Anyone have a job at Nike/Nike SB?

[noxiousPond]

Pretty self explanatory. Apologize if there’s already a thread or has been brought up many times. Any members here know anything or have/had a job working for Nike SB? I’ve posted in the wellness thread about wanting to get into this industry but I just want to see if anyone here has any pointers/experience getting their foot in the door. The reason I’m asking about Nike is simple. I want a livable wage and I have a serious heart condition so I cannot have a job that doesn’t include health insurance.

I’ve heard it’s very hard getting a job at Nike and can take years moving up the ranks. Considering my experience is only retail I’d say my only shot is probably at a factory store to start out.

I’m desperate to get the fuck out of my current job and as much as I do t want to work for some big corporation I need health insurance and being able to afford life is pretty rare these days.

Anyone have some pointers?

[TastyBurrito]

Pretty self explanatory. Apologize if there’s already a thread or has been brought up many times. Any members here know anything or have/had a job working for Nike SB? I’ve posted in the wellness thread about wanting to get into this industry but I just want to see if anyone here has any pointers/experience getting their foot in the door. The reason I’m asking about Nike is simple. I want a livable wage and I have a serious heart condition so I cannot have a job that doesn’t include health insurance.

I’ve heard it’s very hard getting a job at Nike and can take years moving up the ranks. Considering my experience is only retail I’d say my only shot is probably at a factory store to start out.

I’m desperate to get the fuck out of my current job and as much as I do t want to work for some big corporation I need health insurance and being able to afford life is pretty rare these days.

Anyone have some pointers?

Nike SB is a very small team within the walls of Nike. And unless you're already somehow connected to the industry, odds are, you won't be on that team. But

As on how to get into Nike, the best thing to get you in there (at least for HQ) is an internal recommendation.

My buddy used to apply there for years just via their web portal — nothing. Not one response.

Then one day I got hit up for a freelance gig by a former coworker but I was booked at the time, so I sent my buddy's name as an option instead then low and behold, he was hired for a six month freelance-to-perm role. After a year, he went full black badge (fulltime) and has been there since. All from a recommendation from someone already on the team.

[TheLurper]

Nike is notoriously brutal at the corporate level. I don't think they treat employees well at all.

[Atiba Applebum]

Nike is notoriously brutal at the corporate level. I don't think they treat employees well at all.

Are they?   All the main SB guys like Bird, Scuba, Bobier and so on seem like they’ve been there for a while.   

[TastyBurrito]

Expand Quote

Nike is notoriously brutal at the corporate level. I don't think they treat employees well at all.

[close]

Are they?   All the main SB guys like Bird, Scuba, Bobier and so on seem like they’ve been there for a while.

Eh, I have lots of friends at Nike HQ and they love it. It’s a place that once you get in, you don’t want to leave unless a truly amazing offer elsewhere comes your way. That said, it is a corporate job and it comes with corporate bullshit like politics. As you rise in the ranks, you only get caught up in it more. So I guess that can be considered “brutal” but you have to learn to play the game because no corporate job is without that shit.

[pantyhero]

Expand Quote

Pretty self explanatory. Apologize if there’s already a thread or has been brought up many times. Any members here know anything or have/had a job working for Nike SB? I’ve posted in the wellness thread about wanting to get into this industry but I just want to see if anyone here has any pointers/experience getting their foot in the door. The reason I’m asking about Nike is simple. I want a livable wage and I have a serious heart condition so I cannot have a job that doesn’t include health insurance.

I’ve heard it’s very hard getting a job at Nike and can take years moving up the ranks. Considering my experience is only retail I’d say my only shot is probably at a factory store to start out.

I’m desperate to get the fuck out of my current job and as much as I do t want to work for some big corporation I need health insurance and being able to afford life is pretty rare these days.

Anyone have some pointers?

[close]

As on how to get into Nike, the best thing to get you in there (at least for HQ) is an internal recommendation.

I've got a friend who works for a shoe company I will not name (non-skate related), and he has been recruited by both Nike and adidas (he's staying put). So I guess getting started at a smaller shoe brand would be another way to get your foot in the door.

[Atiba Applebum]

I guess the main question is: where are you trying to get a job within Nike/Nike SB?

[EdLawndale]

We want this for you.

[noxiousPond]

We want this for you.

Lmao appreciate the well thought out speech copied and pasted here.

I honestly only have retail experience and was only in management for a brief amount of time because I didn’t enjoy it at the time. I was also much younger then though.  I pretty much understand that my only possibility would probably be a factory store to start.

[Too Frank To Fred]

If you want good health insurance you might be better off finding some interesting work with the City or County you live in or want to live in. Nike sounds pretty cutthroat and hard to break into unless you know the right people or you have serious tech/ engineering/ design eduction/ skills.

My friend just interviewed. His background is in environmental sustainability for corporations. He's had several meetings, an interview over the last few months and it's still up in the air. He was decades of experience in this stuff also.

When the shit hits the fan, Nike won't give a shit about you either... lay offs all over...

[sharkjumper]

I’ll add in here too knowing people at both Nike and adidas.

What kind of work do you want to do? Specializing will help give direction to your application. Do you want to design shoes? Do marketing? PR? Account management? Operations? Or numerous other parts of the business? You could start by looking at their job listings (other shoe companies too) and see what roles resonate with you and start studying for those. Also don’t overlook other footwear and apparel companies. Might be easier to get a start there and move over to Nike if that’s your goal. They’ll be looking for a relevant work and education background. Retail is part of it so don’t sell yourself short on that experience.

[LA Native]

I hope this doesn't burst any bubbles, but rather help you in your direction by saying that many people you think may work at Nike SB are actually independent contractors. I'm not sure about just Nike though, but I do have a friend working at "regular" Nike who has great things to say. Seems like on the employee front you might have to be in Oregon, but I would inquire with others and take my info with a grain of salt. Reach out to some people who could help. I've seen situations such as yours work out, so good luck!!

[WarmUpZone]

Like almost everybody who lives in Portland, I know several people who have worked / currently work at Nike. They just laid off about 700 people late last year, but are already re-hiring for some of those positions again (at a lower salary, of course). Apparently they go through that cycle a couple times a decade. And most people I know who worked there technically were independent contractors, so they didn't get any of the benefits. One woman who was in IT was compensated well but did not like working there at all.

None of these people worked in SB, though. And for all the people who have shuffled in and out, I do know one guy who has been there a decade and is fairy high up and loves it.

Also, not everyone who works there gets access to their Portland private skatepark, which is the greatest indoor concrete park ever and now that I got to skate it once as a guest no other park will every be as good.

Good luck.

[radcunt]

What kind of job? Have you tried calling Nike? Do you live near Nike?  Hopefully you get some good info here or a window into something there you like. 


I’d suggest to really think of what you want to do and start pursuing that instead of a vague, grey idea focusing on one company. Then get after it!

[noxiousPond]

What kind of job? Have you tried calling Nike? Do you live near Nike?  Hopefully you get some good info here or a window into something there you like. 


I’d suggest to really think of what you want to do and start pursuing that instead of a vague, grey idea focusing on one company. Then get after it!

Solid advice. Appreciate all the responses really. But having a real idea of what to do instead of no direction trying to work for a specific company is probably what I should be focusing on