-when first hired, the job is presented as a part time gig but in reality it is more like freelancing and you're given shifts when They need you and you can go weeks without getting any hours to a week where you are working 60. This isn't really in an issue because that's how this industry works but instead of offering people part time employment, they should be clear and say that this is a freelance by gig basis and that they should probably get more hours elsewhere to fill in hours. It's not a very good representation on how hiring event techs actually works in the industry.
-if they like you, they'll show heavy favoritism towards you that is not subtle at all to other employees and will schedule you for all the hours in the world. You will be overworked and under appreciated for all the work you will do and as soon as favoritism rubs off, your hours will drop and the focus will be on a new employee. But until then, they will expect the world of you and put a lot of pressure on you. The tiniest screw up, they will come down on you like a ton of bricks.
-eventually, if you're offered a full time position (essentially meaning you will at least get 30 hours even if it's slow) you are signing away your life to this company. Schedules will constantly be changing. Easily going 2 weeks without a day off. Don't bother making plans because you will either not make it or have to cancel or your day off will suddenly be taken away the night before or even the morning of. You will work till 3 am and then be called back at 7 or 8 am the next morning to do another 15-18 hours shift. You'll go into a shift being told that it will be 8 hours and it will somehow turn into 12-15 hours. This is a general problem with the event industry, but most companies offer some flexibility, pre-planning or at least are understanding if a schedule is interfering with your life, but not this company though. You will be punished or threatened to be fired all the time.
-The organization and communication of the staff is awful. Things will fall in the cracks. Things will be overlooked. But don't worry, they'll find some way to blame it on you. They don't do site visits so you'll show up to events not knowing what's happening, with the wrong equipment for the venue and a very confused and angry client taking it on you. But don't blame them, blame the compamy that should be coordinating these things. You'll call and ask for help but you will be insulted and yelled at to figure it out because that's your job.
-if you're new, you will be treated like dirt, you will be laughed at and treated like you're stupid for asking simple questions. If you try to get clarification to make sure you are doing your job right, you will be insulted.
-the equipment is old, cheap, broken and not properly taken care of. So things will either not work, or take an unnecessary hour of troubleshooting to figure out. Simple set ups that should only take an hour will take all day, and most likely you'll have about 2-3 other venues to set up before 6 or 7pm.
-the work environment is awful, it is full of gossip, favoritism and nepotism. Half the employees are family. The fact that these people are all heavily under qualified with no knowledge on a simple speaker and projector set up means nothing because they are all someone's brother, sister or cousin. This won't stop them from making the work environment unbearable, with gossip and insulting you in Spanish as you work. The team dynamics are awful and everyone is ready to throw another person under the bus (except for their relatives of course), the mood is generally negative and no one communicates or works together. So on top of poor planning, tired and overworked employees and janky equipment, the shifts are even harder when everyone is yelling at you for something that wasn't your fault.
-most have no experience in AV prior to this job, which is totally fine if they didn’t act like they knew everything. So don't expect anything to be well managed, which also sets up the events to be harder than they need to be. But they can do what they want when their brothers, sisters and cousins make up half the work force. They will talk behind your back and throw you under the bus in a second to make their family seem like the star employees. But don't ask them how to set up anything because they won't know how, but will insult you for not working enough or doing your job. For people who know so little, they have a big mouth. Also they use terms for homosexuals, mentally handicapped people and race as insults all the time (can't even put the words in this review).
-Expect the words (had to remove bad language to post review, essentially anything regarding mental handicaps, race, sex and homosexuals are okay to use in this work environment) among many other discriminatory words to be used interchangeably as insults within the office, warehouse and out at gigs. Really professional when the leads are calling a wedding (unable to post bad words) in a meeting or on-site with the client and other vendors.
-most have really bad anger issues. That will insult you, degrade you and make you feel extremely uncomfortable in the work environment. And under any circumstances, do not ask them questions because you will be talked down to. They will also most likely ask you to do things that are abusive and impossible to achieve, and all the errands and driving back and forth you do in the city, the warehouse in Schaumburg and all the gigs in the far reaches of the state, don't expect your gas to be reimbursed, that is all on you. Even if they make you go back to the warehouse and back to the city in the middle of rush hour and expects you to be back within 45 minutes. They'll criticize for how you work under pressure but snap at the drop of a dime. Also certain staff openly sexually harasses the few female employees and only talk about sex. No one does anything about it.
-everything is your fault
-every question is a stupid question
-there is no room for career advancement. as a tech you can move up to be an on-site tech or warehouse tech or both but that is about it.
-no paid time off, overtime or benefits for full time.
-there is a lot of interpersonal relationships in the staff. So most shifts are also weighed down by bringing their couple fights, and problems at home into the work environment. Expect a lot of yelling, bad attitudes and a baby that is always there on site or in the office crying. Every shift feels like mommy and daddy are fighting, which is extremely unprofessional.
-no room for growth, you will learn nothing and there will be no investment by the higher employees in you to help you become a better tech.
-they pay for people to not post or take down bad reviews.
-no lunch breaks
