Pros
Springboard is mission driven in that the org is genuinely concerned with providing a successful experience for our users, who are both students and mentors. The people who work here, at all levels of the org, want to make a difference and create a real impact. This is a place for people who value the impact of their work, not just getting compensation or social prestige. The team is Springboard's greatest asset, and the executive team knows this. People want to be here, and they want to do their best work. Everyone is friendly and approachable, and ego very rarely impedes productivity or effective communication. As the company has grown (very quickly!), the company has made an effort to reward and retain its talent through benefits, recognition, and prioritizing a fun work culture. The exec team is very transparent, and there are very few surprises that trickle from the top down to the lower levels of the org. Springboard is very welcoming to foreign employment, and offers lots of support with H1B visas and other challenges that non-US citizens face. The company isn't afraid to take big bets, and acknowledges when some of those bets have failed. This may sound like a con rather than a pro, but facing its failures requires making difficult decisions and admitting missteps, which is hard but necessary for long-term success. Thanks to taking ownership when things don't play out well, Springboard ends up protecting employees and users in the long-run. Our students make a serious investment in their professional future when they join us, and often it's a huge financial decision for them. We are well aware of the trust that they place in us, and we do our very best to earn their trust by providing meaningful outcomes and a supportive journey from admissions to the curriculum to career services. It's inspiring to work for an org that takes this responsibility so seriously, and respects its users above all else.
Cons
Rapid growth is exciting, but it comes with its downsides. Not all teams get the resources they need when they need them, resulting in being stretched thin in the name of being "scrappy". Also, compensation is not the most competitive, but it's set fairly (aims to compete with the median compensation across similar companies). The company follows a motto of "comfortable but not luxurious", which results in a modest work-lifestyle which some may find isn't enough to justify the busy and demanding effort we need to invest into the company daily. Lastly, work-life balance has lots of room for improvement. There isn't much protection in place to reduce burnout.