Pros
The only positive aspect for me was the few friends I made whilst being there. Besides from this, I really cannot highlight any pros of working for this company. Everything they try to throw at you as benefits (free food, pension, socials) doesn’t make up for management who don’t listen to a word engineers have to say, the rotten atmosphere created by Sales teams getting all the credit and rewards for selling stuff that doesn’t exist, and lower level management who aren’t trained properly to lead their teams. And HR staff who are more worried about shopping online rather supporting employees to develop a career plan.
Cons
Featurespace are by far the worst company I’ve had the displeasure to work with. My first week was the most awful time I ever spent somewhere, and I was already seeking alternative employment after just one month in the role. Despite my best efforts to get to know my manager, he avoided talking to me and left me to read documentation in lieu of training. I raised the problem with him, his manager and HR, only to be met with patronising comments and solutions that didn’t have any positive results. They admitted later down the line that they completely failed me as a new employee. As I started working more and more with customers, I realised how much lying was going on: making promises to clients for solutions that didn’t exist or couldn’t be achieved, and project managers left to pick up the pieces to try and retain the business. I witnessed the CEO herself in a meeting with a prominent customer, trying to dig herself out of the hole they had created with this displeased customer. I left after a short time with Featurespace and provided ample feedback of my poor experience with them, which I doubt who ever be acted upon. The only positive is that I made a few good friends there, and all of them are now either leaving Featurespace for the same reasons, or considering resigning. No surprise Featurespace are advertising so much for jobs: all project managers are practically gone or working their notice, after either a very short time spent there, or simply so angry at how things are going.
