Exceptional people to work for
Pros
Harkcon cares about its people and takes care of them in times of stress. Here you are a person and a family and a partner - not a number or an "asset." Government contracting is often a thankless job with most government agencies treating us as expendable or disposable. Harkcon works very hard to manage the workforce such that we are not totally dependent on government whim and shape strong relationships with our government clients to combat that point of view. For a virtual company (Harkcon work takes place either at employee's homes or at client sites - we have no brick and mortar office) managers take exceptional pains to get to know their employees, recognize them where appropriate, and highlight their achievements and personal contributions. This does make the Harkcon experience very manager- and client-dependent for the employee. A bad project can make life unpleasant for a while. But this is the nature of government contracting and just like a military career is made up of multiple tours, a career with a government contractor is made up of multiple contracts and projects. They eventually end and you're on the next one, which may be awesome. Harkcon holds monthly get togethers with local employees to ensure everyone has a name and a face and a space at the Harkcon table and working for these guys is the the highlight of my career to date. Harkcon is dedicated to helping employees pursue their training and education goals. Though the company is not yet large enough to offer tuition assistance (this is part of various out-year plans), management and executives are fully supportive of employees engaged in outside education and actively funds training efforts including a subscription to Lynda.com which is free to all employees. A lot of career growth is apprentice-style where you learn on the job and gradually move up the food chain. Harkcon's executive body is entirely composed of retired CG officers and the company is very CG focused, however we work in nearly all government sectors. Harkcon contributes to multiple charities including Wounded Warriors and Habitat for Humanity, and provides company-matching for employee charity contributions. In 2015, Harkcon is celebrating its 10 year anniversary and looking forward to the next 10 years of unlocking human potential!
Cons
Less of a "con" and more of an unfortunate bite of reality: As a government contractor, jobs are constrained by active contracts. This can sometimes limit upward mobility and may truncate career paths temporarily. Sometimes this is even an effect of the contract itself versus the company's decision or management. Currently the benefits package is less satisfactory than some. (Caveat: I only know this second hand as I do not use the Harkcon benefits system.)