A Career at The Container Store

Frequently Asked Questions

We hope the following will answer any questions you may have about employment opportunities.

Do you have a management-training program?
Do store employees earn commission?
What are your employee recognition programs?
What are your employee incentive programs?
How do you find new employees?
Where are your home office and Distribution Center located?
Why do you advise people to apply for a store position?
What is your relocation policy?
How can I pursue my interest if there isn't a store in my area?
What are the opportunities for career advancement?
Do you offer an internship or co-op program?
How many employees work at The Container Store?
What is the Summary of Rights for California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act?
What are your expansion plans?

Do you have a management-training program? (top)

While we don't hire people into a set program defined as a "management training program," all of our full-time positions provide extensive training, broad company exposure, leadership development, and management responsibility to increase skills and perspective, and prepare employees for future opportunities in the company.

Do store employees earn commission? (top)

Rather than build a pay structure that encourages competition, we offer wages and salaries that are individualized and take into account each employee's unique background, contribution, and potential impact on our company's growth. We encourage team-based selling in the stores and constant communication and collaborative effort in the office and distribution center to ensure that our customers and vendors benefit from creative solutions and exceptional service. The Container Store is proud to pay its store employees 50% higher than the industry average.

What are your employee recognition programs? (top)

We appreciate and recognize employees in various ways at The Container Store. Our company culture fosters group effort and a positive environment. There are many company successes and celebrations that every employee benefits from, but the unique spirit of our company culture is most evident in the supportive and spontaneous way in which all employees take the time to recognize one another. Unlike companies with conventional employee recognition programs, The Container Store strives to creatively celebrate employees in a variety of ways.

For example, for the past several years we have conducted our Colorado Getaway, a very special initiative that recognizes employees whose contribution and commitment make our company a great place to work. Twelve employees, nominated by their co-workers, vacation with the owners of our company at a Colorado ranch.

What are your employee incentive programs? (top)

Each store or department has the ability to create its own incentive programs to recognize employees. We celebrate employee anniversaries with length of service awards and ceremonies. We host celebratory events for company honors such as our recent recognition by FORTUNE magazine as the #4 Best Company to Work For in America. We enhance our hiring efforts by paying a networking bonus to current employees who refer new employees to our company.

How do you find new employees? (top)

The primary means of recruiting new employees to The Container Store is through networking and employee referrals. Our most enthusiastic customers often inquire about opportunities and become our best employees. Occasionally, we post positions on a job board such as careerbuilder.com or craigslist.org. We rarely use newspaper or other print advertising for our hiring needs. We seldom find it necessary to use executive search firms.

Where are your home office and Distribution Center located? (top)

The Container Store has one facility in Dallas, Texas, to support all of our stores coast to coast. The home office is located adjacent to our Distribution Center, which gives all employees a great sense of synergy between the two facilities.

Why do you advise people to apply for a store position? (top)

Most employees begin their careers in the stores - since this is the lifeblood of our business - and many continue to build their careers there for many years. Our store positions offer the best introduction to our products, service standards, and company values. We have full-time management positions with a high level of responsibility, and part-time positions with true decision-making and involvement in the business too.

What is your relocation policy? (top)

If we select an employee from within our company to relocate to another area, we create an individualized moving package to suit the employee's needs. We do not typically consider applicants from markets other than those where we have our stores or Home Office and Distribution Center, so we rarely relocate new employees.

How can I pursue my interest if there isn't a store in my area? (top)

Generally we consider applicants who already live in an area near one of our stores, rather than hire them from elsewhere and move them. If you ever find yourself living near one of our locations, we'd be happy to talk with you about the needs in that area. All of our store locations are listed on our Web site, and we announce new store locations there as well. Additionally, for registered users of our Web site, we send emails, when appropriate, to notify users when a new store will open near their home city.

What are the opportunities for career advancement? (top)

No two employees have the same career path at The Container Store. Employees help to guide their own careers, and are trained and supported to take on many responsibilities. We promote from within whenever possible. When we offer a new opportunity to an employee, we carefully match that employee's company perspective, experience, leadership and talents with the needs of our business.

Do you offer an internship or co-op program? (top)

Though we do not offer a traditional internship program, we are committed to introducing students to our unique retail environment. Given our extraordinary commitment to training, many seasonal employees find they learn more while working part-time at The Container Store than they did participating in a traditional internship program.

Our store employees are exposed to every aspect of our store operations including customer service, inventory awareness, visual merchandising, marketing campaigns, and sales. If you are interested in joining The Container Store, please apply online.

How many employees work at The Container Store? (top)

We have approximately 4,000 employees in our stores, home office and Distribution Center. Of course, this number increases during certain busy seasons.

What is the Summary of Rights for California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act? (top)

Summary of Rights for
California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act
California Civil Code Section 1786.22

Please know that you have a right under California law to inspect files maintained on you by an investigative consumer reporting agency pursuant to any of the following procedures, during normal business hours and on reasonable notice:

You may personally inspect the files if you provide proper identification (e.g., valid driver's license, social security account number, military identification card, credit cards), and may receive a copy of the file for the actual cost of duplication services provided.

You may make a written request, by certified mail and with proper identification, as described above, for copies to be sent to a specified addressee.

You may make a written request, with proper identification as described above, for telephone disclosure of a summary of information contained in your files, if any toll charge is prepaid by or charged directly to you.

If you are unable to provide "proper identification" through the types of cards or numbers listed above, the agency may require additional information concerning your employment and personal or family history in order to verify your identity.

The agency must provide trained personnel to explain to you any information that the agency is required to furnish to you from your file. The agency also must provide you with a written explanation of any coded information contained in your files at the time inspection of your files is permitted. You are permitted by law to be accompanied by one other person of your choosing when inspecting your files. That person must furnish reasonable identification. The agency may require you to provide the agency with a written statement granting permission to the agency to discuss your file in such person's presence. The agency also is not required by law to make available to you the sources of information in your files, although such information would be obtainable through proper discovery procedures in any court action brought under Title 1.6A of the Civil Code pertaining to Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies.

What are your expansion plans? (top)

Continuing to expand strategically from coast to coast and beyond, retail sales have experienced healthy increases year after year.