Working at Kiddie Kandids — Reviews by Employees

I loved this company. Sorensen screwed up a wonderful thing. CPI is turning it into a JOKE. Death of a Vision...... :'-(

I currently work at Kiddie Kandids and let me tell you...I love the job...but I hate the managing. We only have two managers for our location and one is an assistant. They are both real laid back fun people, but in the work world, they are procrastinators, lazy, unprofessional and have bad attitudes with certain customers.

They answer their cell phones in the middle of work, they talk very loudly when they use them and say inappropriate things without realizing they are serving customers, They do not keep to the dress code in a sense that they wear wrinkled shirts and black sneakers, one of them shows her belly off most of the time, I mean she is pregnant but that is not the point. Because they always have their phones out texting and what not, the other kids they hire think its okay too and do the same. We don't have name tags and at this point I would rather transfer to the store that trained me.

I was sent to another location to get trained because my manager was too lazy to do it, and she even admitted to me that it was because she was very unprofessional and wasn't very good at it, honest yes, but when I was only half trained they through me on the camera right away and expected me to know everything about everything. I have had a few complaints so far because I couldn't make a baby smile, or because I take too long on the camera. It's not my fault if I am teaching MYSELF how to pose people and children correctly, I was threatened to take more photos of faces so I try to include it when it isnt even possible due to parents hasseling me because they are veteran buyers or because they are new, knowing I obviously have no idea what I am doing. The photos come out great, I am a Photography Major, but I find myself to be the only one who takes Photography even remotely serious at my job, everybody else works there because they either dropped out of highschool, or didnt go to college, or are bored house mothers or just don't have a choice to get paid. I feel so bad working there most of the time because I am the only one with the passion and heart to take great photos but I physically do not know how to work their computer systems and their Posing systems. I am an animal photographer, I have no idea how to pose people, and they know that! But they expect me to pose newborn babies upright and take photos of them SMILING in less then 5 minutes?

Everything about this job is more than average. The company is wonderful, but just like every company you do have to have a good work ethic and produce good numbers. Even when we are slow you just can't sit around doing nothing!

It is a competitive job atmosphere so you do have to go above and beyond to really put yourself out there to be noticed. But I've been with the company 5+ years and have moved up in position 4 times.

I will say that I agree with a lot of the comments that I've seen when it comes to the DM's. I find it ridiculous that they hire OUT of the company when it comes to a position like this. It's kind of like hiring out of the company for a trainer in this kind of business, its pointless. I'm VERY VERY VERY fortunate enough to have such a GREAT manager. I honestly think without her, I'd go insane, and would've quit a LONG time ago. But, I will admit I had my share of BAD managers as well. Being with the company for about 5 years, I've gone through 4 managers, and about... 5 maybe 6 DM's??? Not sure... but out of those, the only ones that I can say were hired within the company and actually knew what they were doing, was 2 out of all of those DM's. I swear I've wanted to pull my hair out working with this company because of the lack of knowledge that these DM's have! I really don't understand how they can comment on our photography and sales and what not when they have NEVER ONCE touched a clicker! Its seriously RIDICULOUS AND stupid. I don't know if the company is just trying to save money by hiring out of the company, as compared to someone who's been with the company and knows what they're doing. But it's just stupid. Seriously. It is. And don't get me wrong. I DO love my job, but the parents do make me wanna strangle or shoot myself sometimes. And I think working with the company for as long as I have, my patience has grown VERY, and I mean VERY thin. I'm thankful that not only do I have a great manager, but I work with a great group of girls who help keep me sane as well! But I think the changes that this company has been making over the years really has not been for the best because honestly, I haven't really seen any good happening, and, it's sad. Christmas really isn't as busy as it was my very first Christmas, like I still have YET to compare a Christmas to my first Christmas working for Kiddie Kandids. And these Galleries.. GEEEZALOUISE! $330 for pictures?!?! I mean hey, they ARE nice products and are different from our competitors, especially with the high contrast black and white, but honestly, I would NOT spend $330 on pictures. But anywhoo... I feel bad for other associates who not only have bad DM's, BUT have bad managers as well. It REALLY sucks. And I REALLY can testify to having HORRIBLE... and I mean HORRIBLE managers. Me and another associate basically were both doing managerial duties that the manager herself was NOT taking care of. BTW, I helped in making her quit because of her BS that she put us through. But I'm glad that my first manager was FANTASTIC! (who I still keep in touch with!) And that my current manager is Heaven Sent (yes, I said Heaven Sent!) I'm laughing now because I know she's gonna see this and she's gonna know that this comment was mine! haha. But really, the one thing that does bug me about this company is hiring out of the company for hire-up positions. Other than that, like pay, which I don't mind, and I guess it's due to the fact that I've been here so long, and coworkers and what not, I like that about the company. I'll admit the bi-yearly gifts kinda suck now but hey at least we get something. And for those who are wondering why I've worked here for so long and just am a regular assocciate... AHEM... have you SEEN all the BS that the managers go through?!?!?! Ha, YEAH, THAT'S why I'm STILL a regular associate AND plan on keeping it THAT WAY! haha

I loved working for this company. The thing is, I was fortunate enough to have an awesome boss. Many of the District Managers are task managers who rule with negative reinforcement. They really do need to hire them with-in the company. I do not understand why anyone would think that we, as associates and managers, are willing to give of ourselfs to a person who was never in the trenches.

I did work hard (because I loved my job) and received a decent pay. If you're not a lazy person and not afraid of work you'll make easy the challenges to make more money. I did see a lot of 18 or 19yr old kids that wanted to be paid $40k and $50K for what in essence is an entry level job.

I was never a part of that gossip circle and respected my friends, there was NEVER an issue with that. Some of the best people I know I met there.

For the full timers the benefits are very good.

Because of the state of the economy I was always afraid of keeping my job. i don't know if it was my fears or anything else.

The only real thing I have to complain about is the DMs. Most of them are a bunch of mean "negative reinforcement" types. I have only known 1 that wasn't hired within the company that was any good. They really need to reassess the environment that they instill in the minds of their managers. I say, fire all the outside DM's and promote good managers.

All in all I do love this company. And as I learned in school: One angry customer tells TEN other people, but it takes ten happy customers to tell ONE other person.

I am going to completely disagree with all of the other raters and say that I absolutely LOVED working for Kiddie Kandids. I worked there for three years and advanced to assistant manager, regional trainer, and finally manager. What everyone else says about pay and certification is true, it takes longer than you might hope to get certified, but it definitely can be done, and every year you are up for another raise even after the 50 cent raise. If you're willing to work very hard and do work that actually means something to your customers, than you will have a great experiance. Kids are hard, yes, but who thought otherwise? Parents are worse, but with a professional attitude and a firm hand, what needs to be done gets done, and if you're a good portrait artist, than you can do it. I went from a starting salary of $7.50/hour to an ending salary of 31k/year. Work is rewarded, and Kiddie Kandids is very hard work.