Product is based off code that is decades old and has to be propped up by a staggering staff of 300-400 employees. Product implementations fail regularly causing poor customer relationships; recalls are frequent and damage control is unfortunately a daily task.
Average company-wide age of employees is close to 50, so young professionals may have a difficult time trying to advance or make improvements even if highly qualified and motivated. High turnover of employees is commonplace, I recall one 10-year employee having mentioned reporting to 9 different managers over their career.
The owners are no longer majority stakeholders and appear to be teetering on the edge of retirement and have moved out of state. Frivolous spending occurs for some departments, while others must operate on stifling budgets. Most employees and managers wear many hats but are not compensated to reflect this.
Careers can certainly be built if proactive enough, but those with career intentions should be prepared and energized enough to hurdle varying levels of nepotism, favoritism, incompetence, mismanagement, hypocrisy, and ageism along the way.
