Pros
Advent is a unique firm that contains some of the best daily workers you’ll ever meet. The heart of the company is in these people. Their motivation to roll with the demands and deliver stunning work is truly the best part of the company. The work itself can be rewarding if you love sports (90%+ of the portfolio). The clients are well known entities, the projects highly creative and both always offer interesting challenges to solve which can be an enjoyable aspect of your daily job. Location is in central Nashville which makes it easy to get to from most spots surrounding the city. The office itself is a completely new building and work environment, which is extremely nice.
Cons
Unfortunately, the “day in and day out” leadership from the top down are at odds with the positives to be found. This leadership has eroded the culture and positivity of working for the firm through CONSTANT “ping-ponging” shifts of process, direction, goals and business practices; usually at the whims of the CEO. His leadership is one of “spinning the narrative” to fit the situation. This constant movement gives no footing to feel firm in a direction nor security in the job. Because of this, it is a roller coaster ride and front-line workers are the casualties. There is a reality that you MUST be aware of if you accept a role at this company, and that is the cyclical nature of mass layoffs throughout its history. This is not a warning out of anger, but a mere reality that has occurred time and again (please see this is a commonality amongst the other reviews). A common discussion around the water cooler is constantly fearing for you job security. Additionally, in an unrealistic desire to be a world class creative firm, leadership steers the ship poorly in understanding how to be just a solid business. With no real creatives on the exec team, the leaders do not understand the “ins and outs” of how a project gets accomplished from the start of an idea to the final installation; only in theory, not in the actual details and function. Thus, the daily workforce is left micromanaged and at the whims of people who know less than they do about their specific duties. This is problematic in that the changes and shifts in vision often end up contradicting the very nature of effectively delivering great work. Work-life balance can be very difficult. It’s the reality of the business and the new culture. If you can swing with a business comes first perspective, you’ll be fine, but if you give an inch, Advent will take a foot. All businesses require you put in work. Just be careful here as Advent will take everything if you allow it. Lastly, the lack of diversity and quasi-religious overtones is unnerving at times. Though efforts have been spoken of, the reality is in the action, and Advent has constantly remained a very white, male, right-leaning dominated firm. If you fit into those boxes, it’s probably not a problem, but the optics and tone of that are not good externally in its market, and internally it just feels off, like something more than talk is needed.