Pros
The client base is varied, with some great to work with. Good hardware is provided for the job. Remote working is generally flexible. They cover exam costs. Hiring is progressive and diverse. You usually get what you need in terms of software, tools, and subscriptions. People are open to adopting new technology. The internal support portal is good. HR is responsive and helpful. Client documentation and onboarding are well-organized from a tech sales perspective. There’s no pressure to work late or on weekends. Overtime pay exists, but execs avoid using it, so work-life balance is generally good. Flexi-time is available but may not be flexible enough for some. Development tools, trials, and budgets are usually accessible at company cost. There are some great colleagues who are skilled and enjoyable to work with.
Kontras
Expenses are restrictive, especially on food. The exec board keeps changing, causing misalignment and uncertainty. Office politics is overwhelming at the moment, due to ongoing mergers. There’s no financial support for work-related equipment. Poor project and review quality often leads to avoidable workarounds. QA/testing standards are far behind industry norms. Devs “wear too many hats” due to many missing key roles. They’re often assigned unfamiliar tech with no training, then demeaned for struggling. Project management is poor, and client boundaries are weak (almost no gatekeeping in place). Temp staff are hired reactively, leaving teams overworked. Pay is inconsistent—some are overpaid, others underpaid. People are hired above you for more money due to market rates. Other teams offload work onto devs. Teams work in silos, causing poor communication. Juniors lack proper support. Skill levels vary wildly; underperformance isn’t addressed, and high performance isn’t rewarded. Morale is low—colleagues are apathetic and avoid responsibility. Yearly pay raises are very small (on already sub-average salary) and not guaranteed. There’s no promotion structure. Quarterly reviews don’t reflect actual work and are inconsistently enforced. There’s pressure to take exams just to make management look good. No real appetite for technical improvement despite feedback. Feedback often taken personally rather than objectively. Execs talk big, but it’s very difficult to see any real change. Ongoing redundancies keep everyone on edge. Some individuals contribute to a toxic work culture. Social events are unappealing and often have weird caveats. Occasional micromanagement of your status on Teams and workload.