Lack of Resources, Bullying Upper Management, Not for New Grads
Pros
* Peers and Line Managers are very nice and exceedingly capable * Good for interns/experienced engineers * Tough/in-depth projects * Fantastic experience to take to other companies * Grads given more exposure to high quality analysis than a typical grad scheme likely would and far more focussed/less general (but analysis ≠ engineering) * Free tea/coffee/Biscuits * Small company and fun grads * Near Newcastle (30min by car)
Cons
* KEY SUMMARY: Poor salary for hours/intensity/benefits. Lack of resources/funding/trust. Manipulative management with post-merger power deficit ******** Detailed Cons Below*********** * manipulative upper management was highly skilled at twisting words, interlinking indisputable facts to fabricate contexts that suit their agenda, while presenting themselves as fair/rational. Sows doubt/confusion in employees, making them question their own perception of reality they experienced * Conflict of interest with HR/Finance department amalgamation * Poor pay, less than starter grad roles elsewhere (with other engineering companies having fewer hours, more benefits, and work of a similar difficulty but not as intense) * Lack of essential equipment on demand (e.g number of software licences/headsets) computers with insufficient cores for high power analysis * Official training is non-existent and your progress depends teaching style (may include being talked at for 50 mins at high dictation speed on a procedure/theory (with tangents), and then being expected to follow same method without information repeated). * Upon handing in your notice, management may send an email to all employees worded in such a way to give the impression you were fired and may give incorrect P45 codes if you move jobs resulting in tax issues (in fairness the code issue is not confirmed) * Upper management may dictate that only the most minimum satisfactory reference can be given by a line manager to a leaving employee * Because bought out by larger company, upper management has relinquished power and tries to recapture it by meddling in low level line-manager matters. Demonstrating lack of trust and interfering in line manager/HR business * 9/80 weeks lead to 9h days which are intense and because most do this, there’s an unspoken emphasis to do the same, especially since unofficial socials happen every 2nd Thursday night. * Difficult work schedule if relying on train, as can be kicked out building if office locked up early * Underlying lack of investment/trust as can wait outside office to get in until keys arrive (very few have keys either through lack of trust/refusal to buy more) * Lack of ownership/personal accomplishment on projects * Will continually say “we only take the best” and other phrases such as to generate a narrative that, the engineers are so good that no other place would be good enough for them. It is certainly true that the best are taken, but don’t have the best resources/funding * Other phrases such as “ isn’t an easy place to work and not for all” used frequently, and can be read in any way * Accusatory of things when there’s no reality of truth being it, and being lectured on wrongs. (Such as deleting server files when it turns out the accuser was looking in wrong area) * Hexham in middle of nowhere * Bigger companies care more about well-being and help employees perform to capabilities where this company (accidentally or not) can hinder * Few opportunities to grow compared to larger companies * Due to small company size, ability to progress does depend on good relations with management * Micro managing attitude asking for updates daily+ to be kept in loop for low level work * Feedback was only given occasionally and rarely constructive
