Pros
Ability to work from home (well I guess now that's everywhere due to COVID) - also BIG pro on Flextime and being able to make it to appointments for you or your kids without getting dinged, resented for it. You will love love love your peers. People work together pretty well especially on long projects. I was really thankful for those I worked with especially those 1 or 2 people that back you up when you say somethings not right/working and needs to be fixed on a project when no one else believes you until they do through their own experience . There isn't a training manual but every project, every issue you solve or just discuss with your peers helped gives a great deal of hands on training which is better than reading a manual (Didn't we all read enough of those anyway in University?! lol) - Of course we document for future reference - it's just nice to share with newbies and you feel great knowing that it helps them especially seeing relief wash over their faces. Must have just been my luck that the projects came in the order (size from small to large then larger) that it came during my time as it helped me learn in the perfect timed order; about the company and offerings , expanding knowledge of people resources in the company to connect with that have the background to help you; working in depth with the systems inside and out; by then you have a good overview of what needs to be changed, fixed, company/procedure wise, what to watch out for when working with the system etc., for even bigger projects. There are a lot of projects that are interesting and then there are hot plates for smaller but urgent things (oh yes the fires!) where you may need to jump on one thing but drop it for the next then back again, so if you aren't the kind of person that likes doing this - it may not be for you. There's no wrong answer, different people just prefer to work different ways and it also depends how they were groomed in their previous experiences. I'm not going say whether or not I recommend working here because that's what these reviews are for and why review is so lengthy - so you need to decide for yourself. (That's why I gave a thumbs down for recommending to a friend) Also, additional ratings were based on peers I have worked with.
Cons
I used to like when you can go straight to the source to get an answer to a simple question get background info in specific to their role - . But there is now a procedure of moving your question up the chain to see if it needs escalation. It seems longer to me but in fairness this was an effort to crack down on the amount of e-mail received. Until it changed, I was always amazed about how down to earth managers can be when you can just question and get an answer. (Understanding of course the executives are exempt) However, I came from a couple places that had a ton of e-mail daily so I never noticed the volume of e-mail - I'm guessing feedback/complaints must have come around with the newbies that joined so not sure if that's what brought around change. For some individuals, this may indicate to stay in "Your neck of the woods". Also, as much as you want to foster close teams and help your peers there is a fine line drawn in the sand regarding how far to help out a person/problem that cannot be crossed even if you have the answer or great solution to make the process work or bring-on new change. It has a "stay in your lane" kind of feel which is different now then it was then. I'm big about sharing information, cross training and troubleshooting - it's how I got to learn a great deal in the first place in such a fast and small amount of time; but in eventually as time went on and rules were implemented I just ended up staying in my lane... There aren't any yearly reviews or wage increases so estimate then negotiate what you need for how long you anticipate being there (i.e. I need ($x) amount that will cover the #years for the next (x) years before your target time to move on). My first year, I ended up personally reviewing myself to see where I stood lol. I think even a small percentage each year is definitely something to offer and work hard towards new goals set for the upcoming year. The other alternative is to offer a defined contribution plan. Contrary to what people believe in the market, these still do exist in this day and age - for example in IBM, HP, some Insurance Companies etc., it will go a long way to retaining talent and avoid just being the market stepping stone for the sake of being able to name drop your company at an interview. Also, management needs to screen people better when hiring. You get what you pay for - there were a few new people hired that eventually left for a new place but phew (if mgt only new what I knew! But again I thought it best to stay in my lane and didn't say anything - but WOW how did they get in?!) - Please review Indeed if you are unsure how this works - you can pre-screen online - For those individuals that seem like possible candidates, you can send through Indeed a screening test to them. You can add in personality tests as well as skill testing in all different areas. This saves time and money of searching for candidates before making the call which is before the first meet and yes I think there should be a third meet with the next level of management. And if you can guess who I am then you can ask me further lol
