Maurice sent a message to Edward W. Stack – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dick’s Sporting Goods – Email Address that said:
Good morning Ms. Victorelli:
I have been a local resident in the Wentzville, MO area for nearly 20 years. I expressed my interest in a permanent full
or part time hourly position at the Wentzville, MO store and was significantly disappointed while interviewing for 3 open
positions at this location. The positions of interest follow:
• Golf Sales Associate: I have been playing golf for roughly 30 years. I average 70 rounds of golf each year and
work as a course Marshall at one of the local golf courses.
• Lodge Retail Sales Associate: I have over 15 years of Big Box retail experience that includes all of the products
you currently sell in this area of your stores.
• Retail Price and Signage Coordinator: I have over 15 years of Big Box retail experience that includes an in-depth
knowledge of retail pricing, signage and merchandising.
I interviewed twice and was asked the same questions by two different individuals the last being the Store Manager.
During my first visit I was told it was obvious I could do any of the currently open positions and we discussed the merits
of taking the Retail Price and Signage Coordinator role over the Sales Associate positions because my background and
experience would overlap the needs of the entire store.
During my second interview with the Store Manager he indicated he hired tough and that a decision would not be made
for 3 weeks when I asked about next steps. I believe he made that decision that day. I also believe he was concerned
about my Big Box retail experience and my age, yet he didn’t take the time to discuss either. He seemed disinterested
and rushed to get through the interview. Although it was a behavior interview, identical to the first interview where the
interviewee was particularly impressed with my skills and made suggestions on which position I should consider, we did
not discuss this information. Yet we spent time discussing key attributes of his store management philosophy and two
happened to be position skills and client experience expectations. I don’t feel the response I received reflects a passion
for client nor associate experience nor my background and experience and it doesn’t take 3 weeks to tell a candidate
they are not qualified as stated below, when clearly that isn’t the case.
“Thank you for your interest in career opportunities at DICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. At this time, we are
considering other candidates whose background and skills more closely match our current needs. We will,
however, retain your information. If an opportunity presents itself in the future, we may contact you at that
time.”
It is obvious to me that the Store Manager did not want someone with my background and experience nor age on his
team. It is also obvious that it doesn’t take 3 weeks to communicate that decision and use phraseology that does not
support my actual experience and skill sets. What skills are good enough to fill any of your hourly positions other than
those identified in the job descriptions for those open positions? I suggest you look at the skill sets of those who are
currently working in similar positions of your retail operations. There is bias and contradictory hiring practices by DICK’S
as an equal opportunity employer at the Wentzville, MO location.
I understand you do not have to reply at all and I also understand you do have choices as to who you believe are the
best fits for your open positions. However, you should think about the candidates and their impressions of your process
and you shouldn’t leave the door open for discriminatory hiring practices. Although I am not suggesting any action on
my part regarding what happened other than this summary of my experience, I do believe you should be concerned
about anyone interviewing candidates, suggesting they are qualified and then stating they are not. Honesty and
transparency in a timely manner would be considerate in most cases and understandable by many people looking for
work.
Sincerely,
Maurice
