Pros
I spent nearly ten years with AirClean Systems and learned a lot about technical products, various markets, customer profiles, and small business tactics. I started my career here and was able to be in many roles. I got to travel to great locations for trade shows and learned a lot of about sales, marketing, and business development. The fume hoods, laminar flow workstations, balance enclosures, and others are really superb in the market. I was able to craft, document, and implement systems and procedures while I was there and manage a team, which was a great experience and I don't think I would have been able to do that had I worked for a larger corporation. If I had an idea, often times--I could run with it. In addition, I met some great people and cultivated friendships.
Kontras
When the company chose to relocate over an hour (each way) from where I live, I decided to find another job. Though it was not a surprise to upper management and I left on good terms, I was extremely dissappointed to not receive over two weeks of vacation pay upon my departure. I have witnessed this company throw money at people and situations to make them go away. Not paying unused vacation was allegedly a new policy...but they have never done anything by the book and make up rules and policies only for certain individuals. The fact that I was there all that time taking the brunt of their sometimes shady business decisions, training the rounds of new people, and just being a hard working employee is beyond comprehension. It makes me sick. To add insult to injury, the owners of the company viewed me as a key senior member of management but couldn't be bothered with a good-bye, good luck, or good riddance discussion or email message. Wow. Though I am in a much better place now in a great job, this really makes me jaded that a job is a job. My view on this "company" is forever tarnished.