Pros
abm is a highly variable environment, where some departments are well put together, where the manager looks out for the team and their best interests and working there can be rewarding and enjoyable (despite constant interference from upper management). Some promises of career opportunities are not empty, it IS possible to advance within the company, though your next job may not be what you thought it was. Lastly, abm employees tend to stick together and are very friendly and helpful to each other. I made very good friends there (most of whom no longer work for the company either).
Cons
The cons, sadly, far outweigh the pros, and most problems arise from upper management, and the lack of experienced middle management. Below are the main negative points: 1 - TERRIBLE upper management - The company is steered like a bumper car, with no regard for whether long term development directions are attainable with existing resources and talent. Some of the leadership are also a misanthropes who engage in insulting, inappropriate rhetoric, and nobody enjoys interacting directly with them. Each department is micromanaged to an insane degree, and gives department heads very little freedom to operate and make executive decisions. What's worse, they strike one as being completely dishonest and immoral, and casually engage in shady business practices. 2 - abm is a 'cheap' company. Salaries are extremely low, very far below industry standard, the bonus structure is a joke. The research facilities are basic and sub-standard, and investments in improvement are very poor. Even something basic like pipettes or centrifuges are old/beat-up or simply broken. The company often refuses to purchase much-needed equipment too. It tries to cut costs in terms of operations, so be prepared to i) wash dishes with cold water, ii) be banned from turning on AC except in the hottest summer months, iii) be dragged into department-wide meetings to discuss overuse of paper towels etc. 3 - VERY harsh HR policies. There is a draconic chokehold on vacation days, with the company assigning only the bare minimum. There is literally a person with a clipboard showing up around 9am to make sure nobody comes to work late. There were no paid sick days until recently, and even now, they are only eligible to be taken for contagious cases. The company tries to force employees to use up vacation days by regulating when to take unpaid leave. There is even a yearly maximum of UNPAID leave. 4 - Very high turnover - As a result of the first 3 points, the company has serious problems retaining talented employees. Because of the high turnover, everyone who is left has to work extra hard to pick up the slack. There is never enough help, the company refuses to hire more, and everyone has to do far more than their fair share. But when anyone complains, they are dismissed and told that 'it's just part of your job' and that you spending time putting out fires is not 'an excuse' for not doing your main job. As a result, your work WILL eventually suffer, and you will end up with very little job satisfaction.
