Stable company. Too stable. - Anonymous employee DS-IQ Employee Review

2.0
Feb 11, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are some bright and positive people at DS-IQ, some of them truly remarkable. Depending on your field you may find some interesting technical work. Pay and benefits are decent but not super competitive. Stable small tech company.

Cons

The stability of the company also means it's not growing. That leaves not much in the way of new or exciting development or projects. It's steadily been losing the most dynamic and intelligent of the staff over the last few years, who are mostly going on to places with opportunity for growth and advancement. There's no interest in helping you with career development, that's entirely on you. There is no formal performance review process, no periodic pay actions. Titles don't really exist, or if they do, they're ignored. So, even a token promotion that's only about title (matters for your resume, you know) won't happen. Your boss probably doesn't know what you earn and certainly has no control over it, that's all up to the execs - and how much will they understand of what you do day to day? This leads to things being pretty stagnant and political, with the best way to advance being to gain the notice of execs and take credit for things. They'll treat it like a start-up, with stock options and excitement about upcoming business prospects. However, with no growth, the company will never go public, and the execs enjoy their control too much to ever sell. So don't get too excited about the value of your stock options - I haven't spoken with any former employee who has exercised their options. For as long as I can remember, that next big deal was always just around the corner - and always just as elusive. They love to talk. Talk, talk talk. Endless all-hands meetings listening to the same optimistic pep talks, without addressing head-on any of the real issues.

avatar
DS-IQ Response
11y
We are sorry that this has been a difficult departure for you, and we continue to wish you success in your future employment. Please re-connect with our Vice President of Human Resources, if you feel we can be of assistance. Our culture encourages open communication of ideas for both company and personal growth. This includes actively calling upon individuals and entire teams to stretch - sometimes a lot. As with most entrepreneurial companies, the primary onus is on each of us to figure out how to achieve our best: by signing up for classes, researching, and by collaborating and sharing knowledge amongst our very bright and accomplished teammates day-to-day. For example, many new hires join us specifically to learn about our scaled execution, our hybrid data integration and scientific models, and to add Hadoop to their skill set. There are no formal, big-company style employee development programs in place. Over the years we have supported many teammates as they gained professional certifications or earned advanced degrees via online courses or enrollment in local universities. Being an enthusiastic and applied self-learner is at the heart of success at DS-IQ. We also implemented a system that matches reward and recognition with contributions and accomplishments on an on-going, less structured basis. Instead of the typical burdensome and formal big company review process, our managers are player-coaches. They enjoy having regular personal meetings with team members to review progress, listen to issues as they arise and help resolve them constructively. We regularly review each and every team member’s compensation - raising or promoting as appropriate - when an increase in results or responsibilities warrant it. Compensation planning is based on the market, individual level of impact towards the goals in our plan, and direct managers’ ongoing dialog and assessments of each person on their team. DS-IQ continues to grow by hiring talented people to build exciting technologies and by expanding our customer base. We treat stock options as a private matter. While exercising options may not be the best decision for everyone, many current and former employees have exercised their options as a statement of trust. We believe the positive growth in the size and quality of our team, along with our business, supports their confidence.

Explore other reviews about DS-IQ

5.0
May 4, 2021
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Cutting-edge technologies, smart people, nice working environment.

Cons

Too many initiatives, not well focused in direction.

4.0
Feb 6, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are two simple requirements for a great job opportunity: interesting problems to solve and terrific people to solve them with. Context marketing is coming of age, and helping the company find its way in the space was a compelling challenge, but where DS-IQ really shone was the quality of its people, in particular its leadership circle. You will be hard-pressed to find a senior team that is as eager to listen to organizational opinions as this one. Rigorous yet respectful debate is a daily exercise, which means your ability to impact the company is constant. The company's ethos is remarkably team-centric, and while one might disagree with a decision, there is always positive intent and the ability to align. Thanks to my collaboration with sales, marketing and product leadership, I'm confident I progressed as a professional and a person during my DS-IQ tenure.

Cons

Selling the future is not without its challenges. Context marketing is not yet a burning platform; and while that's not the company's fault, it does beg the question of market opportunity and its sense of urgency. This is a problem of "not if, but when," and it behooves employees to appreciate that dynamic. I'd also share that DS-IQ is not structured around typical career advancement. If you're self-motivated and willing to shape your own path, there's the flexibility to do so. (I found the company to be very willing to allow me to forge a career around my strengths and where I added the most value, even if it didn't fit a traditional job description.) If you need a more standardized, ladder-based approach, you'll likely be frustrated.

1
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All