What do I like most about working at Bob's?... It's Complicated!

The most common question I get when speaking to candidates is "What do you like most about working at Bob's?". That truly is a complicated question for me simply because there is not just one single thing I like most. I love the people, the values, the culture, the trust, support and respect I get from my leaders, but most importantly to me is the fact that I get to impact the lives of so many great people that choose to come Bob's. In reality, Bob's makes that last piece really easy!

Like so many others, my employment journey with Bob's did not start at the application. My journey actually started the first time I set foot into a Bob's showroom in Glendale, NY back 2012 as a customer. I heard about Bob's from one of my dearest friends during one of the most difficult parts of my life. In in Mid 2011, I lost everything I owned to a fire in my apartment and with no renters insurance, I had to rebuild on my own. Later that year, I met my wife and was embarrassed to take her to my home since I only had a mattress and a folding chair to sit on. We decided to go furniture shopping and to say the least, with $600 in my pocket and spotty credit, the experience was not pleasant. The pressure I felt at so many places I visited was overwhelming. I couldn't afford most of the things I liked and at one point, after explaining my situation to a sales associate at another retailer, I experienced what they call in the industry as being "DROPPED". Literally being told by the associate that he would come back to assist me and after 1 hour of no one even looking my way, I walked out.

My friend had a completely different experience at Bob's and suggested I check them out. In my mind, not knowing anything about the company, I expected to walk into a warehouse with rows of boxes with pictures on them, that hopefully matched what was inside the box. I was floored at how big and unique the showroom was (it even had a huge pond with coy fish at the entrance) and how the associate that greeted me, really gave me the space to browse and was attentive enough to come to me when I had questions. Having shared my situation with this associate, I never felt the pressure I did with the other places I visited, and after two and a half hours of working with the associate, we were able to open a line of interest free credit and instead of just the couch, I was able to get my entire living room set! I was so happy that day that I actually took a picture of the set I bought and posted it to my Facebook:

My customer experience led me to look at Bob's as a potential employer almost a year and a half later when I started to explore opportunities. I just moved to NJ with my wife and saw that there was an opportunity to recruit for Bob's in the same town I moved to. After meeting the recruiter, I had a really good feeling and was happy to have been invited to meet the higher ups in the "Home Office" in CT. I drove 2 1/2 hour to Manchester and there I met several amazing people, all of them shared their unique Bob's stories and really took the time to learn about me. At no point did it feel like an interrogation and much less like an interview. By the end of the interview, I was convinced that Bob's was right for me.

Today I celebrate 7 years at Bob's! I was told when I joined that we would be conservatively doubling in size within 5-7 years and in my 7th year, I've seen us nearly triple in size! I love walking into stores I've helped open and meeting the people in person that I talked to and influenced to come join us. The high fives and thanks you's I get when meeting these people and seeing where in the company they are today are what I find most gratifying. I love the people first culture here, we are always having fun and doing so much for our customers, communities and our own people. I love that we are encouraged to challenge the status quo and that the door is always open to share suggestions, ask questions or address concerns. I love the early adoption of technology and disrupting the industry. I love having a voice and that the company makes huge investments in teaching and developing the people.

We've built an amazing group of Talent Acquisition Partners that have joined us in the last 7 years and I really can't ask for a better team! I am grateful for the coaching and mentorship of my leaders, past and present, all who have contributed to my personal and professional growth within the organization.

So like I said, when asked what I like most about working at Bob's, I'll say it again... It's complicated, but I will say that I love everything about working at Bob's and look forward to the next 7 years!