering on arrogance. I love that they try to foster positivity, but it comes to the point of false positivity where they try to sweep any negativity or issues under the rug. If you have any difference of opinion or constructive criticism, be ready to be labeled as a negative person and disposed. The company thinks that everyone wants to work here and that they should bend over backwards to do so. You can see this in the interview process and how they treat candidates. Read the interview reviews-- you’ll find that they want candidates to win them over, but won’t put in the effort to sell themselves or the company to the candidates. To do well here, you definitely have to drink the Kool-Aid and blindly go along with everything.
-Lack of job security. The company doesn’t do a good job of investing in its employees. It’s evident that they see employees as easily replaceable, especially those in lower-level positions. They are quick to fire, instead of working with the employee to improve their performance and giving them enough time to make those improvements. About six people on the Merch team were let go in the span of a couple of months. And most of these people have a strong background and years of experience in their field. They don’t really give you a chance or much warning. They want loyalty from their employees, but will provide none at all to them.
-There are several people on the Merch team who have been quickly promoted to management roles and have absolutely NO management skills. Lots of immature girls in assistant management/management positions who get offended easily and think with their feelings instead using logic and reason. Promotions are not always based on who works the hardest or is the most qualified, sometimes it's a popularity contest and how much you mooch to management.
-You will be siloed into your position. There are not a lot of opportunities to do more beyond your role, even if you ask for more challenging work to develop and grow you. They want you to focus on your role and its specific duties, and you won’t be able to do more beyond that until you get promoted. This doesn’t make a lot of sense since you would think that you should be taking on more challenges to prove yourself that you’re ready for the next level. Nope—the Merch team has a backwards way of thinking.
-The Tiny Pulse Survey is NOT anonymous. They claim to be anonymous, but they are not. Do not fill them out unless you have something positive to say. The People (HR) team will know who said what and you will be reprimanded if you say something negative even if it’s the truth and how you really feel. The People team doesn’t want to hear the truth unless it’s something positive about the company or the work environment.
Overall, your experience at Stitch Fix will vary depending on which team you join. It seems like the Engineering and Analytics teams have it good and are treated well. However, if you’re planning to join the Merchandising department, beware of the sorority, clique-y, mean girls environment. The company has a good set of missions and values it wants to uphold, but falls short of doing so.
