Pros
-Strong training and great training coordinators. -Complementary snacks, fruit, coffee, and tea. -Beer cart. -Foosball and pool table. -Awesome, large rooftop deck. -Company lunches. -Fun yearly kick-off. -A relaxed, easy-going office culture. No strict dress code. Shorts and sneakers in the summertime. -A very playful atmosphere. 'Work hard, play hard!'
Cons
-Management is unprincipled in their decision-making. I worked for nine months as a contractor, and in spite of my dedication to my work and my performance, I just wasn't getting hired. I was convinced time and again that I would be converted to a permanent position, and I held out for far too long, giving in to their false hopes. It ended up feeling disposed and expended in the end, after some specious decisions regarding policy violation, which also left permanent employees with one-time violations terminated with no verbal or written warning. I find this to be poor judgment on management's part, and should only occur because of a serious violation (assault, harassment, theft, insubordination). -Consumer ethics are questionable. Product prices were raised 50% with little additional features or value. The BBB is watching. -Too much gossip. -Limited advancement opportunities. -Too large an emphasis on metrics and standings. This promotes a cut-throat (please pay attention, management) atmosphere, with colleagues pitting themselves against each other. Not enough attention is given to development, achievement, accolades, and even conduct. Be more people-oriented, not just numbers-oriented. Praise often given to workers whose standings were not accurate (which could be proven through real-time data that was sorely under-utilized). Metrics are important, but lay off them just a bit. -The median age of the company is 29. If you're 30+, you may feel like a bit of an outsider, alienated even, due to the lack of life experience and relative maturity levels of younger colleagues. I will say, however, that I made some great friendships with some of the brighter, more mature and insightful young folks I worked with. -A very siloed organization. Poor communication between marketing, development, sales, finance, and customer care. -I sensed a bit of favoritism. If you did not fit a certain mold or were not willing to be a sycophant, you would likely be invisible. -Poor communication. Often there would be little to no adequate preparation for those handling inbound calls once a marketing or product change would go into effect. In some instances, inbound call takers would be aware at the same time, or even after customers were made aware. -In retrospect, it felt too much like a corporate wolf in 'fun start-up' sheep's clothing. It reminded me too much of Dan Lyons' experience in his book 'Disrupted.'
