Pros
Becoming a part of a social listening company is a steep learning curve for anybody. I was lucky enough to have people patiently train me, and answer all of my questions (even the dumb ones.) Once I got the hang of things I was given free reign to explore the possibilities of my work, developing my skills with trial-and-error, and learning every step of the way with coworkers who are also still learning the very intricate world of big data.
One of the very best things about working at DataRank are my coworkers. Each one of them has become a friend in a very short amount of time. While that could be said for most startups they're not just people you can have a drink with after work, they're the kind of people who will stay up working until 3am to make your job just a little bit easier.
Because we are still a small company, a great deal of responsibility is placed on everybody's shoulders, and it has given me a very good insight into how much work it takes to run a company. Even though we take our work home most days, it is with a spirit of camaraderie, because I feel as though I have a significant part in making DataRank successful, even though I am not one of the founders.
The work atmosphere at DataRank is very laid back, and you simply won't fit in if you're the traditional corporate type. We have an ongoing chatroom open 24 hours a day and nobody is uncontactable. Drinks are often shared, even in the office, and people come and go. We don't work by strict hours, but there's no fear of laziness because when we're not in the office we're usually working elsewhere - at home, at a coffeeshop, at a bar, in a restaurant. I really value the freedom of my work hours, and often find myself working just for fun, even at 1am when I could be relaxing instead.
Above all my favorite thing about working at DataRank is the experience that I have already received. DataRank is my first "real" job, and I feel like I am luckier than most. I haven't had to deal with anybody with a superiority complex, and I know my work is valued. I haven't had any formal feedback sessions yet, but I am always told by my coworkers how great I am doing, which is incredibly supportive and inspires me to keep getting better.
Cons
My pay is a little low, which is understandable for a startup company, and for my little experience. But I would like to see employees getting higher pay overall as DataRank continues to grow.
