Graphic Designer - Graphic Designer The Mercator Group Employee Review

Did not require a technical test, or portfolio review.

I was contacted about a UX Design position, which I pursued as I was looking to transition from Fullstack Development to UX Design. During the process, I was asked if I would be willing to do some coding, to which I agreed. Consequently, my title changed to UX Frontend Developer. The client we were working with had a challenging project requiring a significant rework to make it up to date and future-focused. Due to the workload, an additional developer was hired to assist. This new team member was highly skilled, and I was initially pleased to have a solid team to tackle the project and to learn more about frontend development from him. However, the new hire displayed a condescending attitude towards me. I reported the communication difficulties to management, but they dismissed my concerns, suggesting that the new hire didn't seem like someone who would behave that way. This response made me feel that there was a clear preference for the new hire. I then inquired about his role, asking if he was hired to be my superior or a peer, as he was behaving like my boss. Two days later, I was terminated. Throughout this period, I maintained transparent and tactful communication. Management reassured me that everything was fine, only to unexpectedly fire me.

Government contractor, interesting IT / strategic work projects, smart people, flexibility in schedule, decent pay and benefits (401K & health insurance), 1099 or salaried option. Good gig / vehicle for a targeted government contract opportunity.

Lack of cohesive company collaboration & culture; standard issues of being a government contractor (for example, the "hurry up & wait"), contract-dependent, limited customer base. Often difficult to see company direction.