Stay Away If You're an IT Professional - Anonymous employee Blackhawk Network Employee Review

1.0
23 Feb 2011
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Expertise - payment and gift card industry. Location - for people who don't want to commute to silicon valley or SF.

Cons

There are many problems in BHN's IT department and they stem all the way from the top. It's OK to bring in buddies to hold important positons if they're competent but it's definitely bad to promote inexperience people to be the front line lieutenants. Because of these questionable promotions, people with minimal IT experience prior to BHN are now in key management positions. The lack of their experience not only shows in technical incompetency but management as well. The culture is very negative and ignorant, again, is because everything flows from the top. One's disrespectful attitude towards other senior executives and employees behind their backs gives his lieutenants the wrong idea that such conduct is acceptable and they follow the same to treat their employees. Don't get me wrong, these are not dumb people. However, they seem to be too smart to listen, too smart to see and too smart to learn. Some of them will probably have to go work for an established silicon valley company to get a few ideas how to run an IT department well before they even try to recruit A+ players from these companies. Bottom line is, if you're an IT professional who wants to be treated as such BHN is probably not for you.

Explore other reviews about Blackhawk Network

4.0
29 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good management, bonus opportunities, training

Cons

The pay is low. Staffing isn’t enough to meet workload, no performance based raises for entry level employees, and very few promotions available

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