Pros
I started working at First Street after having taken some time off during the pandemic and the first thing I noticed was that everyone there was very quick to give each other shout outs on jobs well done, making sure their colleagues were recognized for their hard work and successes. I remember it specifically because I had never worked in an environment like that before.
With a mentality that you are joining a fast-growing and innovative tech company, a willingness to rI started working at First Street after having taken some time off during the pandemic. The first thing I noticed was that everyone there was very quick to give each other shout outs on jobs well done, making sure their colleagues were recognized by all for their hard work and successes. I remember it specifically because I had never worked in an environment like that before and it was so refreshing and motivating.
First Street is a company that recognizes and rewards its employees that are willing to jump in wherever they can be useful. It is a truly collaborative environment; different teams have their areas of expertise, but ideas can (and do) come from anywhere. One of my favorite parts of the week is our Thursday afternoon “Show & Tell” hour, where people from different teams will share what they are working on, or any big wins or key decisions that have happened in the past week. It really helps to keep everyone informed about the entire organization, especially as we are in a stage of fast growth at the moment.
At the core of the climate models that we build is a deep commitment to integrity, precision and validation. It takes us longer than many other physical climate vendors in the space to put out our models because we are making absolutely sure that they can be relied upon by our clients and partners. We have a very high profile list of clients (both government and private) and that would simply not be the case if it weren’t for the fact that our underlying science is the best in class.
I have been fortunate enough to be promoted a few times already in my tenure at First Street and it has validated for me that this company truly sees, values and rewards its employees’ work. Employees always know where they stand and are encouraged to share their goals so that they can work directly with their managers to achieve them.
Lastly, our CEO is a tireless advocate for our mission. Seriously, when does he sleep? It is not a company run by someone who is never in the office or doesn’t have a finger on the pulse of what we are doing day-to-day. Our CEO works harder than anyone else and it sends us all a message that our work is important. I have been so happy with my 2+ years at First Street so far and I look forward to even more.
Cons
We are working to help businesses, government and individuals understand their risks of being impacted by climate change, and the financial risks associated with that. It is serious work and given the increasing rate of disasters due to climate change, it can feel like we are fighting a losing battle at times. But in those moments we come together to remind ourselves that we are part of the solution and that we need to keep going.