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Hot Topic Claimed Company
At Hot Topic we pride ourselves on being the destination of pop culture and music merchandise. We do this by hiring the best people, having the best product, and providing the best customer experience for our one-of-a-kind fans. We give back to our communities in our partnerships with Mental Health America, Notes for Notes, and Little Kids Rock.
Hot Topic’s unique culture thrives in an open and collaborative work environment where autonomy and authenticity shape your success. As a company that stays ahead of trends, we want you to come with innovative perspectives, cutting-edge thought leadership, and a readiness to learn, all of which will contribute to the continued success of our business. We’ve built an inclusive community where you’re encouraged to be who you are and love what you do! read more
Hot Topic Company Culture
Hot Topic Culture
This score is derived from employee ratings & reviews2.8/5
Hot Topic's Overall Culture is rated D+
Top Rated Culture Dimensions
Environment
BGender
CProfessional Development
CTeam
CDiversity
C-Hot Topic CEO
Bottom 20%Bottom 20% of Similar Size Companies on Comparably
Steve Vranes
57 /100
See More
Diversity at Hot Topic
Bottom 35%Bottom 35% of Similar Size Companies on Comparably
C-
Diverse employees at Hot Topic have rated Team, Environment, and Outlook as the highest categories they have scored
Women at Hot Topic
Bottom 40%Bottom 40% of Similar Size Companies on Comparably
C
Women at Hot Topic have rated Team, Environment, and Work Culture as the highest categories they have scored
Hot Topic eNPS
Net Promoter Score tracks your employees' overall score to this question: "On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend working at your company to a friend?"Bottom 20%Bottom 20% of Similar Size Companies on Comparably
Recommend to a Friend?
-37
Hot Topic employees are -37% more likely to recommend Hot Topic as a great place to work
| 23% | Promoters |
|---|---|
| 17% | Passives |
| 60% | Detractors |
Working at Hot Topic
Working at Hot Topic is rated below average by 764 employees, across various culture dimensions. Hot Topic employees rate Environment highest among all categories, and think that Compensation and Happiness have the most room for improvement, putting Hot Topic’s culture in the Bottom 25% compared to similar sized companies on Comparably and in the Bottom 20% compared to other companies in Los Angeles. See below in detail how working at Hot Topic was rated by employees.
Overall Company Culture at Hot Topic
D+
Overall Company Culture at Hot Topic is rated D+
Last updated 4 days ago
Bottom
25%
Hot Topic ranks in the Bottom 25% of other companies on Comparably with 5,001-10,000 Employees for Overall Company Culture Score
Hot Topic Employee Reviews
Out of 589 Hot Topic employee reviews, 64% were positive. The remaining 36% were constructive reviews with the goal of helping Hot Topic improve their work culture.
| Positive Reviews | 64% |
|---|---|
| Constructive Feedback | 36% |
Positive Reviews From Hot Topic Employees
- What did you like most about the interview process?Very casual making conversation very easy and comfortable
- What is most positive about the culture and environment at your company?I love my fellow sales associates, most work hard and stay professional. The store playlist is a vibe, and many of our customers are not only regulars but are fun, relatable, and bring good energy.
- What makes you most happy at work?helping customers and creating unique interactions and relationships with them
Constructive Feedback From Hot Topic Employees
- What does the leadership team need to get better at?Overall communication especially regarding shift changes, keeping the environment mature and professional, and responsibility for managerial errors
- Why do you feel undervalued and what would make you feel better about your compensation?More flexibility for full-time students.
- What do your coworkers need to improve and how could you work together better?we need new management and to be paid more for the kind of work we are doing
Hot Topic Company Information
Hot Topic Company Overview
At Hot Topic we pride ourselves on being the destination of pop culture and music merchandise. We do this by hiring the best people, having the best product, and providing the best customer experience for our one-of-a-kind fans. We give back to our communities in our partnerships with Mental Health America, Notes for Notes, and Little Kids Rock. Hot Topic’s unique culture thrives in an open and collaborative work environment where autonomy and authenticity shape your success. As a company that stays ahead of trends, we want you to come with innovative perspectives, cutting-edge thought leadership, and a readiness to learn, all of which will contribute to the continued success of our business. We’ve built an inclusive community where you’re encouraged to be who you are and love what you do!
Hot Topic was founded in 1989 and its current CEO is Steve Vranes. Since its inception 37 years ago, Hot Topic has grown to 10000 employees.
Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Hot Topic
Music and creativity have always been at the HEART of Hot Topic.
In 2004, we established the Hot Topic Foundation at the suggestion of our store associates. So far, the Foundation has donated over $18 million to non-profit organizations creating music and arts programs for young adults across the country.
In 2019, we added mental health awareness to the Foundation’s charitable mission as a nod to Hot Topic’s legacy as an inclusive space for our diverse community. With your help, we know we can change even more lives in the years to come.
Learn more about the HTF and its impact here: https://www.hottopic.com/hot-topic-foundation/
| Headquarter | 18305 E. San Jose Ave City Of Industry, CA 91748 United States of America |
|---|---|
| Website | hottopic.com |
| Founding Date | 1989 |
| Tel | 6268394681 |
| Company Status | Private |
| Jobs | www.workatht.com/ |
| Social Sites |
Culture Video
Employee discount? Yep. Sample sales? Got 'em. Happy hour? Of course. Halloween celebrations? That's a given. There's too many to list here, so join the fandom to experience all that we've got.
We've got you covered and then some. When you join the mothership, enjoy a hybrid schedule, company discounts, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance, and supplemental benefits outside your traditional benefits.
Life throws us all curveballs, we know that. This is why we supply mental health and wellness resources to our employees. This includes LGBTQIA+ mental health resources, an Employee Assistance Program, and wellness discounts. At the Mothership, we have an onsite chiropractor and licensed massage therapist who regularly visit HQ.
Hot Topic Employees
Hot Topic has 10000 employees. 764 employees at Hot Topic have reviewed Hot Topic across various culture dimensions, providing their opinions on items ranging from executive ratings to the pace at work. The latest review was 4 days ago.
Overall, the 764 Hot Topic employees give their leadership a grade of D, or Bottom 20% of similar size companies on Comparably. This includes specific ratings of their executive team, CEO, and manager.
Employees at Hot Topic are mostly dissatisfied with their total compensation at Hot Topic, which includes a combination of pay, stock and equity, and benefits.
Overall, employees at Hot Topic are generally satisfied with their team. 764 Participants grade the quality of their coworkers a C. Half of them believe the meetings at Hot Topic are effective, and the majority look forward to interacting with their coworkers.
The majority of employees at Hot Topic believe the environment at Hot Topic is positive. Most Participants believe the pace of work at Hot Topic is comfortably fast. About 85% of the employees at Hot Topic work 8 hours or less, while 4% of them have an extremely long day - longer than twelve hours.
Overall, the employees at Hot Topic are not very happy, based on their aggregated ratings of future outlook, customer perception, and their excitement going to work.
A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life
Hot Topic employees generally work 8.0 hrs a day
Work Hours
A Day in the Life
Employees at Hot Topic report the work pace is comfortably fast
Work Pace
A Day in the Life
On a typical day, employees at Hot Topic have 0 meetings
Meetings
A Day in the Life
76% of Hot Topic employees look forward to interacting with their team every day
Coworkers
A Day in the Life
Hot Topic employees most often take 0-10 paid vacation and sick days each year
Perks & Benefits
A Day in the Life
42% of Hot Topic employees report they are happy with their work life balance
Work Life Balance
A Day in the Life
Hot Topic employees never get valuable feedback on how to improve at work
Feedback
A Day in the Life
53% of Hot Topic employees call their work environment positive
Environment
Joining Hot Topic - Employee Onboarding
The prevailing opinion from employees about joining Hot Topic is that the company was very unprepared on their first day. Hot Topic employees concluded that their overall onboarding experience was negative. 33% said their direct manager was helpful with their acclimation during the first 90 days. First impressions are important, and how prepared a company is on your first day leaves a lasting impression.
Hot Topic KPIs and OKRs
Employees’ understanding of Hot Topic's KPIs and OKRs is essential for its success. Out of 14 Hot Topic employees who’ve answered, “Are your company’s goals clear and are you invested in them?” 4 have said yes.
Are your company's goals clear, and are you invested in them?
Are the KPIs/OKRs for your department clear?
Hot Topic CEO & Leadership
Hot Topic CEO - Steve Vranes
57 /100
Steve’s approval rate is lower compared to CEOs at similar sized companies, putting Steve in the Bottom 20% of all CEOs of similar-sized companies on Comparably, and in the Bottom 15% compared to CEOs of all other companies in Los Angeles. Steve Vranes’s employees rank Hot Topic in the Top 35% for Environment, in the Bottom 40% for Professional Development, and in the Bottom 40% for Team. Vranes is generally unpopular with Hot Topic employees, but ranks especially low with employees in the Product department, and by employees with Over 10 Years experience and employees identified with Other ethnicities. However, employees with the company for Less than 1 Year have a slightly more favorable view of the CEO.
Hot Topic Leadership
The Hot Topic Executive Team is rated a “D+” and led by CEO Steve Vranes, Vice President, Store Operations Ed Gusman, and Vice President, Brand Marketing + Creative Services Andrea Lewis
Steve Vranes CEO / President
Steve Vranes serves as the CEO / President of Hot Topic.
Ed Gusman Vice President, Store Operations
Ed Gusman serves as the Vice President, Store Operations of Hot Topic.
Andrea Lewis Vice President, Brand Marketing + Creative Services
Andrea Lewis serves as the Vice President, Brand Marketing + Creative Services of Hot Topic. Andrea started at Hot Topic... read more
Rima Barker Vice President of Merchandise Planning
Rima Barker serves as the Vice President of Merchandise Planning of Hot Topic. Rima started at Hot Topic in September of... read more
Pam Wallace Vice President of Real Estate Leasing & Legal
Pam Wallace serves as the Vice President of Real Estate Leasing & Legal of Hot Topic. Pam started at Hot Topic in April... read more
Theresa Mercado VP of PD
Theresa Mercado serves as the VP of PD of Hot Topic. Theresa started at Hot Topic in July of 2017. Theresa currently... read more
Albert Kao Vice President - Omnichannel Inventory and EOM Order Management
Albert Kao serves as the Vice President - Omnichannel Inventory and EOM Order Management of Hot Topic.
Eric Gephart Vice President of Logistics and Distribution
Eric Gephart serves as the Vice President of Logistics and Distribution of Hot Topic. Eric started at Hot Topic in July... read more
Hot Topic Salaries
How much does Hot Topic pay?
How much do people at Hot Topic get paid? See the latest salaries by department and job title. The average estimated annual salary, including base and bonus, at Hot Topic is $113,930, or $54 per hour, while the estimated median salary is $99,538, or $47 per hour.
At Hot Topic, the highest paid job is a Corporate Counsel at $211,877 annually and the lowest is a CS Rep at $49,692 annually. Average Hot Topic salaries by department include: IT at $119,520, Legal at $201,747, Communications at $97,731, and Finance at $104,650. Half of Hot Topic salaries are above $99,538.
333 employees at Hot Topic rank their Compensation in the Bottom 10% of similar sized companies in the US (based on 1000 ratings) while 317 employees at Hot Topic rank their Perks And Benefits in the Bottom 15% of similar sized companies in the US (based on 326 ratings).
Salaries contributed from Hot Topic employees include job titles like IT Support Engineer. Comparably data has a total of 1 salary records from Hot Topic employees.
Last updated a month ago.
| Summary | Salary Range | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
1st Percentile $66k | $66k | 1st Percentile |
17th Percentile $81k | $81k | 17th Percentile |
33rd Percentile $99k | $99k | 33rd Percentile |
50th Percentile $142k | $142k | 50th Percentile |
67th Percentile $196k | $196k | 67th Percentile |
83rd Percentile $245k | $245k | 83rd Percentile |
100th Percentile $247k | $247k | 100th Percentile |
$113,930*
Average Compensation
$99,538*
Median Compensation
* Estimated salaries Estimated salaries are based on data provided anonymously by employees and/or estimated by other statistical methods.
Hot Topic Salaries by City
Hot Topic Salaries by Department
Diversity & Inclusion at Hot Topic
Diverse employees at Hot Topic score the company 62/100 across various culture categories, placing Hot Topic in the Bottom 35% of companies on Comparably with 5,001-10,000 Employees for Comparably's diversity score. The Diversity score provides insights into how diverse employees feel and rate their work experience at Hot Topic across various culture dimensions.
Ranked Culture the Highest
Ranked Culture the Lowest
Hot Topic Perks & Benefits
At Hot Topic, Inc., benefits are a big deal, and we’ve got you covered! Eligible employees include, Full time employees, Part-time ASMs and Part-time DC Associates. You can also enroll qualifying family members in our medical, dental and vision plans. After completing 30 days of employment, benefits are effective on the 1st of the following month.
Health & Wellness
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Health Insurance
- Life Insurance
Paid Time Off
- PTO / Vacation Policy
- Paid Holidays
- Maternity / Paternity Leave
Financial Benefits
- 401K / Retirement Plan
- Performance Bonus
- Tuition Reimbursement
Office Perks
- Free Food
- Unique Office Space
Hot Topic PTO
Hot Topic's PTO and Vacation policy typically gives 0-10 days off a year with 60% of employees expected to be work free while out of office. Paid Time Off is Hot Topic's most important benefit besides Healthcare when ranked by employees, with 60% of employees saying it is the most important benefit. Hot Topic's benefits and PTO Package averages to represent a less than $500 cash value per month.
Other than healthcare, which of the following benefits is most important to you?
Does your boss expect you to work when you're on vacation?
What do you estimate the cash value of your benefits to be? Healthcare, PTO, etc?
Hot Topic Careers
Hot Topic Jobs
No Recent Jobs found for Hot Topic on Comparably
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H1B Visa
In 2019, Hot Topic applied for 11 H1B visas. Of the work permits applied for, 91% were approved.
Work Permit Application Outcome
Hot Topic has a total of 10000 employees
11
Total Applied
H1B Applications Outcome
- 91% Granted (10 out of 11)
- 0% Denied ( out of 11)
- 0% Withdrawn Application was withdrawn by the employer before approval/rejection ( out of 11)
- 9% Certified-Withdrawn Application was approved but later withdrawn by employer (1 out of 11)
This data was calculated using publicly sourced data from OFLC Performance Data
Let Hot Topic Know You Want To Work There
Overview of Candidates Interested in Hot Topic on Comparably
Candidates By Department
Sales | 52% | |
|---|---|---|
All Industries | 15% | |
Engineering | 7% | |
Design | 7% | |
IT | 4% | |
Other | 15% |
Candidates By Location
Los Angeles | 19% | |
|---|---|---|
Morgantown | 7% | |
Chevy Chase | 4% | |
Anaheim | 4% | |
Tempe | 4% | |
Other | 63% |
Frequently Asked Questions regarding Hot Topic
What is Hot Topic address?
Hot Topic location is at 18305 E. San Jose Ave
Who is the CEO of Hot Topic?
Hot Topic CEO is Steve Vranes, their score by employees is 57
What is Hot Topic eNPS?
The eNPS for Hot Topic is -37
What is the salary for Marketing Operations in Hot Topic?
Marketing Operations average salary in the US is 109k
What are the salaries in the Marketing in Hot Topic?
The average salaries for Marketing in Hot Topic is 92k
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