Overworked, incredibly underpaid, unrealistic goals, MAXIMUM stress levels, under-qualified leadership, horrid working atmospheres.
“Business changes every day.”-a statement made by the President after changing a non-existent business plan 4 times in a calendar year, with a brand new position and program in place, created by an employee that is no longer employed, that also had no idea what she was doing in the way of “running a business” when the position was created. Business does change every day, business PLANS do not. When there isn’t one, you make up the rules as you go. Sounds fair AND professional, right? That sums up 18 months of my non-valued “career” with this company.
Expectations of EVERY employee are WAY beyond their pay scale and their physical means as human beings. Salaries that could be paid to managers at McDonald’s, are paid to incredibly talented individuals (inventive, creative, hard working, dedicated, loyal employees) that are pushed beyond their own mental capacities every single day. Most often, the few times I did spend significant time in the office, you could find two-three employees crying for various reasons throughout the day. Overload on projects, not knowing how to do a specific report because it was never something they were trained on, or a project that was destroyed because of a supplier not producing accurate products on a regular basis-this is the norm. Out of 25 projects, 24 were wrong. Explain that to clients you’d like to continue doing business with you.
The sales goals are NEVER met, (outside of holiday season (October-January)-and oftentimes that doesn’t happen) but the sales goals continue to increase on an annual basis, regardless if they’ve EVER been met in the past. Why? Because it looks good for financials and projections. They’ll never be met. All employees feel like failures (and would tell you so), as they meet weekly, with “management staff, (staff that has lasted more than 2 years at best, staff that has been thrown into leadership roles with zero leadership experience, and expected to lead) to discuss the sales goals they didn’t meet, and what they need to do to “fix that.” There is no accountability, so the purpose of meetings is essentially a waste of time.
Most people (if not all) working for tmp, are looking for real jobs, using tmp’s computers. I read a statement by the CEO of Facebook that said, “Make sure your employees are happy, or they’ll use your computers to find another job.” This statement couldn’t be more true of this company. I watched 75% of the employees that I started with, get fired or find new jobs in an 18 month period of time. These are INTERNAL POSITIONS. Positions people shouldn’t be leaving for 20+ years because they are managing 1-3 e-commerce accounts while they are working. 75% turnover ratio on the low end, in 18 months. The odds aren’t in anyone’s favor to work here if you’re looking for long term.
EVERYONE is truly replaceable. You may THINK your relationship is good with the President, (as the hierarchy of power lies with her, and her only) but your job will be in jeopardy EVERY day. You will (and may even express your concerns) with the President that you fear your job and your employment (and you wont get a response until you’re terminated-she doesn’t have time to read long emails). Your gut instinct about where you stand with this company, it’s spot on. I would always consider a “Plan B” job while working here, or you’ll end up without one, and trying to support a family on unemployment. Every employee in the building will tell you this-it’s not just a disgruntled employee sharing this. Read all the reviews. They are consistent.
Every employee in the building will tell you that they fear being fired or that they are afraid of the irrational decisions the President makes on a daily basis-no one knows what they’re doing, everyone is told to do one thing, and once they do it, they send it for approval from the President, she won’t like it. Plan on re-doing any and all things you’ve done, at least once. Every employee at tmp are college-graduate-level professionals, without a clue in the world as to what they’re doing, and with zero training to back it up, on how to run a successful organization/team, who would expect them to? The President will. I assure you.
Plan on working and being available 24/7 for your customer/leaderships needs, impossible project deadlines, and mediocre supplier productions, as your name and face is on the line for representation of the company and it’s “silent brand.”
Plan on your orders for your clients ALWAYS being wrong, and ALWAYS being late. Something will be missing, inaccurate, out of stock, the wrong color, the wrong sizes, the wrong product, or a plethora of other “anomalies” that supposedly happen in ALL promotional product, distributor/supplier and e-commerce relationships (yet after speaking with multiple others in the community, it wasn’t as large of a problem as it was at tmp.) This is the company you can be GUARANTEED that something will go wrong with your order. Know that it’s also YOUR fault if it does. Be prepared to take on that mental stressor, just in case your “missed sales goals” wasn’t enough.
“Sorority cliques and secrets” could sum up the majority of the younger staff in the office. Everything is “hush hush” and spoken about on the internal communication system used for tmp. Only certain people do things together or talk to one another. If that group doesn’t like you, you won’t last long. They make that very clear from Day 1. If the internal staff doesn’t let you in, word will get back to leadership, and you will be given (if you’re lucky) 2 months to leave. If they don’t feel like giving you that amount of time, you’ll just be asked to leave.
The President will admit that she doesn’t know how to interview, and that she hires people without proper interviewing processes. This should not be surprising based on not having a business plan for any “pop up positions or projects” that may come to fruition. Your interview will be sub-par, done by individuals that have most likely never interviewed real professionals in the past, and you could be hired simply to fill a seat-to take some stress off of an overloaded merchant because the last person just quit, due to hating their job. You will be a temporary seat filler. Don’t get excited, you are no different than the last nor the next person to fill a seat.
Do not expect a TRUE hierarchy of power. There is not a traditional “President, VP (well, there was, but she quit too), Director of Design, Director of Sales, Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant to the President and VP, etc.” The hierarchy lies with the President and two (possibly now four) internal, merchant account managers that were promoted to “Team Leaders.” Those individuals report ALL information to the President, and ALL decisions are made this way. You will not have a say in 90% of the things that actually take place, and it will be a “he said, she said” scenario while you are employed. You better hope you trust your “Team Leader” or you won’t be employed long.
Exit interviews? That is laughable. It’s a “Here is your termination paperwork, I’ve already spoken with legal council.” OR, if you’re LUCKY “This just isn’t working out, we will give you 2 months to find a new job. We made a mistake hiring you.” You are always one conversation away from being unemployed-THAT I can guarantee you of. Anything else about tmp-zero guarantees.
There is no outside sales division. The only “sales”
they have is the President bringing in new accounts based on the large accounts the company has managed for several years OR their sister company bringing in sales-which is where tmp gets 75-80% of their business. If one or two of the large e-commerce accounts EVER goes to another company, tmp will dissolve. There’s nothing else funding the organization. Kind of scary.
I wouldn’t recommend this organization to ANYONE I know based on the experience I have had working for them. I put my heart and soul into this company, gave them everything I am, for 18 months....for nothing. There is no value to employees-you are only a body to make the company money, and ANYONE can do that. No matter who you are or what you do for them, none of it matters, especially if you aren’t crying every day to get it done.
Start your career somewhere else. I promise this will be the best thing you can truly do for yourself.
