Great place for trauma bonding - Anonymous employee SPJA Employee Review

2.0
May 19, 2023
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This is a big show, and you will learn a lot and challenge yourself. Anime Expo is an industry platform that could help you to get connections and/or the experience to hone in on what direction you'd like to go in next. I worked with enthusiastic and amazing people who wanted this job to be the best it could be, which is why the below is so unfortunate.

Cons

People who do not like anime or respect anime fans hold leadership positions and only begrudgingly listen to anyone who understands the fanbase. Unbelievably low pay - if you do not have a roommate, a live-in partner, or a second source of income, you will suffer. Management punishes you for speaking up about anything - complaining is seen as poor sportsmanship and considered a sign that you can't handle your job. Anyone who quits is seen as a traitor - try bringing up their name, see what happens. There is blatant employee favoritism. It doesn't matter how much you contribute, or how competent and exceptional you may be at your job. Management expects you to "prove" yourself through cult-like devotion to the company and the work, rather than just letting you do the job you were hired to do. Try reasoning with the CEO - it's like talking to Agent Smith from The Matrix. He says "hold the line" because if you cross it he will literally gaslight you into a reality that does not exist and is not sustainable for anybody other than himself while he leeches off of your lifeforce through the pod he traps you in in Corona. Some people in the organization are the human equivalent of Crebain. If you still decide to work here, be careful who you complain to. They'll just report back to Mordor.

Explore other reviews about SPJA

5.0
Apr 24, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Growth opportunities are vast if you take initiative. Great place to gain experience whether in a corporate setting or exposure to other departments. - Flexible working arrangements. Supervisors oftentimes will accommodate if provided adequate advance notice. - Collaborative environment allowing you to work with teams outside of your normal day-to-day. - Great benefits include medical subsidy, fully covered dental and vision, life insurance, 401k matching, reimbursement for professional development, etc. - You don’t need to be an anime fan to work here. - Company has a strong management team with remarkable expertise and extensive experience.

Cons

- Preconceived idea that it is all “fun” because of the affiliation to the Anime Expo event, especially for anime fans looking to get their foot in the door. - Event Management is a demanding industry and has a lot of moving parts. It is not for everyone, which explains the general high turnover within the industry; SPJA is no different. Frankly put, there is a lot of work behind the scenes to put on a successful mega-event and not everyone is cut out for the job.

1.0
Oct 9, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You love anime, you love Japanese culture. This should be a dream job right? Dead wrong.

Cons

They will exploit your passion and love for the community: low pay, long hours, won’t celebrate your wins because it hurts their egos that they didn’t think of it first, no support when things hit the fan (And they always do, especially onsite). During the convention itself, be prepared for the most stressful time of your life. Many crying breaks are the norm or people just smoke like crazy to relieve the stress.

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